“…[F]or the Lord, whose name is jealous, is a jealous God.”

                 It was one of those critical moments in Jewish history.  After watching the Lord wipe out Egypt’s status as a global superpower by the 10 plagues and the destruction of Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea, the Jews had reverted to old form and worshipped the golden calf (Exodus 32).  Then there was some doubt as to whether or not God would go with them to the Promised Land.  After Moses appeals to God on the basis of his uniqueness and blessing as a testimony to “all the other people on the face of the earth” (Ex. 33:16), God grants his request for him to go with them.  Then we arrive at today’s name for God:  “jealous.”  Jealous?  Yes, and the implications of God’s jealousy are wonderful to consider.

The context of this name is enlightening.  The Jews had set up a false god, the golden calf, and the Lord punished them for it.  But the Lord had to decide whether or not he would continue with them.   Then Moses, at the Lord’s command, made another pair of stone tablets on which God would rewrite his laws.  This in itself demonstrated that “the Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God [is] slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (34:6).  Then he goes on to tell him, “I am making a covenant with you” (v. 10).  Think about that.  The only living God, the Almighty One, will (still!) make a covenant with these people, despite their wickedness and rebellion.

A covenant shouts at least one thing here:  relationship!  As a personal God, he made humanity in his image — creatures having personality.  Initially the relationship was an involuntary one.  Adam and Eve had no choice as to who made them, much like children have no say who their birth parents are.  Then God gave them a choice as to whether or not they would retain this relationship voluntarily through their obedience to his command, a command that was unmistakably clear.  The history of mankind is an unbroken testimony of self-induced misery, suffering and death resulting from the sorry choice they made.

Just as God himself took on the responsibility to send Jesus (Genesis 3:15) to right the wrongs of mankind, he here takes the initiative to make a covenant with these idol worshippers.  In other words, he still wants relationships with people, in this case his people.  Notice what he says:  “I am making a covenant with you.  Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world.  The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you today” (v. 10).  In short, God will not only do something powerful, he will also do it for them, and in reality, in front of them, in their presence.  Thus they will see these incredible things happen because God is with them.  Let the impact of the Jew’s emerging relationship with God grab you.  God desires a relationship where his power is on display to reach those around you.  For the Jews it was driving out Canaan’s inhabitants.  What does he want to drive out or do for you?

But then comes the warning:  “Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land…” (v. 12).  Even in his graciousness God will not tolerate disobedience forever.  So he insists that they “[b]reak down their alters, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles” (v. 13).  Asherah poles were images of a (usually naked) female deity found primarily in groves on hilltops in Canaan.  In essence, God is saying to be vigilant for him by having no tolerance for idolatry.  That is because he is jealous.  Often when we think of jealousy we think of an irate husband who is jealous over his wife spending time or energy on others that he doesn’t like.  But it also means the attitude and emotion that zealously guards what rightfully belongs to you.  If a husband has affections for another woman, the wife has a legitimate right to be jealous, because he belongs to her, not the other woman.  Similarly God’s jealousy shows that we belong to him and that he wants to keep us!  Our relationship with him is not capricious.   We bring him delight and joy when we walk in his ways and find our greatest joy in him.  In doing so we increasingly reflect his image and glory back to him (2 Corinthians 3:18).  If God were not jealous, we would have none of this.

How was your life going when you served other gods?  Do you have the same zero tolerance for idolatry that God has?  Do you reflect the same tenacity for him as the jealous God has for you?