Pastor's Thoughts

God's Jealousy

The study of God's attributes ia a marvelous one. They should be studied, because we need to know our Father as best we can. One particular attribute that was on my mind this week is the "jealousy" of God.

There are at least 26 different references in God's Word to His jealousy. One of the most popular references is found within the Ten Commandments. God's second commandment in Exodus 20 is: "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God."

The basis for the second commandment is that God is a jealous for His people. The people of Israel ( and we also ) should not worship any other thing except the One True God. God's jealousy should not be provoked, because God goes on to say in the same chapter that He will: "visit the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me". In short, there is a price to pay for being unfaithful to God and worshipping other things.

However, there is also a compassionate side of God's jealousy. God says in the next verse: "but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments." 

Jealousy is defined as " intolerant of unfaithfulness or rivalry." If you know Him as Savior , He loves you and refuses to share you with any other person or activity. Are you on the compassionate side of God's jealousy? Does HE have first place in your heart?