The Jealousy of God

“For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”

“He will not leave you, destroy you, or forget the covenant with your fathers that He swore to them by oath, because the LORD your God is a compassionate God” (Deuteronomy 4:24, 31, HCSB).

Seems contradictory to be a “compassionate God” and “a consuming fire.” Our God is jealous for us. Jealousy is an emotion—a reminder that this God of ours has feelings. Jealousy is the feeling one gets when a love object is threatened. If we think that someone we love may be stolen away a feeling grips us. It is a mixture of fear and anger. We fear for ourselves, that we may lose something of great value to us. We feel anger for the rival who trespasses unto our property. We feel violated. We may express our anger toward the one we love in words or by trying to exercise control. Jealousy is one of those emotions that can be suffocating to a relationship. Better to talk about it… get it out on the table—but only if that person knows of our love for them and we have felt assured of their love for us. If they love us they should attempt to reassure us.

How does God feel jealousy over us? He knows the inclination of our hearts is always to pursue the thing we can see with our eyes and feel with our hands. Our natural tendency is always to pursue the thing that we think will give us immediate pleasure. The Lord God wants to be the sole object of our love and devotion. He tells us He is jealous of us. We should be flattered!

But He is also a compassionate God. He knows our weakness. He knows our frailty. Even when we blow it He is still there. He never abandons us. His hand is constantly stretched out to us. He wants us to come back to Him. And if we will return to Him we shall find Him waiting, ready and happy to receive us without any condemnation.