When I first read the words “I am a jealous God” in the Bible, I thought, eh? I thought so.
Perhaps it is because this trait is more associated with the Prince of Darkness than with the Selfless One, the source of light and justice.
The word “jealousy” can evoke many negative thoughts in our minds, such as insecurity, selfishness, immaturity, and irrationality. We do not attribute our unpleasant behavior to God. This means that someone becomes violent when ignored, or such traits may simply result from irrational behavior or other shallow reasons driven by unwarranted jealousy.
But as we read the Bible and gain clear insight into the nature of God, we discover that there is more to the words than meets the eye. God is too perfect to have the same negative emotions as we do, but he is flawed and prone to jealousy once provoked.
If you actually stop and think about it, God’s jealousy is not the same as our jealousy… insecurity, narrow-mindedness, or whatever. His jealousy is more of a concern than anything else (there’s more to it than you think, you’ll see later). Think about it. How can God, the creator of the universe who basically brought everything into existence, feel even the slightest bit of anxiety?
If we evaluate ourselves, our flaws, limitations and all, or our place in this universe, compared to God’s place, we will feel very unworthy of God’s possessiveness over us. So instead of getting frustrated, shouldn’t we ask ourselves, “Are we really worth it?” In other words, a great God would notice us, much less be jealous of us when we pay attention to things and worldly concerns that tend to distract us.
God’s jealousy benefits us
Unlike the narrow-minded and sometimes fiery jealousy that we mistake for love, God’s jealousy is just, impartial, and actually beneficial.
Let’s start with moral clarity. Without the idea of good and evil, life would be a total hassle. God’s insistence on faithfulness at least guides us north and helps us avoid fatal mistakes and get into serious trouble.
Secondly, it gives us a sense of responsibility. God’s jealousy reminds us that wrong choices and disloyalty to God’s Word can cause us to stray from a stable path.
And thirdly, God’s jealousy is a pillow for small hearts. It is comforting to know that God cares enough to be upset when we take a wrong turn.
As you know, God’s jealousy does not weigh, but it does not weigh. We can say that it is a built-in alarm in human relationships that tiptoes us along the sacred and safe path that God has planned for our own benefit. It is a conviction that God does not despise our relationship with Him. He is persistent because in his eyes we are worthy. And in our world, which often seems indifferent, that kind of jealousy is actually something we can use and crave more of. His jealousy is, in effect, saying, “You are precious to me. I want what’s best for you. Please don’t trade me for an inferior substitute that could ruin your life.”
By now, we can already hear the voices of the skeptics. “Why should God care if I stray?” Why be jealous? Is it controlling, authoritarian, or unnecessary? I don’t know about you, but if God were indifferent to my misdeeds and acted as if I didn’t exist, I would be shocked and scared. Because that just means God has given up on me. It would really fill me with joy if God felt anger or jealousy when I was chasing something that would cause me to self-destruct.
God’s jealousy is not meant to oppress us
Freedom sounds sweet until our bad decisions hit us in the face. Some people think that freedom means having no restrictions. We know that’s not the case. Because without rules and roadmaps (including restrictions), things can quickly go sideways. Our life is full of traps. All promise freedom, but often end up tearing our lives apart. Absolute freedom is actually avoiding that pain.
Some may object, “But why do you use the word ‘jealousy’? Isn’t that misleading?” I think so in a sense, but only in a purely linguistic sense. We need to remember that the ancient Hebrew worldview was less abstract and more relational. God understands that He can only communicate His message through human words. God wants to communicate with us in ways that we can feel and understand. So don’t be surprised if God uses human emotions to push a point.
You can take solace in this. The deeper God’s love, the more intensely God’s jealousy flares up. What does that mean? It can only tell you that you are a real gem in God’s eyes and He is passionate about saving you from ruining your own life, the precious life He has given you.
“Thieves come for no other purpose than to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they might have life and have it more abundantly. ” John 10:10 NKJV
Many preachers try to defend and justify God’s jealousy by blaming it on God’s overprotection of us. Don’t get me wrong. I agree with them on that. What I disagree with is the idea of stripping God of the right to feel jealous. We are engaged to the Lord just as a woman is engaged to a faithful husband. He has the right to be jealous if we are unfaithful. And what is it that makes God feel so strongly every time we chase after the false gods of this world? Shouldn’t we be humble instead of being troubled by the overflowing expressions of love?
I don’t think being jealous is necessarily a terrible thing, as long as such feelings stem from a place of fairness and justice.
Viewing Your Relationship with God in the Context of Marriage
We all know why God considers marriage to be a sacred covenant. Union and partnership reflect the holiness of God’s love for His children. A man’s promise to remain faithful to his loved ones, and vice versa, shows the same devotion and faithfulness that God has for us, and the same loyalty and devotion that we must return.
So, just as humans have the right to be furious when a loved one breaks a deal (for having an affair with another man), God has a right to be furious and jealous when we break our promises of fidelity by pursuing false gods or addictions that steal our attention away from God, such as material wealth or fame or even people or celebrities we are obsessed with.
Remember, God created us for Himself, not in a selfish way, but in a relationship stitched together by grace. In short, it is a bond that brings us absolute joy with God. There is not the slightest trace of self-interest.
God’s jealousy makes perfect sense
So when we go astray by worshiping other gods, seeking meaning from material wealth, or ignoring God’s call to faithfulness, let us remember that God’s jealousy is, in effect, God’s insistence on the integrity of His relationship with us. In relationships, we instinctively understand this. When the person we love most constantly ignores us for superficial pleasure or harmful influence, our irritation reflects the value we place on that relationship. Similarly, God’s “jealousy” reflects God’s deep love for humanity, not His insecurity.
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