Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem
The Names and Titles of God (Jealous)
Exodus 20:4-6
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
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;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
King James Version
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Here is a Name we think we really don't like much..."Jealous". It opens up all kinds of wounds.
When I was in the First Grade, there was only one little girl who beat me academically EVERY TIME. No matter what the subject matter was, I would always come in second to Beth. She bacame my arch nemesis. Of course, I didn't have to work very hard if I was only going to come in second. So I didn't bother to study at all, and Beth would come in first. Again and again. And then , she would smirk at me as if to say "Ha Ha! I'm SMARTER than you. I shared my anguish with Mom. Her response was that Beth bullied me because she was "Jealous." "Jealous of WHAT?" was my retort. "She wins all the time!"
A half-century later I was working in a Nursing Home and met an elderly lady with the same last name as Beth. I asked the woman if she was related.
"That's my granddaughter," she replied. Suddenly, she lit up with recognition. "You're MARY-LOU! Beth admired you SO MUCH. She was so jealous that she had to work and study so hard to compete with you, and you never even had to crack the book. She talked about you all the time. "
I was stunned. Beth didn't hate me, she "admired" me. She didn't win because she was smarter than I was, but because she actually studied.
Her jealousy paid off, because she ended up becoming "a nice young doctor", and marrying one too! She made her grandmother VERY PROUD.
I tell this personal story to show that "Jealousy" doesn't always have a negative connotation. It can be a motivator.
But, what about St. Paul, when he says "Love is not Jealous"? (1 Cor. 13) Paul is talking about a destructive form of jealousy, that is possessive, stifling, and not loving at all. This is the kind of destructive jealousy that Iago kindles in Othello in the Shakespeare Play.
Jealousy is not to be confused with envy. Envy is never a positive force. It is a form of greed, wanting what somebody else has. The Bible calls "envy" "covetousness", and it's such a big sin that it's forbidden in the Ten Commandments.
Technically, Beth and I were envious of each other, not "jealous".
"Jealousy" implies a personal relationship. To be jealous of a person with whom you couldn't care less is foolish. It doesn't make sense at all. However, in a close, intimate relationship, it is appropriate to want to protect your loved one from evil influences, and keep that person close to your heart. You don't want to see that loved one get involved in destructive relationships or practices that could cause him (or her) harm.
Also, a close personal relationship carries with it the natural desire for exclusivity. It's OK to have friends, but not other intimate relationships.
If The One True God were just a member of a vast Pantheon of deities, it would make sense to spread the worship around so as not to antagonize anybody. But to be the ONLY God, and to see the affections of Your Chosen Beloved being spread around to imaginary beings, that's pretty bad, especially if the false worship involves destructive behaviors like human sacrifice, drug abuse, and prostitution. (In fact, several Prophets link Idolatry to Prostitution in more than one Scripture.)
When God gives The Ten Commandments, the First four are about our relationship with HIM. The next Six are about our relationship with our neighbor.
Jesus summed it up when He distilled them down to TWO: Love God with your whole heart and Love your Neighbor as yourself.
That is a GOOD kind of jealousy.
Come and Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.
For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. (Mark 4:22)
God Bless America.
Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.
Hallelujah and Amen
ML/LTOS