Why it’s good that God is jealous

Our God is a jealous God, and that is actually a good thing.

Though we often see jealousy as a negative and destructive attribute, we discover throughout Scripture that jealousy is an amazing aspect of God’s character.

In this episode, Nathan discusses why jealousy in relationships is essential and explains why we must understand this attribute biblically. By the end, you will discover the beauty and benefit of jealousy and learn why God’s jealousy is a really good thing.

Listen to or download the episode

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Show Notes

• Exodus 32: Golden Calf
• Exodus 33: Moses intercedes
• Exodus 34: Moses cuts new tablets and goes back up the mountain
• Exodus 34:6-9 – Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished” … Moses made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship. He said, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, O Lord, I pray, let the Lord go along in our midst, even though the people are so obstinate, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your own possession.”
• Exodus 34:12-15 – “Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst. But rather, you are to tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and cut down their Asherim—for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God—otherwise you might make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and they would play the harlot with their gods and sacrifice to their gods …”
• Exodus 34:14 – … for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God …

God is Jealous

• Exodus 20:4-6 – You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
• Exodus 34:14 – … for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God …
• Deuteronomy 4:24 – For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
• Deuteronomy 5:9 – You shall not make for yourself an idol … You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God …
• Deuteronomy 6:14-15 – You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you, for the LORD your God in the midst of you is a jealous God; otherwise the anger of the LORD your God will be kindled against you, and He will wipe you off the face of the earth.
• Dan McConnaughey – Where would we be if God was not Jealous?

Jealousy

• Jealousy is often seen as a negative attribute and the result of personal and/or relational insecurity. As such, we presume God must be an insecure and likely abusive God. But godly jealousy (whether in God or humans) is not a negative but a positive attribute. Without godly jealousy we become passive and thus prone to idolatry, adultery, and other threats to our relationships.
• 90 times used in Scripture (approximately) – 64 positive (46 humans having Godly jealousy)
  • Sometimes translated zeal (ardent desire to see a particular desire come about)
• Exodus 34:14 – … for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God …
• Jealousy (literal understanding) – the ardent desire to maintain exclusive devotion within a relationship in the face of a challenge to that exclusive devotion 
  • wanting something that is yours
  • always requires a relationship 
• Requirements of Jealousy
  • a lover
  • a beloved
  • a covenant relationship (usually marked by love)
  • and a threat or violation of a threat to that covenant
  • Jealousy – Will I rise up and protect the relationship?

God is jealous … and that’s a good thing

• God is glorified by the faithfulness of His people and therefore He responds with jealousy to their unfaithfulness
  • Unfaithfulness between husband and wife = adultery
  • Unfaithfulness between God and people = adultery or idolatry 
• God says He is jealous to the extent that it is His name. He is love and when anything attempts to bring a threat against His covenantal love, out of a pure, good, and godly jealousy, He will rise up, judge, and remove that threat. And because jealousy is a part of His character and nature, and He lives within us, it should also be a part of our nature—to stand against any threat to the purity and simplicity of devotion to Christ.

We should be jealous for our God

• Phinehas
  • Numbers 25:6-8 –Then behold, one of the sons of Israel came and brought near to his brothers a Midianite woman, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of the sons of Israel, while they were weeping at the doorway of the tent of meeting. And Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, so he arose from the midst of the congregation and took a spear in his hand, and he went after the man of Israel into the tent and pierced both of them through, the man of Israel and the woman, through the body. Then the plague on the sons of Israel was checked.
  • Psalm 106:28-31 – They then joined themselves to Baal-peor, and ate sacrifices offered to the dead. Thus they provoked Him to anger with their actions, and the plague broke out among them. Then Phinehas stood up and interceded, and so the plague was checked. and it was counted to him for righteousness, from generation to generation forever.
  • 1 Corinthians 10:8, 11 – Nor let us act in sexual immorality, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. … Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have arrived.
• David
  • 1 Samuel 17:26 – Then David spoke to the men who were standing by him, saying, “What will be done for the man who strikes down this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should reproach the battle lines of the living God?”
• Paul
  • 2 Corinthians 11:2-3 – For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy, for I betrothed you to one husband, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be corrupted from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

Jealous against the threat of idolatry

• Jealousy – the ardent desire to maintain exclusive devotion within a relationship in the face of a challenge to that exclusive devotion 
• Requirements of Jealousy
  • a lover
  • a beloved
  • a covenant relationship (usually marked by love)
  • and a threat or violation of a threat to that covenant
  • Jealousy – Will I rise up and protect the relationship?
• Jealousy for God’s name, character, reputation, and honor will cause us to be extremely devoted to Christ, profoundly pure, deeply humble, increasing in holiness … and we won’t wander or pursue another god or affection.
• Idolatry– looking to anyone or anything besides Jesus to meet my needs.
• » Will I be jealous and guard against any threat to my relationship with Christ?

Join the Conversation

Question: How has seeing God’s jealousy helped you love, trust, and be more devoted to Him?

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About NRJohnson

NRJohnson (Nathan Johnson) is a Christian who has an overwhelming passion for Jesus, the Gospel, and Studying God’s Word. He is a writer, teacher, and communicator who helps other believers understand and apply the Bible as they grow and mature in their faith—desiring that they gain greater intimacy with Christ, experience the victorious Christian life, and transform the world through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Read more about him here.

About the Deeper Christian Podcast

Many Christians feel frustrated because they don’t grow spiritually. The Deeper Christian Podcast helps equip Christians to understand the Word of God and cultivate a passionate love for Jesus that turns the world upside down.

Whether you want to learn how to study God’s Word, grow in your faith, cultivate a powerful and effective prayer life, share the Gospel boldly, deepen your intimacy with Jesus, live victoriously, or transform the world through the indwelling life of the Holy Spirit, the Deeper Christian Podcast with NRJohnson (Nathan Johnson) will encourage and equip you to grow spiritually and live a Christ-centered life.