History Books in 90 Days: 1 Chronicles 6
The Jealousy of God
Exodus 20:4-5 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that
is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You
shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the
iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me.
(ESV)
Jealousy is an ugly word. It has overtones of selfishness, suspicion, and distrust, and implies a
hideous resentment or hostility toward other people because they enjoy some advantage. It is
possessive, demanding, and overbearing and it stifles freedom and individuality, it breeds tension
and discord, it destroys friendships and marriages. So how can we say that God is a jealous
God? The root idea in the Old Testament word jealous is to become intensely red. It seems to
refer to the changing color of the face or the rising heat of the emotions which are associated with
intense zeal or fervor over something dear to us. In fact, both the Old and New Testament words
for jealousy are also translated “zeal.” Being jealous and being zealous are essentially the same
thing in the Bible. God is zealous—eager about protecting what is precious to Him. The truth of
His jealousy challenges us to give God a place above all else. But it likewise guarantees that He
is looking out for our best interests. Getting to know Him as a jealous God will increase our level
of devotion to Him, deepen our trust in Him, and strengthen our dedication to pray for others and
faithfully share His truth with them.
PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Have you had any reservations about thinking about God as being jealous? How has today’s
devotional helped alleviate those hesitations?
2. How do you feel about God being zealous for you and eager to protect what is precious to
Him?
3. God wants our full worship; we can see that in today’s verse. What are some of the things
that are keeping you from giving God everything in your life? Ask Him to show you some of
the idols in your life, then repent of putting those things before God and commit to putting
Him first in those areas.
