Pondering His Holy Word

What does it mean to be jealous? Why is the Lord a jealous God? Think about it. How do we use the word jealous? It is usually used in a pejorative or negative manner. Frequently, we use the word jealous to describe someone envious or insecure. Yet we know that the LORD is neither insecure nor envious of any “god” because there is no other god other than the Most High. So how do we explain his jealousy for us? Well, his jealousy is meant to protect us from idolatry and serving spirits that mean harm to us.
     Let’s take a look at the Hebrew translation of the word Jealous. The word “jealous” is translated from the Hebrew word Qanna (Kan-naw), a name for God, which means jealous, zealous, and envy. The Blue Letter Bible explains that the word “qanna” fundamentally relates to a marriage relationship. God is depicted as Israel’s husband.” (BLB). The prophets continuously make the comparison to the LORD is the Husband of Israel and Israel being the wife
     This usage of the word actually makes sense. No spouse wants anyone lusting after their spouse. Yet worse, We definitely don’t expect our spouse to lust after anyone else. Moreover, when the marriage vows are violated, trust is lost. The terms of the covenant are broken. Many spouses walk away after such a violation. However, the LORD always honors his end of the covenant. Let’s look at two examples, one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament.
      First, we will look at Deuteronomy chapter 4. Before the Israelites arrived in the Promised Land, Moses warned them against idolatry. He says, “15 “Therefore, watch yourselves very carefully. Since you saw no form on the day that the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth(Deuteronomy 4:15-18). In this passage, Moses reminds the people that they didn’t see any form of the LORD when he spoke to them at Mount Sinai, and he warns them not to make any images of him under any circumstances.
      He goes on to warn them, “And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, you will be drawn away and bow down to them and serve the things that the LORD has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven. But the LORD has taken and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be a people of his own inheritance, as you are this day” (Deuteronomy 4:19-20). This passage expressly warns them not to bow down to the stars, the moon, and the suns, something from which people all over the world benefit.
      Nearly all cultures have some form of Sun god, Moon god, and star god. But not Israel; the LORD has spoken to them and gave the Israelites direct instructions on how to live their lives. They entered into a covenant with the LORD. Finally, Moses reminds the Israelites that the LORD “is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” (Deut 4:24). The LORD kept his end of the covenant, but Israel, for the most part, did not keep their end of the covenant.
      How does the old covenant relate to the new covenant, through Jesus Christ? In the New Testament, people who follow Christ are called the Church, the Bride of Christ. Through Jesus Christ, God has set us apart. As the Apostle Paul explains to the church of Corinth, “Your body is a temple at the Holy Spirit within you…You are not your own for you were bought with a price” (1 Corinthian 6:19). He explains that we were brought at the cost of Christ’s blood, who atoned for our sins. So we no longer belong to ourselves because our life was ransomed. Paul goes on to explain that we, Christ intended bride.  “For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.” (2 Corinthian 11:2). Because the Holy Spirit dwells in us, we should be zealous.
      James explains that “Do you know not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?” Just like a husband cannot serve two wives or a wife can serve two husbands, we cannot serve God and the world.  
     Still, Satan is envious of our relationship with the Lord because he has been eternally separated from God’s grace. Satan is very insecure and very envious of us. That is why he seeks to distract us. For that reason, the Lord is very protective of us. We, on the other hand, are a part of God’s body. We are a part of the Church, and our head is Christ. Our arms or feet should not try to be a part of another body. We should be jealous for the other members of the body of Christ so we all can be ready for when Christ returns.