“You shall not make for yourself an idol 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, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
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I know people who feel like GOD cannot be love if HE is a jealous GOD! Some have even turned away from HIM, because they heard or read that HE is a jealous GOD. In fact, the Bible (KJV, NKJV, NIV) refers to “jealous GOD” six time. However, each reference is made to those who are operating outside the Will of GOD. GOD does not envy us, but HE is a jealous GOD. I pray that the next paragraph helps those who still struggle with this. (This is only an example! We don't have a dog)
I have two sons. My sons know me. I provide for them . . . I have been there since the day they were born. I knew their names before they came out of their mother’s womb (she picked the names). For seventeen years . . . I have been the best father I can be to them. I don’t think I have to ask either one of them “Who is your dad?” Whenever they need something or they are in trouble . . . they know that they can call dad and he will be there! But for some reason . . . after all these years of knowing who I am and what I have done for them . . . they start calling our pet puppy “Dad” Right in front of me . . . they begin to thank the puppy for keeping them safe and taking care of their every need for the past seventeen years. They give the puppy hugs and kisses! They cry when the puppy goes into the backyard, but don’t even turn in my direction when I leave early in the morning to go to work!
I think it’s clear that I would not envy my sons, but I would be a little jealous that they have turned from the one who has given them everything they have, and has never demanded love back. I would not envy the puppy either, because I am the one who provide everything it needs too!
GOD provides everything for us, yet some of us will praise a golden calf . . . the wind . . . the moon . . . even our new car, and can’t even say “Thank You LORD for saving me!” Yeah! I think we have a better understanding of “jealous GOD”
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