This post picks up on the question about how can we worship a jealous God? In order to explore this further we need carefully define what we mean by jealousy, perhaps not the garden variety, but the kind God possesses.
According to J.I. Packer, we see two sorts of jealousy among humans and only one is a vice. The one sense of jealousy which is perhaps most common is expressed in the attitude "I want what you have and I hate you because I haven't got it." This is essentially covetousness and is a violation of the 10th commandment. Clearly God does not exhibit jealousy in this way. Yet, according to Packer there is another kind of jealousy which he defines as "zeal to protect a love relationship or avenge it when broken." A helpful example of this is the passion a husband exhibits for his wife in order to preserve the faithfulness of this relationship in the midst of a depraved and adulterous world. This is a relationship that is by rights his and he jealousy guards this by taking actions in order to protect it.
Is it any wonder throughout the scriptures God often describes himself as the faithful husband pursuing a love relationship with his wife (i.e., the people of God). Unfortunately, God's people are not always faithful, but our covenant keeping Lord is always faithful. How does scripture describe those that fall into idolatry? They are accused of adultery – the ultimate in unfaithfulness – recall the story of Hosea and Gomer. In Ezekiel, God declares to Israel that because of their liaisons with the idols of Canaan, Egypt, and Assyria - "I will judge you as women who break wedlock and shed blood are judged, and bring upon you the wrath of blood and jealousy." (Ezekiel 16:38).
What is it about God's people that make them so valuable and worthy of the Lord's affections? The bible is clear – nothing. "The LORD did not set his affection and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples…" (Deut 7:7). Rather we receive the affections of our kind and loving Lord not because of our record of accomplishment – but because of an oath sworn to himself that he would bestow blessings to Abraham and his children (i.e., Abrahamic covenant). Remarkably, it is on this basis that God delivered his people out of slavery and redeemed them as a people for himself. Therefore, the scriptures command worship…
"Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love for a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments." (Deut. 7:9)
"He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever— holy and awesome is his name." Psalms 111:9
Let us worship with our whole heart this holy, loving, faithfully jealous, covenant keeping God!
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2 comments:
Jealousy is an overlooked part of God's good and perfect nature. The analogy to the marital relationship is most valid and describes the emotional component that naturally goes with the depth of the commitment He has toward to us and husbands should have toward their wives (Prov. 6:34). It is protective, and its open rage/anger is tied to fear of displacement. That's why God's jealousy is invariably tied to the threat of idolatry and in the OT we see the extraordinary lengths He goes to to preserve His Israel. It was God's ultimate "fit of jealous rage" that sent the Hebrews into Babylonian captivity to protect and preserve his remnant and cure them of idolatry. It worked as idols have not been a big problem for Jews since then. If anything, the lesson worked too well as they were SO hung up on the "God is One" concept that they threw Jesus over their shoulder when he showed up.
Anyway, Packer falls prey to a common misconception (I don't make that charge too often!). What he defines as sinful human jealousy ("I want what you have and I hate you because I haven't got it.") is actually ENVY. The distinction is that jealousy doesn't want to lose what it possesses while envy wants what another possesses or merely hates another because he has something (Jacob envied Esau's birthright position, Joseph's bros. "moved with envy and sold him into slavery" (Acts 7:9) hoping to obtain more favor from Jacob, Cain hated that God accepted Abel's sacrifice. Shakespeare piles on too in Othello w/ Iago (he of the green eyed monster) who plots to destroy while hoping to get Desdemona.---no wonder envy is listed as one of the 7 Deadly Sins.
Envy is usually quietly planning and simmering while plotting the trap until it gets violent at the end. Jealousy is up-front rage and openly in-your-face at the start.
Can you tell I like this topic??? I'll mercifully stop here.
Hey old man, thanks so much for your comments - very insightful and I think "on target."
I appreciate the distinction you are making between envy and jelousy. As you know words legitimately take on a range of meanings, but I certainly think the contrast you make is helpful.
As you can tell I was "stoked" about the topic and "busted" several blogs in a couple opf days. Issues dealing with God's jealousy and his passion for his own glory has fallen on hard times in our man-centered evangelical culture. Worship is mistakenly "all about what I get out of it" with no consideration given to the Lord. In those cases, our worship falls much closer to idolatry than we care to admit. As I studied these issues I could not get passed where the God has spoken "My glory I will not give to another!"
At the root of our faulty worship is a faulty understanding of God.
Thanks for reading and commenting ... "As iron sharpens iron"
Clay
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