It makes people uncomfortable to talk about it, but God is a jealous God.
His name is Jealous. Exodus 34:14 says, “You shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”
In the New Covenant God’s jealousy doesn’t subside.
Jesus warned the disciples that they would have to be willing to part with even their families if it came down to a choice between their families and God, (Matthew 10:34-39).
Paul warned the church: “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He” (1 Corinthians 10:21-22).
Of all the commandments in the Old Covenant only two made it into the New Covenant: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbor as yourself,” (Matthew 22:37-40).
The question that needs to be answered for this generation is: Why? Why is God jealous?
God is jealous because His covenant requires devotion and loyalty. As any husband would expect of his wife, when we enter into a covenant relationship with the God, He expects us not to commit to anything or anyone that will take us away from our relationship with Him.
When we put other things or people before God they become our idols. An idol is anything or anyone you give your time and devotion to above and before God. The enemy would love for idols to take the place of the true and living God in your life, and in so doing break you away from your relationship with the Lord. So God commands us to love others but to worship Him only.
Like a loving husband who becomes jealous for a wife who is being lured away by another man with ill intentions the Lord’s jealousy flares up when we are being lured away because He wants to protect us from the consequences that unfaithfulness bring.
Though the Lord is jealous for you He will never mistreatment or force you to be in a relationship with Him.
In the book of Ruth when Boaz saw the way other men looked at Ruth he warned them not to harass her and he told her to stay in his field where he could watch over her. He said, “Have I not charged the young men not to touch you,” (Ruth 2:9) . Boaz desired Ruth well before they married but he did not force her into a relationship but he was jealous for Ruth and he wanted to protect her from any harm.
Boaz treated Ruth so well she asked him to marry her (Ruth 3:9). In this same way, God is so loving He makes us want to commit to Him. We love Him because he first loved us (1John 4:19).
When Ruth proposed marriage to him, Boaz was surprised that she chose him because all the younger men she had to choose from (Ruth 3:10). The fidelity Ruth showed Boaz made him love her even more.
Beloved, when you choose God above all else He demonstrates His love for you by honoring you with His blessings and favor.
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