GOD IS – JEALOUS!

GOD IS – JEALOUS!

Ex 34:14

14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

           The Hebrew word for jealous is qana’ and is also the root word for “zealous!” The meaning in Arabic is “to become intensely red.” We often think jealousy is an unbecoming trait of an insecure partner of a strained relationship. It is understood as “advancing one’s rights to the exclusion of the rights of others.” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old Testament Words) It is the reason we place fences around our property!

           God is not tainted with the negative connotation of the word jealous. Nowhere is God said to be envious and generally the word “zealous” can be used to describe God’s fierce favor of one over another. However, God is intolerant of being substituted by idols and images. He will not share His glory with another. This idea is presented in Satan’s temptation of Jesus.

Luke 4:7-8

7 [and Satan said] If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

           Jealousy implies love and, where love exists, it desires exclusive commitment. That is understood in the marriage ceremony when a couple looks into each other’s eyes and promises “to forsake all others.” In fact when His people strayed from Him God likened it to spiritual adultery and Paul worried over the Corinthians because of their spiritual infidelity.

Jer 3:6

6 The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.

2 Cor 11:2-3

2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Dear Lord! I know you are sensitive of your rights to my heart. You have bought me with your own blood as proof of your love. Help me to set my affections only on you. AMEN