My Name is Jealous

God: My Name is El Qanna

Exodus 34:10-17, Exodus 20:4-6, Deut. 4:24

I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. You shall not worship another god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. The Lord God is a Consuming fire.

Does the New Testament mention that idolatry is wrong? Col. 3:5, 1 John 5:21, 1 Cor. 10:14, Gal. 5:19-21, and Rev. 9:20 – “Don’t do it!”

When we study the Bible, we get to know God. And when we get to know God, we see that the Lord is Holy, He is Good, He is infinite; He is all powerful, all knowing, He is wrathful, He is loving and gracious and so on. God is El Shaddai (The all sufficient One). God is El Emet (The God of Truth). God is Immanuel (God with us). God is El Olam (The Everlasting God).

And everybody said “Amen!”

But when we get to this characteristic of God, to this Name, El Qanna – There could be some confusion and some head scratching going on. “My God’s Name is also, Jealous?”

Isn’t jealousy a bad thing? Isn’t jealousy a sin?

Galatians 5:20 labels it a sin. So what’s the deal?

This is the deal: We use the term “jealous” in a sense of being envious of someone or of something we do not have. Abilities, possessions, looks, etc., are examples of things we can be jealous about or envious about.

We use the words as if they have the same meaning.

So: Let’s make a distinction. Envy is a reaction to lacking something, or someone. Jealousy is a reaction to the threat of losing something or someone. Envy is wanting what someone else has. Jealousy is when you worry, or are pained that someone will take what you have.

Envy seems to be the pain that arises when someone has something you don’t have, which you think you need to be fully satisfied. Jealousy seems to be the pain we experience when our possessions are in threat of being taken away, those things that we believe will make us satisfied.

The Bible says that it is sinful to envy, to desire something or someone we do not have or possess, that which we believe will make us complete. And it is detestable to become bitter, resentful, angry and hostile over things we want, but do not own.

Being jealous or envious is this sinful way indicates that we are not satisfied with God. Being jealous is evidence of the desires of the flesh – Communicating “I deserve and need this thing that what God has given me, it is mine, not God’s, and losing it would mean losing a source of life for me.”

When we are jealous or envious, we are initially saying Christ is not enough, what He’s given is not enough, and He will not or cannot fill us by Himself. When we are jealous or envious we are believing and experiencing discontentment, insecurity and fear, and we are feeling the pain of it.

This is a big problem today. Shakespeare called envy it the “green sickness”. Proverbs 14:30 calls it rottenness to the bones.

This is causing much harm and many problems in homes and in church houses.

But there is another jealousy that the Bible speaks about. Paul even spoke about it with regards to his own personal affections for the church in 2 Cor. 11:1-4: “For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy.” This church family was his family and did not want to see wolves, false teachers, come in to devour them with false doctrine and cunning words… He was jealous for them, with a godly jealousy.

Yes, There is a godly jealousy.

So... Let’s talk about God.

God created mankind for His pleasure, for His enjoyment, and for His glory. We are created by Him, and for Him. We belong to God. God owns us. We are His.

But what has man done? Romans 1 and 2 -We worship creation instead...

Jeremiah 2:13 - Two evils God’s people committed: They forsook the Fountain of Living Waters and have went out to dig there own broken wells that won’t hold water...

That which is God’s… turns away from God… for something or someone else.

God is not Jealous because someone has something He believes He needs in order to be complete or whole. He is whole and complete right by Himself.

What He is jealous of belongs to Him... already.

He is Jealous when what belongs to Him... gives themselves to another.

He is Jealous for His people.

What is the Truth we all need to Know?

-God owns all, including you and me. God demands full and exclusive devotion. You belong to God.

- God is zealous to protect what belongs to Him.

-God will not allow another to have the love, devotion, worship or honor that solely belongs to Him, without issuing judgment.

We belong to this great God, and our covenant, our highest priority and privilege in life is loving the Lord God with all of our soul, heart, mind and strength – With our whole being.

And God has the right to expect this.

Our God, El Qanna, burns for our hearts, for our affection and loyalty.

He is a consuming fire whose love is as fierce as His wrath.

God speaks to us in His Word and illustrates His relationship with His people as a Husband and a wife, and it helps us to understand His great love and pain. A husband and wife are united as one to be one, to leave and cleave together, giving to one another their minds, hearts and bodies – To be faithful.

Spouses expect faithfulness, not adultery, not cheating, not competition with other lovers…

Spouses experience holy, divine jealousy when there is one who flirts with his or her spouse. When a wife gives her attention, her affections, gives her heart, mind, or body to another – There is a burning jealousy that comes over the husband.

When a husband gives his attention, his affections, his heart, mind or body to another – There is a burning jealousy that comes over the wife. This is not sinful...

Matter of fact… there was special law, called the Law of Jealousy, in Numbers 5.

This godly jealousy points to God and His burning love for us.

We belong to one another. There is a life-long covenant and bond. It is not suppose to be a one sided relationship. This is a giving up of ourselves to one another in the bonds of love. And we are passionate in this calling and endeavor.

This burns in us, and it should burn inside of us. This is the image and glory of God in our lives.

My spouse is my spouse… a part of my body… I am connected to her.

God made and makes His covenant with His people: “This is My covenant with you; take My Hand, here’s my heart; I am yours and you are mine; come to me My beloved and walk with me, talk with me, obey Me and I will give you the depths of My heart, only if you will abide…”

But, what did Israel do? The book of Hosea fully illustrates the actions of Israel and the people of God today. It is a story of a one sided relationship. Hosea married an unfaithful woman named Gomer; He loved her, they had children, but she would not be content or satisfied. Gomer left her husband for another, to give herself away to other lovers.

Though Hosea had the right to divorce her, God said “Go and love her as the Lord loves the Israelites; go and show her My love, the love I have for my people.” And Hosea bought her out of slavery – And Gomer was redeemed.

This is the character, nature and action of our El Qanna, of our God. We are created, purchased, redeemed and saved for His own pleasure. We are created, purchased, redeemed and saved to love and to be loved by our Great God.

And He calls He Bride to go and sin no more, and to be faithful.

No other god has or ever will do this. No house, no job, no tree, no rock, no car … nothing, and no one... has ever done this for us….

But... we run after them time and time again. And when we do, God’s jealousy burns and brings a judgment or discipline to break us away from our idols, so that we would once again burn for Him.

The idols we make are competitors with God…

They are loyalty dividers… Heart robbers...

Are there idols… things that are competing with God today?

This is my prayer for us today, and our focus for today –That we break down idols.

Is there something that is taking our attention and affections away from our Loving God?

Will our godly jealousy move our passions to cut off these other affections?

It is my prayer, concern and request that this characteristic of God be made manifest in us to a greater degree. I pray that I become more jealous for His glory, for His intimate presence, which is our possession.

I pray that we become so jealous and zealous for His presence in our lives that we become burning ones, aggressive to cut off and cast out that which will take us away from our communion.

And I only believe that this will be made possible in our lives when El Qanna becomes a greater reality in our hearts, when we see this God who burns for us.

May we never forsake our first love...

Is this your prayer today:  Break off the idols that you despise that our love be unhindered and that my heart would burn for you.

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