When Pastor Charles announced his sermon on Names of God: El-Kanna about God being a jealous God and how that’s actually a good trait, I thought, “Good luck figuring that one out.”
It’s hard to make sense of that idea, isn’t it? Jealousy is not exactly one of those things we think of as a positive trait. We’ve probably all experienced it at some point, either in ourselves or someone else, as a selfish, often toxic characteristic.
How can a good God be a Jealous God?
I think Pastor Charles did a great job with his message, especially explaining how God’s jealousy comes from His holiness and love, and that His jealousy is something for us. If you haven’t seen it, you can read, watch or listen to it here.
Is Jealous God just an Old Testament thing?
Leading up to the message, I was thinking about that. Jealousy is one of those things that feeds into the narrative about how God is different in the Old Testament than in the New Testament. You know, how Old Testament God is bitter, angry and judgmental, while New Testament God is loving.
I know that that story is false. I know that God is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow. We see God working a loving plan to save all who would come to him being woven throughout all of scripture.
But even knowing that, some things are harder to put together, aren’t they? It’s hard to see jealousy as a positive trait.
Consider the Alternative
Here’s the thing that comes to mind though: What is the alternative?
God announced Himself as a jealous God when giving Moses the Ten Commandments. He doesn’t want us following other gods. He doesn’t want us making other things into gods that supersede Him. He wants to be our God and for us to be His people.
So, think about it. What is the alternative? What’s the end result if we follow other gods?
It starts with the fact that other gods don’t exist.
I remember a skit some friends performed in church camp. They were re-enacting the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal. The prophets danced around singing “Come on Baal, light my fire” (Think of the Doors song).
Baal couldn’t light the fire because he didn’t exist. The other gods couldn’t rescue Israel from slavery or watch over them in the desert. Ultimately, worshipping other gods would get them nowhere.
Today, we may not be tempted to bow down to idols, but we certainly have our fair share of gods. It could be the god of career, or the god of pleasure, or money, or relationships. But in the end, when we put those things first, where does it really get us?
It’s pretty much the same disappointment. It’s the same discouragement the Teacher in Ecclesiastes had when he said “Everything is meaningless.”
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.
Acts 4:12 (NIV)
God’s Jealousy is a Selfless Jealousy
The reason that jealousy is such a problem for us as humans is, it’s such a selfish thing. When you see toxic jealousy, it’s never really something that puts the other person first. It comes out of the jealous person’s insecurity or pettiness. Ultimately, it’s about “me” over “you.” I want you to myself regardless of what’s best for you.
And that, I think, is the key to how Godly jealousy is different than our experience of jealousy. It boils down to where the jealousy comes from.
Toxic jealousy seeks self first.
God’s jealousy wants the best for His people. He wants to love us. God wants to give us life, and to give us eternal life.
God’s jealousy knows where the alternatives are leading. He knows that seeking meaning and hope in anything other than Him leads to heartache.
God is jealous for us because He wants the best for us.
I think we’ve all seen someone hurt by a relationship with someone who isn’t good for them. We see the pain and destruction that comes because of that relationship and we wish our friend or loved one could see what it’s doing to them.
That’s where God’s love is coming from. He knows the hurt that lies ahead if we go down whatever other road there is and He doesn’t want that for us.
When I understand that God’s love is ultimately what leads to His jealousy, it’s hard to imagine a good God being anything other than jealous for His people.