She wrote to my Facebook group demanding Scriptural support that God’s jealousy was righteous rather than sinful. I responded:
“When you ask for Scriptural support, you are asking for the right thing:
• Ezekiel 36:6–7 Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I have spoken in my jealous wrath, because you have suffered the reproach of the nations. Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: I swear that the nations that are all around you shall themselves suffer reproach.
God is so jealous for the well-being of His people that He will punish those who hurt them. Again:
• Nahum 1:2 The LORD is a jealous [for the welfare of His people] and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and wrathful; the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies.
• Zechariah 1:14 So the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘Cry out, Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion.
• Zechariah 8:2 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.
Likewise, those who love God are jealous for His honor and glory:
• 2 Corinthians 11:2–3 For I [Paul] feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
Likewise, God becomes angry. However, His anger is not a reactive and sinful anger as our own but a righteous and needful anger of the moral guardian of our universe.
I am glad to have a God who is jealous and protective of my welfare, a righteous God who will take care of justice so that we are enabled to do what we are commanded to do—to love others.”
Monday, August 14, 2023
IS GOD’S JEALOUSY SINFUL OR A RIGHTEOUS LOVE?
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