WHY GOD IS A JEALOUS GOD
And What it means for us as believers
“Rightly understood, the idea of jealousy is central to any true concept of God” - James Montgomery Boice
“Give me children, or I’ll die!”
As extreme as this statement sounds, it was uttered by a childless woman in the bible out of jealousy for her sister whom they both shared the same husband and had given birth to many children for him. This story was about the first encounter of jealousy in the Bible and was recorded in Genesis 30:11. This bible story highlights the essence of human jealousy, referring to the thoughts or feelings of insecurity, fear, and concern over a relative lack of possessions or safety. It can consist of one or more emotions such as anger, resentment, inadequacy, helplessness or disgust.
A further glance into the scriptures reveals several verses where God was described as jealous. For clearer reference, ponder on the following verses:
“You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” - Exodus 20:5-6 NIV
“Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” - Exodus 34:14 NIV
These verses raise several questions and possibly contradicting connotations.
You may wonder why the bible described God as jealous, or that If God is jealous, does it mean He is wicked like human beings?
GOD’S JEALOUSY: A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
Our study of God’s jealousy leads us to an alternative definition of the word jealousy. Oxford Languages defines jealous to mean “fiercely protective of one's rights or possessions” and “demanding faithfulness and exclusive worship”. This definition shows us the true meaning of when the bible says God is a jealous God.
According to J. I. Packer, God’s jealousy is “his holiness reacting to evil in a way that is morally right and precious…; it is a praiseworthy zeal on his part to preserve something supremely precious” 2
This means that God is jealous because he is fiercely protective of his rights and everything that He created, especially His most prized possession- YOU & I.
God is jealous because he loves us so much - to the extent of sacrificing His only begotten son for our salvation- and he doesn’t want us to fall into pain, suffering, and ultimately eternal destruction. God’s jealousy, unlike human jealousy, does not arise out of personal interest or greed. It arises out of God’s longing to protect us and keep us in His plan for our lives- the best possible plan we can ever follow.
God's jealousy arises out of His longing to protect us and keep us in His plan for our lives.
We see the extremes of God’s jealousy play out in the story of the children of Israel, their cycle of falling into evil to asking God for mercy and help, to God repeatedly delivering them from their enemies through numerous miracles and blessings.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US?
God has not changed. He is still as jealous today as he was in bible times, and He demands the same level of worship and faithfulness from us as he did the Israelites.
God’s jealousy implies that we are to turn our hearts and minds away from every other god- everything that takes our attention away from Him.
Beloved, always remember that God is right to be jealous about you because He is intentional about you.
Till next time💫
You can read the entire chapter of Genesis 30 for the full story.
(J. I. Packer, Knowing God, [London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1973], 189.