In this Names of God reading plan, we are learning more about God by studying the names given to Him in Scripture. Rather than having our writers share their own reflections on these passages, we’ve instead provided research-rich content to aid in your study of each day’s featured name of God, including the background of the name(s), a brief explanation of the character of God emphasized by the name(s), and a reflection question to help you dig deeper into the text.
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Jealous God
El Qanna (Hebrew)
Scripture Reading: Exodus 20:4-6, Exodus 34:10-16, Deuteronomy 4:23-24, Joshua 24:14-20, Nahum 1:1-6, 1 Corinthians 10:14-22
Description
God called Himself a “jealous God” in Exodus 20 when He spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai. This name reminds us that God does not take lightly nor tolerate our wandering hearts. He alone is worthy of our worship and praise, and He will not share it with another.
Scripture presents God as jealous for His deity, His sovereignty, and His glory. Throughout the Old Testament, God uses this name to emphasize that He alone is God, and He alone is holy and worthy of our worship.
Emphasis
God’s right to be the only object of worship
Reflection
What does this name teach me about God?
Lord, help to have eyes and heart only for You!
We either serve God or the enemy. We can’t be lukewarm. God wants all of us, not a portion. It is all or nothing.
To think God is jealous and an all consuming fire can be scary. This brings out my sin of rebelling. However, God also is more forgiving, loving and patient than I. He is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He is long suffering. The depth of his love cannot be comprehended by my sinful mind. If his wrath and anger was anything like mine, Jesus would have never came and I could never be adopted by the Father. Praise the Lord that he is God and I am not!
O LORD, there is none like You, nor is there any god besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 1 Chronicles 17:20.
God is a jealous God makes me aware of how easy things and sometimes people can become our idols (gods). I pray that God will continue to help me fix my eyes on Him and continue to make me aware, through the Holy Spirit, of those things, thoughts, etc. that come at me that will distract me from my focus on Jesus. This name also teaches me of how much God understands me and can relate to me even in the area of jealousy. At times I have had to fight for my husband’s attention, fight for his love. I was jealous but what got me through was me fighting for my husband’s love on my knees, bringing every situation to my Savior, my God.
This reminds me to keep my complete focus for praise and worship on God! He alone deserves it! Get rid of any idols in my life. Praise the Lord!
Reading through these passages be scary. But they call us to remember that just God that we serve! He deserves all the worship and praise. It is my prayer that He will always be our first in my life. My worship is of Him alone. And praise God for the new covenant and the promise of grace and mercy for the times that we do fail!
Not gonna lie it’s a little scary to think about how easy it has been in my life to put other things and people before God. I’m thankful God is jealous though because it means He loves me. I’m also thankful for God’s Grace, mercy, and forgiveness towards me
My daddy never wants to compete with another when it comes to me. He desires to come first always, and in and through my worship I am to give Him that due praise and recognition all the days of my life. He is worthy indeed!