Holy Jealousy

The second of the Ten Commandments reveals something that, at first blush, seems quite shocking: “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God" (Ex 20:4-5) - God is jealous.

What makes this revelation shocking is the nature of jealousy, the self-focused insecurity of the "Green-eyed Monster."   By definition, jealousy is a suspicious distrust based on possessiveness, doubt, spite and resentment.  These qualities hardly fit the God who "so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believed in him would not perish" (Jn 3:16).  

It seems impossible that the God who "created the heavens and the earth" (Gen 1:1), would feel threatened or insecure being compared to idols or idol worship.  How is it possible that the God of the universe would be so easily put on the defensive?  Answer: It is not.  God is not threatened by idols or the possibility of being marginalized.  

So, how is it that he is jealous?  He is jealous in a "for" sense, not an "of" sense?  Meaning?  One is in error to think that jealousy can only be understood in a selfish sense.  Another dictionary meaning of the word is, "zealous vigilance," an alert watchfulness that would be indicative of a loving parent.  God is not jealous of rivals, he is jealous for his children. 

Our Father in heaven is concerned about his children placing their trust in worthless idols that cannot save or help in any way.  To put our future in the hands of helpless idols is to put our future and our lives in jeopardy - in particular, our eternal destiny.  What loving parent would not be aggressively passionate about the life and death of his children?   God's jealousy is not small or self-serving.  God's jealousy is a holy jealousy.   Jus' Say'n.