For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: Exodus 34:14
The Bible, especially the Hebrew Bible, uses the Hebrew root qin'ah, which is normally translated "jealous" or "zealous," to describe God. The word's root meaning conveys a deep passion and commitment for something or someone that leads to a desire to defend and protect.
So when the Bible says that God is jealous, it is not in the sense of petty envy that we often associate with jealousy. When the Bible describes God as jealous, it means that he has a deep love for and commitment to his holiness and honor and an equally deep passion for his people.
Here is another version of the verse above:
You must worship no other gods, but only the LORD, for he is a God who is passionate about his relationship with you. NLT
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As the guy in the movie so famously said, "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
ReplyDeleteHere's another example, from the KJV, which I think also makes your point:
"So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy." - Zech. 1:14