Whom or what is God jealous of?

[JamieJ1989]

[Exodus: 20.5]. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.

Whom or what is God jealous of in this verse?

Jealous: Feeling or showing an envious resentment of someone or their achievements, possessions, or perceived advantages.

Either;

a) God is envious when an individual achieves something, when those achievements come as a consequence of not having to waste ones time worshipping a tyrant.

b) God is envious over the acquired possessions one obtains when one doesn't have to spend ones time worshipping a tyrant. As a consequence one can divert time to acquire luxuries in life.

c) God is envious over the advantages one obtains in life, when one doesn't have to spend time worshiping a tyrant.

d) Worshipping other 'gods' as mentioned in:
[Exodus: 23.32] Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
makes God jealous because worshipping other gods puts one at an advantage over the worshippers of God.

The advantage of the other gods can clearly be shown in the Greek system of belief. The Greeks were the most prosperous and intelligent nation in the region at that time.

So, God is a tyrant and would prefer everyone to worship him, and would prefer those who worship him to be at the lowest quality of life possible so he is not jealous over any advantages. Hence the age of ignorance arriving with the commencing and spreading of the Christian system. There was more knowledge within the people of the earth before Christianity, up to the turn of the 17th century with the systematic breaking of theocracy.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Other Gods. That also proves that there are Gods other than one.

 

[Tumah]

The word that's being translated here as "jealousy (קנאה)" doesn't really always mean that. There's three different meanings/implications, depending on the direction the word is given:

קנאה in a person - means wanting to have some honor (or honorable thing) that another has.

"And Rachel saw that Jacob bore, and Rachel was [קנאה] in her sister... (Gen.30:1)"
​

קנאה for a person - refers to the motivation to take revenge on behalf of someone else's honor.

"And Moses said to him, 'are you [קנאה] for me...(Num. 11:29)"
​

קנאה (direct object marker) a person - is the feeling that is the motivation to take revenge due to feeling being made to lose out (perhaps a detraction from one's own honor).

"...and the Philistines were [קנאה] (d.o.m.) him. (Gen. 26:14)"
​

Its this last one that's understood to be what the verse is referring to. Its not envy that someone else has something you don't as in the first case. Its the feeling that someone has something that should be yours (whether rightly or wrongly). In the case of the Philistines, they were upset that Isaac was becoming wealthy off their land. They felt his wealth should have belonged to them.

Giving worship to false gods causes G-d to lose out on the worship that belongs to Him. All worship belongs to Him since He is the only true G-d. Worshiping other gods takes away from the worship that belongs to G-d. The verse is saying that G-d takes revenge for that.

G-d does want everyone to worship Him, yes. Although obviously you are quoting a verse that was directed at Jews and not at the whole world.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

[Exodus: 20.5]. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.

d) Worshipping other 'gods' as mentioned in:
[Exodus: 23.32] Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
makes God jealous because worshipping other gods puts one at an advantage over the worshippers of God.

(d) seems to fit best, though I wonder if "jealous" is an accurate translation here?

 

[Aupmanyav]

All worship belongs to Him since He is the only true G-d. Worshiping other gods takes away from the worship that belongs to G-d. The verse is saying that G-d takes revenge for that.

I hope there is no contradiction here.

 

[PeteC-UK]

Hi Folks...

The god of that religion is jealous in the sense that it is indeed a tyrant - a controling dominating one - cannot stand to have its authority or supremacy challenged at all....According to Christ - this one is not a "god" at all - not the SOURCE of Creation itself - but merely a CREATURE exactly like You and I... Christ said this "god" was actually the type of Being we would now term an Angel (and some would even term it an e t alien - exact same phenomena - though for the sake of simplicity I will stick to the religious ideas here)...

Christ said it is one such Angel among MANY such ranks of Angels - and this one here, Yahweh as we know it first - is not even "supreme" among other Angels - though Christ did say that as regards THIS realm and mankind, this Angel Yahweh did indeed create it all directly HERE - but that many MANY such universes exist each with their own similar Angels.....These Angels that create entire universes such as this one we inhabit - are labeled as an "Archon" - the one Yahweh then is indeed an Archon - not a god....Christ says there are other Archons - THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY exist each has its own universe and WITHIN those universes (as here) the creation continues always, forever unfolding....All those others exist TOGETHER as ONE REALM, under the full domain of a DIVINE TRINITY that Christ Himself is integral to and foundational to them all....

All Creation flows from the unified mind of this Divine Trinity Being..The Father SOURCE of Creation itself - a MIND that is literally IMAGINING and CHOOSING that which it Will Be - a second aspect, the Conscious living energy of creation named by Christ as SOFIA the Goddess Holy Spirit, and of course He the Christ the Word, Conscious natural logic that will then impress the Will of the Father aspect and so cause the energy of Sofia to form into the desired Creation - these three primal modes make up the Trinity Divine Mind that causes All to exist..

They create TOGETHER - the Father literally IMAGINES - calls forth from "nowhere and no time" - CHOOSES what to create - Christ and Sofia cause it to manifest by structuring the logic and laws necassary that cause the living Conscious energy to form solid matter..This is a procession and step by step heirachical process..MANY many layers to creation - realms created WITHIN other realms - and its ALL an ENERGETIC construct of MIND...

Those 360 realms are all fully under the domain of that Trinity Divine mind - and then THIS realm - is created alone - seperated and isolated on purpose - and the one Yahweh is kind of "imprisoned" here alone - exiled - banished - according to Christ.it is His consort Sofia who attemopt sot create ALONE without His input - to create without the Word that gives form and definition...This was an "accident" - a day dream - an unguarded Divine thought..Sofia wondered "what if........" - and because She is Divine SOURCE of creation, so dutifully, He r impulse began to take a form and the thing She conceived of ALONE came forth as usual...Christ said though it is actualy this one created by Her alone - Yahweh as we come to know it - who when first created RESEMBLES A DRAGON He said - this so shocks and upsets Sofia that She is ashamed and tries to HIDE her mistake from all the rest of Creation...Its all very complicated as you can imagine - yet Christ does actually explain it all fully...

This "dragon angel" awakes to it Self - HERE - in this SEPERATE and ISOLATED realm - it is ALONE - yet it has SOME of the ability to CREATE - it is SEMI Divine of course high ranking Angel - an ARCHON as explained...But it is NOT the SOURCE of Creation itself...CRUCIAL - unlike the Trinity above - Yahweh CAN NOT simply call forth creation from "no where and no time" - it cannot create anything NEW - it cannot create by DIVINE FORCE OF WILL as the Trinity alone does !!! All it can do - is shape mould and influence the sphere of ENERGY that is it GIVEN to command (an entire universe at the Archonic level) - it is a MIND inhabiting a unique physical created form yet linked by MIND to the entire energetic realm so that the mind governs a sphere of the greater CREATION - Archons such as Yahweh remain part of a GREATER Being yet all under the domain of the Divine Trinity that causes it all to unfold...

Except here - THIS one - is SEPERATE and ALONE....Yahweh is indeed the DRAGON that is CAST OUT OF HEAVEN - let it sink in deep.....THIS is his origins according to Christ...Semi divine Archon - it creates in its own turn - THIS universe - MANY layers to the reality here - many "heavens" or ASTRAL LAYERS as we may now term them also..Populates the realm with lifeforms - Angels that he himslef creates - but as yet - NO MANKIND....we are created much later AFTER an even happens in those OTHER realms of the TRINITY - and finally these two seperated and isolated creations become fully aware o f the each other....

Thus the god here - actually first tells its ANGELS (not mankind) that is it a "jealous god and you may have none before me"..Mankind will be created BECAUSE of this event here...The TRINITY call forth a PERFECT DIVINE MAN - a single unique form that is fully capable to hold the ENTIRE DIVINE MIND - such as Yeshua the Christ exhibited on Earth...They call this Being - ADAMUS - and He says that this is so AWESOME so absolutely glorious that it affected ALL OF CREATION - linked as ONE ENERGY - as ONE MIND - as the Trinity REALISED (made real) this Self conception - so this new Self awareness sent a literal shockwave throughout the ENTIRETY of EVERYTHING.....ALL life here in this previously isolated seperate realm - became INSTANTLY AWARE that the great DIVINE spirit exists - like every Soul got an INSTANT and personal DIRECT COMMUNICATION and DIRECT SPIRITUAL REVELATION - mind to mind - as this event occurred..!!

Later the bible will misundersstand - but according to Christ this is what happened when finally the two realms "met" and every Soul HERE finally became UNDENIABLY AWARE of a much MUCH greater power that existed BEFORE them and OUTSIDE of their known realm....So - the Angels HERE begin to question THEIR "god" - and yes Folks - they MUST have believed Yahweh to ACTUALY "be a god" to actually BE the "source of creation" itself, because so far they have no other referance at all except to know directly that yes, Yahweh is "god" HERE...At first then, they all DO worship him fully as a LEGITIMATE god...But then THIS happens - and every MIND here now knows undeniably as said - a MUCH greater spirit exists that they as yet DO NOT KNOW !!

Poor Yahweh - gotta feel sorry for him..Can we even imagine..??...One minute he IS the LEGITIMATE god - self begotten - self created so it SEEMS to all, even he himself must have believed that fully....THEN BAM - out of nowhere - a definate shattering of that illusion and the TRUTH of Divinity fully revealed to all....WOW !!! MUST have blew their world apart.....Not only did he find out that he is NOT supreme after all - but also - he must realise he himself now, HAS A CREATOR - and of course he will work out that ACTUALLY - he is an OUTCAST who was ABANDONED by that creator !!! Poor poor sod - no wonder he reacts the way he did...

HIS OWN ANGELS begin to question him - WHAT IS THAT GREAT POWER..??..WHO are these OTHERS..???... His CHIEF Angels confronts him OPENLy and demands to be allowed to INVESTIGATE - to rise above and seek that great power..Yahweh is afraid of his status and authoriity - so he outright declares a ban on any such investigation at all and it is here that he declares to ANGELS (not man) that he is a JEALOUS god and you may have "no others before me".....The rest as they say - is twisted history - for those with ears to hear..

 

[Aštra’el]

Hi Folks...

The god of that religion is jealous in the sense that it is indeed a tyrant - a controling dominating one - cannot stand to have its authority or supremacy challenged at all....According to Christ - this one is not a "god" at all - not the SOURCE of Creation itself - but merely a CREATURE exactly like You and I... Christ said this "god" was actually the type of Being we would now term an Angel (and some would even term it an e t alien - exact same phenomena - though for the sake of simplicity I will stick to the religious ideas here)...

Christ said it is one such Angel among MANY such ranks of Angels - and this one here, Yahweh as we know it first - is not even "supreme" among other Angels - though Christ did say that as regards THIS realm and mankind, this Angel Yahweh did indeed create it all directly HERE - but that many MANY such universes exist each with their own similar Angels.....These Angels that create entire universes such as this one we inhabit - are labeled as an "Archon" - the one Yahweh then is indeed an Archon - not a god....Christ says there are other Archons - THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY exist each has its own universe and WITHIN those universes (as here) the creation continues always, forever unfolding....All those others exist TOGETHER as ONE REALM, under the full domain of a DIVINE TRINITY that Christ Himself is integral to and foundational to them all....

All Creation flows from the unified mind of this Divine Trinity Being..The Father SOURCE of Creation itself - a MIND that is literally IMAGINING and CHOOSING that which it Will Be - a second aspect, the Conscious living energy of creation named by Christ as SOFIA the Goddess Holy Spirit, and of course He the Christ the Word, Conscious natural logic that will then impress the Will of the Father aspect and so cause the energy of Sofia to form into the desired Creation - these three primal modes make up the Trinity Divine Mind that causes All to exist..

They create TOGETHER - the Father literally IMAGINES - calls forth from "nowhere and no time" - CHOOSES what to create - Christ and Sofia cause it to manifest by structuring the logic and laws necassary that cause the living Conscious energy to form solid matter..This is a procession and step by step heirachical process..MANY many layers to creation - realms created WITHIN other realms - and its ALL an ENERGETIC construct of MIND...

Those 360 realms are all fully under the domain of that Trinity Divine mind - and then THIS realm - is created alone - seperated and isolated on purpose - and the one Yahweh is kind of "imprisoned" here alone - exiled - banished - according to Christ.it is His consort Sofia who attemopt sot create ALONE without His input - to create without the Word that gives form and definition...This was an "accident" - a day dream - an unguarded Divine thought..Sofia wondered "what if........" - and because She is Divine SOURCE of creation, so dutifully, He r impulse began to take a form and the thing She conceived of ALONE came forth as usual...Christ said though it is actualy this one created by Her alone - Yahweh as we come to know it - who when first created RESEMBLES A DRAGON He said - this so shocks and upsets Sofia that She is ashamed and tries to HIDE her mistake from all the rest of Creation...Its all very complicated as you can imagine - yet Christ does actually explain it all fully...

This "dragon angel" awakes to it Self - HERE - in this SEPERATE and ISOLATED realm - it is ALONE - yet it has SOME of the ability to CREATE - it is SEMI Divine of course high ranking Angel - an ARCHON as explained...But it is NOT the SOURCE of Creation itself...CRUCIAL - unlike the Trinity above - Yahweh CAN NOT simply call forth creation from "no where and no time" - it cannot create anything NEW - it cannot create by DIVINE FORCE OF WILL as the Trinity alone does !!! All it can do - is shape mould and influence the sphere of ENERGY that is it GIVEN to command (an entire universe at the Archonic level) - it is a MIND inhabiting a unique physical created form yet linked by MIND to the entire energetic realm so that the mind governs a sphere of the greater CREATION - Archons such as Yahweh remain part of a GREATER Being yet all under the domain of the Divine Trinity that causes it all to unfold...

Except here - THIS one - is SEPERATE and ALONE....Yahweh is indeed the DRAGON that is CAST OUT OF HEAVEN - let it sink in deep.....THIS is his origins according to Christ...Semi divine Archon - it creates in its own turn - THIS universe - MANY layers to the reality here - many "heavens" or ASTRAL LAYERS as we may now term them also..Populates the realm with lifeforms - Angels that he himslef creates - but as yet - NO MANKIND....we are created much later AFTER an even happens in those OTHER realms of the TRINITY - and finally these two seperated and isolated creations become fully aware o f the each other....

Thus the god here - actually first tells its ANGELS (not mankind) that is it a "jealous god and you may have none before me"..Mankind will be created BECAUSE of this event here...The TRINITY call forth a PERFECT DIVINE MAN - a single unique form that is fully capable to hold the ENTIRE DIVINE MIND - such as Yeshua the Christ exhibited on Earth...They call this Being - ADAMUS - and He says that this is so AWESOME so absolutely glorious that it affected ALL OF CREATION - linked as ONE ENERGY - as ONE MIND - as the Trinity REALISED (made real) this Self conception - so this new Self awareness sent a literal shockwave throughout the ENTIRETY of EVERYTHING.....ALL life here in this previously isolated seperate realm - became INSTANTLY AWARE that the great DIVINE spirit exists - like every Soul got an INSTANT and personal DIRECT COMMUNICATION and DIRECT SPIRITUAL REVELATION - mind to mind - as this event occurred..!!

Later the bible will misundersstand - but according to Christ this is what happened when finally the two realms "met" and every Soul HERE finally became UNDENIABLY AWARE of a much MUCH greater power that existed BEFORE them and OUTSIDE of their known realm....So - the Angels HERE begin to question THEIR "god" - and yes Folks - they MUST have believed Yahweh to ACTUALY "be a god" to actually BE the "source of creation" itself, because so far they have no other referance at all except to know directly that yes, Yahweh is "god" HERE...At first then, they all DO worship him fully as a LEGITIMATE god...But then THIS happens - and every MIND here now knows undeniably as said - a MUCH greater spirit exists that they as yet DO NOT KNOW !!

Poor Yahweh - gotta feel sorry for him..Can we even imagine..??...One minute he IS the LEGITIMATE god - self begotten - self created so it SEEMS to all, even he himself must have believed that fully....THEN BAM - out of nowhere - a definate shattering of that illusion and the TRUTH of Divinity fully revealed to all....WOW !!! MUST have blew their world apart.....Not only did he find out that he is NOT supreme after all - but also - he must realise he himself now, HAS A CREATOR - and of course he will work out that ACTUALLY - he is an OUTCAST who was ABANDONED by that creator !!! Poor poor sod - no wonder he reacts the way he did...

HIS OWN ANGELS begin to question him - WHAT IS THAT GREAT POWER..??..WHO are these OTHERS..???... His CHIEF Angels confronts him OPENLy and demands to be allowed to INVESTIGATE - to rise above and seek that great power..Yahweh is afraid of his status and authoriity - so he outright declares a ban on any such investigation at all and it is here that he declares to ANGELS (not man) that he is a JEALOUS god and you may have "no others before me".....The rest as they say - is twisted history - for those with ears to hear..

 

[PeteC-UK]

Hi Folks...

Ashtara; interesting - if a little enigmatic lol.. PETA BABKAMA LURUBA ANAKU ??

Let me see now - open the gate that I may enter..??...

Hmm - the gate lays WITHIN my friend - truly it does - only YOU can choose to open it and proceed - here I just show a signpost perhaps, so that you (all) wont be led astray

 

[Tumah]

I hope there is no contradiction here.

Nope.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Nope.

That is very human of your God. Truly, we were made in his image, with all the jealousy and the thought of revenge. Good that you worship such a nice God. I thought he talked about love, but that is not true.

 

[Tumah]

That is very human of your God. Truly, we were made in his image, with all the jealousy and the thought of revenge. Good that you worship such a nice God. I thought he talked about love, but that is not true.

http://www.religiousforums.com/thre...ive-why-is-god-emotional.190732/#post-4886893

 

[Trichakra]

Other Gods. That also proves that there are Gods other than one.

There is only one god.

 

[Aupmanyav]

There is only one god.

Yeah, for many of Hindus, there is only one God.

 

[viole]

[Exodus: 20.5]. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.

For sure God is not parsimonous. He could only have said "unto the fourth generation" including thereby the third. By necessity.

Maybe He thought that it is not necessary to have a fourth generation (if, for instance, the third one has no kids), but then it is not necessary to have a third either.

He, or more plausibly, the ones who made Him up, seem confused.

Ciao

- viole

 

[ronandcarol]

Whom or what is God jealous of?
He does not want His Jewish people that He promised to cover the earth with,
to spend their devotions on worthless gods and idols that can not help them. He wants
their praise and devotion and it is only proper that we do praise Him. He created us and
He sustains us and his compassion's are new every day. His mercy, grace and forgiveness
should warrant daily praise and thanksgiving from all who put their trust and Hope in His one
and only Son who died a horrible death in our place, and rose again, to save you and me.

ronandcarol

 

[Kelloggs]

[Exodus: 20.5]. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.
Whom or what is God jealous of in this verse?

This is the event right after God brought Israel out of Egypt. This God that once used to save Israel in the past had again did the same. This particular God (Yahweh) was about to reveal his identity to Israel (back then there were MANY gods). In order to worship this particular God, Israel needed to know His identity. His Jealousy is indeed part of his characteristic (aside from his many other characteristics) that sets him distinct (apart) from any other gods at that time.

So, God is a tyrant and would prefer everyone to worship him

Not quite a "tyrant", but yes he prefers everyone to worship him.

, and would prefer those who worship him to be at the lowest quality of life possible so he is not jealous over any advantages.

Wrong. Read below.
Exodus 20:6
"but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments."

I think people who live their highest quality of lives are the ones who live in conjunction with His commandments:
Exodus 20:12-17
"Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
13 You shall not murder.
14 You shall not commit adultery.
15 You shall not steal.
16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."


Thank you.

 

[rusra02]

[Exodus: 20.5]. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.

Whom or what is God jealous of in this verse?

Jealous: Feeling or showing an envious resentment of someone or their achievements, possessions, or perceived advantages.

Either;

a) God is envious when an individual achieves something, when those achievements come as a consequence of not having to waste ones time worshipping a tyrant.

b) God is envious over the acquired possessions one obtains when one doesn't have to spend ones time worshipping a tyrant. As a consequence one can divert time to acquire luxuries in life.

c) God is envious over the advantages one obtains in life, when one doesn't have to spend time worshiping a tyrant.

d) Worshipping other 'gods' as mentioned in:
[Exodus: 23.32] Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
makes God jealous because worshipping other gods puts one at an advantage over the worshippers of God.

The advantage of the other gods can clearly be shown in the Greek system of belief. The Greeks were the most prosperous and intelligent nation in the region at that time.

So, God is a tyrant and would prefer everyone to worship him, and would prefer those who worship him to be at the lowest quality of life possible so he is not jealous over any advantages. Hence the age of ignorance arriving with the commencing and spreading of the Christian system. There was more knowledge within the people of the earth before Christianity, up to the turn of the 17th century with the systematic breaking of theocracy.

I believe this quote from Insight on The Scriptures, Vol 1 page 1258 explains better than I could God's jealousy:
"According to Biblical usage, “jealousy” may be a positive or a negative quality or emotion. (Pr 14:30; Zec 1:14) The Hebrew noun qin·ʼahʹ variously means “insistence on exclusive devotion; toleration of no rivalry; zeal; ardor; jealousy [righteous or sinful]; envying.” The Greek zeʹlos has a similar meaning.—2Co 11:2; 12:20.

Jehovah’s Jealousy. Jehovah describes himself as “a God exacting exclusive devotion.” (Ex 20:5, ftn; De 4:24; 5:9; 6:15) He also says: “Jehovah, whose name is Jealous, he is a jealous God.” (Ex 34:14) Over what and with what kind of jealousy? Not with the envious, selfish jealousy of humans. It is a jealousy, a zeal or ardor for his holy name, concerning which he himself says: “I will show exclusive devotion for my holy name.”—Eze 39:25.

For his name. When one considers what God’s name stands for, the reason for his “insistence on exclusive devotion” becomes clear. (Eze 5:13) His name represents all that is right and righteous. He is holy, clean, upright, loyal in the superlative degree. (Isa 6:3; Re 4:8;16:5) His sovereignty is necessary to the existence of the universe, and allegiance to his sovereignty and laws is essential to the order and peace of all creation. (Pr 29:2; 1Co 14:33) His jealousy is therefore a pure, clean jealousy and is altogether for the benefit of his creatures, as their devotion brings him—the Creator, Provider, and Giver of all good things—no profit. (Job 41:11; Ps 145:16; Ro 11:35; Jas 1:17; Re 4:11) But in his devotion to righteousness his heart is made glad with loving appreciation when his servants stand firm for righteousness and give exclusive devotion to him.—Pr 23:15, 16; 27:11.

Those serving God can rely on him to establish righteousness, being confident in his zeal for his name. He illustrated his zeal in his dealings with ancient Israel, and he tells us of the destruction of earthly governments and the establishment of the government of the Prince of Peace with justice and righteousness, saying: “The very zeal of Jehovah of armies will do this.”—Isa 9:6, 7; Zep 3:8, 9.

For righteousness. In his love of righteousness and his insistence on exclusive devotion, Jehovah is impartial. Moses warned God’s covenant people Israel that if anyone forsook the covenant, “Jehovah’s anger and his ardor [would] smoke against that man, . . . and Jehovah [would] indeed wipe out his name from under the heavens.” (De 29:19-21) God told the apostate, idol-worshiping, immoral city of Jerusalem that he would judge her and give her “the blood of rage and jealousy.” (Eze 16:38; 23:25) This occurred when the Babylonians destroyed the city and the temple upon which Jehovah’s name had been placed, but which name they had grossly defamed. Nevertheless, his jealousy did not overshadow or flood out his purposes and his mercy, for Jehovah spared a remnant to return and rebuild the temple.

For his people. Because of his love for his people and because they bear his holy name, Jehovah is jealous for them with a fiery zeal. Just as a husband jealously protects his wife as precious to him, so Jehovah says: “He that is touching you is touching my eyeball.” (Zec 2:8) Accordingly, because of the malicious acts of the nations toward his people, God foretold: “I will be jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and with great rage I will be jealous for her,” also, that he would be zealous for his land and would show compassion upon his people.—Zec 8:2; 1:14; Joe 2:18."

 

[Sand Dancer]

D.

 

[InChrist]

God's jealousy is not like human jealousy which is self- centered. I believe the jealousy of God is based on His agape love of His creation to protect people from giving their devotion to fake and worthless idols when real love and satisfaction can only be found in knowing their true Creator.