GOD IS … JEALOUS
EXODUS 20:2-6; VARIOUS SCRIPTURES

THE VERY WORD CARRIES OVERTONES OF SELFISHNESS, SUSPICION AND DISTRUST, AND IMPLIES RESENTMENT OR HOSTILITY TOWARD OTHER PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY ENJOY SOME ADVANTAGE. IT IS POSSESSIVE, DEMANDING AND OVERBEARING, IT IS REPULSIVE, IT DEGRADES AND IT DEMEANS … IT BREEDS TENSION AND DISCORD, IT DESTROYS FRIENDSHIPS AND MARRIAGES … WE VIEW JEALOUSY AS A HORRIBLE TRAIT AND WE HATE IT …

“WE SPEAK TRULY OF GOD WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT HIM AS HE HAS SPOKEN ABOUT HIMSELF. AND HE HAS TOLD US THAT HE IS A JEALOUS GOD.
K. ERIC THOENNES, GODLY JEALOUSY

   DEFINED: THE ROOT IDEA IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WORD JEALOUS MEANS TO BECOME INTENSLEY RED. IT SEEMS TO REFER TO THE CHANGING COLOR OF THE FACE OR THE RISING HEAT OF THE EMOTIONS, WHICH ARE ASSOCIATED WITH INTENSE ZEAL OR FERVOR OVER SOMETHING DEAR TO US. IN FACT THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT WORDS FOR JEALOUSY ARE TRANSLATED “ZEAL.” BEING JEALOUS AND BEING ZEALOUS ARE ESENTIALLY THE SAME THING IN THE BIBLE. GOD IS ZEALOUS – EAGER ABOUT PROTECTING WHAT IS PRECIOUS TO HIM.

THE PROBLEM
“IT IS THE GREEN-EYED MONSTER” SHAKESPEAR IN OTHELL

     BIGGER PROBLEM, GOD CALLS HIMSELF JEALOUS …
   WHAT DISTINGUISHES GOD’S JEALOUSY FROM OURS,
WHAT IS GOD JEALOUS OF?

    GOD’S JEALOUSY IS GOD’S LOVE AND HOLINESS ACTING ON YOUR BEHALF

   ENVY/JEALOUSY …
“ENVY IS THE DESIRE TO GAIN POSSESSION OF SOMETHING THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY POSSESSED. JEALOUSY IS THE DESIRE TO MAINTAIN EXCLUSIVE DEVOTION WITHIN A RELATIONSHIP IN THE FACE OF A CHALLENGE TO THAT EXCLUSIVE DEVOSTION.”
K. ERIC THOENESS, GODLY JEALOUSY

ENVY STARTS IN COVETOUSNESS – EXPRESSES ITSELF IN MALICE …

JEALOUSY IS A DESIRE TO MAINTAIN EXCLUSIVE DEVOTION WITHIN A RELATIONSHIP IN THE FACE OF A CHALLENGE TO THAT EXCLUSIVE DEVOTION

JEALOUSY IS ALMOST ALWAYS FRAMED IN METAPHORES – COVENANT, MARRIAGE, SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS …

   JEALOUSY IS A LOOK INTO THE EMOTIONAL SIDE OF GOD …

THE POINT,
ELEMENTS OF JEALOUSY:

   FIDELITY
   A LOVER
   A BELOVED
   A RIVAL

   PRIORITY
  “NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME”

“GOD IS NOT JEALOUS LIKE AN INSECURE EMPLOYER WHO FEARS THAT HIS EMPLOYEES MIGHT GET LURED AWAY BY A BETTER SALARY ELSEWHERE. GOD’S JEALOUSY IS NOT THE REFLEX OF WEAKNESS OR FEAR. INSTEAD GOD IS JEALOUS LIKE A POWERFUL AND MERCIFUL KING WHO TAKES A PEASANT GIRL FROM A LIFE OF SHAME, FORGIVES HER, MARRIES HER, AND GIVES HER N0T THE CHORES OF A SLAVE, BUT THE PRIVILIGES OF A WIFE – A QUEEN. HIS JEALOUSY DOES NOT RISE FROM FEAR OR WEAKNESS BUT FROM A HOLY INDIGNATION AT HAVING HIS HONOR AND POWER AND MERCY SCORNED BY THE FAITHLESNESS OF A FICKLE SPOUSE.”
JOHN PIPER

“AT IT’S CORE JEALOUSY IS AN EMOTION BASED ON PRECEIVED INFIDELITY TO COVENANT EXCLUSIVITY.”
K. ERIC THOENESS, GODLY JEALOUSY
   JAMES 4:1-6

THE POWER,
HOSEA 3:1-3

APPLICATION: