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Bible Study God is a Jealous God

Mike

Mike

Member
Exodus 20
4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God,"

Exodus 34
"14 Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

Deuteronomy 4
"23 Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden. 24 For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God."

Zechariah 8
" 2 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.â€

I'm not a scholar on the original language of the Hebrew text, but as I understand it, the Hebrew word for "jealous" is "El Qanna". In trying to come to an understanding of how and why God is a jealous God, this seems to suggest that he is a God who chases His people who turn away from Him. I find it fascinating that in Exodus 34, He actually says is Name is "Jealous" or "El Qanna"! Me being me, if someone rejects me, my reaction would be to throw my hands up and say, "Whatever... I don't want him." But this tells me that God is not content in allowing us to turn away from Him and focus on idols. He doesn't throw His hands up, but he burns with jealousy and pursues us.

I'm interested in your thoughts on this, since we do have such profound thinkers here. When God repeatedly says He is a jealous God, when He actually says His Name is "Jealous", what is your interpretation of this description of His nature?
 
How neat. I've been praying about this! I want the Lord to give me a deeper understanding of this.

I think the best way I've come to understand it is: the holy jealousy a husband and wife have for one another.

I really like reading your thoughts and how "God chases us when we reject Him." I have experienced this time and time again in my walk with the Lord! There is nothing more humbling than this. Nothing can make your heart of stone become a heart of flesh faster than experiencing this kind of pure love!

A recent Bible verse that really impacted me about God's jealous nature is this:

Romans 11:11
Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.

(this is the NIV, but the KJV uses the world jealousy)

I'm going to search on Strong's if the Hebrew words for envy here match up.
 
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theLords said:
Well, I just realized that your Scriptures are in Hebrew and mine is in Greek :lol
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:rolling

But seriously... a nice comparison in your first response with a husband and wife. :) We are all theologians in that we study to learn about God. We should thirst to always know more about Him. When we turn away or lose focus, He burns with jealousy. It's amazing that the Creator of everything cares so much to actually be jealous. I look forward to more thoughts on this.
 
I imagine God created us for a reason and gave us free will for a reason too. If he created us to be his company then I guess he might get jealous at peoples turning away. Jealousy usually only exists where there is a great deal of fondness towards someone and it is threatened.
 
Mike said:
:rolling

But seriously... a nice comparison in your first response with a husband and wife. :) We are all theologians in that we study to learn about God. We should thirst to always know more about Him. When we turn away or lose focus, He burns with jealousy. It's amazing that the Creator of everything cares so much to actually be jealous. I look forward to more thoughts on this.
Click to expand...

These words are like poetry to my spirit.

It sheds a really deep light on the act of idolatry! It's not anger that drives Him, it's love. Every where you turin the the Bible God's love pours out. There's no escaping His love!

I wonder if anyone has any testimonies about experiencing this in their life.

Anyone??? :D
 
I was thinking about this just this morning. The jealousy is apart of His long suffering toward us is what I was contemplating. I was pondering on the thread you have going in the other forum. And thinking about the peace I have.

Some look at peace as a bad thing sometimes. I mean, it can almost be considered 'lukewarmness' when you see others "doing" so much. You then look at your life and say, "wow, not much is going on right now".

Then I got to thinking about how some interpret sin, and the continuation of sin in to "mature sin", as something that gets easier to do with time. And while I will bite on that to an extent, it started me thinking about God's character of love toward us.

So jealousy. How wonderful to contemplate the jealousy of God toward us. So while I was thinking about that, how I can have peace with somethings in my life, while others do not, and how we can both be a child still; then it can only be understood as an individual love for the individual person. And so, jealousy is an individual desire for each individual. Its not an over all blanket jealousy, but a very profound longing and want for the person He has it toward.

My interpretation is that He individually, and distinctly, calls to each one of us. Its a excellent way to look at the desire for a personal relationship He has for each and every individual. Jealousy is a very 'personal' trait that deals with something specifically. So when He speaks of being Jealous toward us, it is a very personal thing. I find extreme comfort in that. I really do. To know that God is jealous for me. It gives me comfort because I know that even when I sometimes choose to walk away and do my own 'thing', His jealousy means He is not going to just sit back and wait for me to return. Jealousy means that He is going to pursue me, lead me, draw me, train me, watch over me; Jealousy to me is the peace in knowing that my God and Savior cares about me and I am not just another 'speck of nothingness' to Him.

Wish I had more time to dive in deeper. But I saw this and had to say something even if it does not make sense right now. lol
 
theLords said:
These words are like poetry to my spirit.

It sheds a really deep light on the act of idolatry! It's not anger that drives Him, it's love. Every where you turin the the Bible God's love pours out. There's no escaping His love!

I wonder if anyone has any testimonies about experiencing this in their life.

Anyone??? :D
Click to expand...

:clap :yes :clap

Everyday!!! Specifically, not to long ago I was 'caught up' in some sinful behavior. I knew the whole time it was sin. His love/jealousy would not let me stay in it. He, like a shepherd would go and get one of the sheep that goes astray, came to me and grabbed me up. Its not the first time either. This was on a large scale, there are manifold small scales it happens on every day.

His jealousy took away that which was tempting me. Through it, He is training me, and when the test comes again, I am sure I will be stronger in it. I do not think we will ever come close to understanding how He works in the lives of us. But needless to say, jealousy is a very real attribute to His person, but to understand it we must look at the whole of what is known and not just a little. Otherwise we can skew the image of jealousy.

Man I wish I had more time right now. lol
 
nathanielhooper said:
Some look at peace as a bad thing sometimes. I mean, it can almost be considered 'lukewarmness' when you see others "doing" so much. You then look at your life and say, "wow, not much is going on right now".
Click to expand...

I understand what you mean here. Yet, how many Christians are serving the Lord 24/7 but do not give Him the time of day? I cherish the seasons of sitting in the Lord's presence and thinking about Him and "doing nothing."

nathanielhooper said:
And so, jealousy is an individual desire for each individual.
Click to expand...

I agree 100%. I have often heard the "word picture" of the Lord's heart being like a giant house with separate rooms, one reserved uniquely and solely for each of us. :D

nathanielhooper said:
Everyday!!!
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I've been praying that the Lord open my eyes to see His jealous love in my life. I knew that it's there, but because of painful past circumstances I am having trouble seeing it!

Thanks for sharing this. I feel like my eyes are beginning to slowly open. I'm going to keep praying that I experience the Lord's loving jealousy.

nathanielhooper said:
Otherwise we can skew the image of jealousy.
Click to expand...

Very true. Sadly, look at Oprah, she skewed the image and now thinks God is jealous of her. :confused: How sad indeed :nono2
 
[video=youtube;2FxaUYjRtkc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FxaUYjRtkc&feature=related[/video]


This sums it up fellers. The jealousy of God is manifested in our indescribably longing for Him. Sometimes we completely disregard the simplicity of the truth that;

Rom 3:10 as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one;

Rom 3:11 no one understands; no one seeks for God.

Rom 3:12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one."

Rom 3:13 "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips."

Rom 3:14 "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness."

Rom 3:15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood;

Rom 3:16 in their paths are ruin and misery,

Rom 3:17 and the way of peace they have not known."

Rom 3:18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."



Rom 5:6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

Rom 5:7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die--

Rom 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us


Contemplate that. He comes ONLY to those who are not looking for Him. How amazing. Jealousy is best described when a man finds his wife cheating on him in plain view, with out a doubt his wife is going after another man, and then in jealousy, He puts aside the man, and takes again his wife, loving her, adoring her, despite the sickening thing she has done. That is love, manifested through jealousy.

We best see jealousy when we contemplate the udder despair we were in and are still in, and still yet He loves us. If that does not manifest His love and jealousy....what does?
 
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Talk about an uplifting song!

Have you heard the version by Kim Walker from Jesus Culture?

[video=youtube;X-rW528qiYw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-rW528qiYw[/video]

If grace is an ocean, we're all sinking!
 
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