Deuteronomy 4:24, 31

Deuteronomy 4:24 ^ESV

For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

Deuteronomy 4:31 ^ESV

For the LORD your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them.

 

So which is it? Is God ‘jealous’ or is He ‘merciful’?

 

A merciful God is one who doesn’t give us what we do deserve.  Since we deserve death and hell when He doesn’t give us that (immediately, as soon as we have decided to sin) then He is already merciful.

 

But He is also jealous.  But what does His jealousy mean?

 

God’s jealousy is not like that of a weak and insecure husband who suspects his wife at every turn or every moment of the day.

 

God’s jealousy is not like that of a weak and immature person who looks at the good another has and despises him/her for that good.

 

God’s jealousy is like a husband who reacts strongly against another’s attempts to woo his wife.

 

God’s jealousy is like a husband who reacts strongly to his wife following after other lovers.

 

God’s jealousy is for the good of His bride; not for the weakening or stifling of her.  This type of jealousy IS merciful.  This type of jealousy has as its heart a strong desire for the good of those who seek Him and long for Him so that they may be whole.  By chasing after the world, a lost sinner only finds hard, cold, nothing; far from the good, living, hope in the arms of God.

 

Trust your loving, jealous, merciful God to both desire and do what is best for you: then you will live in the security of an all powerful, all knowing, all wise Creator God.

 

Thank You Father for being jealous for me.

Thank You Son for purchasing me so that the Father would be jealous for me.

Thank You Spirit for placing in my heart a note when I am crossing over into the area of the Father’s jealousy.

 

Striving to please my Father along with you,

Pastor Greg