There is a very curious proclamation in Deuteronomy 4:24, "The Lord is a consuming fire, a jealous God." Consuming fire, jealous God - really? Is this to say that the Green-eyed Monster drives the God of the universe into a heated fit of jealousy? What kind of god would that be? Not the God of the Bible. Let me explain.
The context of Deuteronomy 4 is the choice between the God of Abraham and the false idol gods like Baal. Jehovah God is the God, the One who spoke to them out of the fire, which led them out of Egypt. Following the practice of idol worship would pull them away from Him into the corruption of the world around them - to a man-made god, created to satisfy the lusts of ungodly people.
God's love for them was pure like the fire from which He spoke and just as consuming. This is the kind of love a parent has for a child. Our love for our children is pure. We do not love them for ourselves but for them. Our love seeks to provide for and protect them, especially from the dangerous pull of those who would bring them harm. We are jealous for them against gangs, drug dealers and posers of all stripes. We know that we are their real family, the ones who really love them and with whom they are safe.
God knows that He is the only true God, that He is the One who truly loves His children and that He alone can ultimately provide for us and save us from the ruin and destruction of the world around us. As the apostle Peter, full of the Holy Spirit said, "There is no other name given under heaven by which men can be saved" (Acts 4:12). To carelessly allow us to wander off to follow that which can only end in destruction is not something a loving parent or God can do.
God loves you, just the way you are, regardless of how far you have wandered from Him. But He loves you too much to just turn His back and leave you there. He jealously calls you away from a life of following false promises that only leave you empty and separated from Him.
Jus' Sayn.
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