Most of us were brought up being told that we shouldn’t be jealous. Yet the Bible tells us that God is a jealous God, and that God’s ways are perfect (Psalm 18:30, et al.). So does that mean jealousy is actually okay? Or does that mean that God isn’t actually perfect? The short answer is no. But to understand why, we need to clear up some confusion in our modern language.
In our culture, we’ve developed the habit of using the words jealousy and envy interchangeably. But this has caused confusion since there is an important difference. To feel envy—or to covet—means to yearn for something that belongs to another person, and that is bad. It can lead to all sorts of problems, and that is why God warned us against envy and covetousness in His commandments in Exodus 20.
In God, jealousy is a positive attribute that shows we belong to Him, He wants us, and He is protective of our relationship with Him.
Jealousy, on the other hand, is feeling protective about something that already belongs to us, especially in regard to relationships. If we are jealous when a boyfriend or girlfriend is flirting with someone else when they are clearly in a relationship with us, we would understandably feel jealous in that situation. It is a feeling of protectiveness that shows the relationship is important to us and we do not want to lose it to a rival.
In God, jealousy is a positive attribute that shows we belong to Him, He wants us, and He is protective of our relationship with Him. We are already His, and He wants us to stay that way. He doesn’t want us to chase after other people, other things, or other gods. He wants us to stay in a relationship with Him because He loves us, and He knows the alternative is not good for us.
When the Bible first tells us that God is a jealous God, it is in Exodus Chapter 20. God had just rescued the Israelites “out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery” (v. 2). He showed His love for them in miraculous ways and was leading them to a wonderful land of promise that was good for them. They were His people, and He was taking care of them. He was protective of that relationship. So He told His people (which includes you and me if we are followers of Jesus) that, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. Do not have other gods besides me. Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God…” (Exodus 20:2–5).
God loves us and wants what is best for us; He wants us to stay in relationship with Him. He wants us to focus on Him without being distracted by other things in this world—without falling into idolatry. So, He is righteous in His jealousy. He is still perfect. His desire to keep the people, who are already His, and take care of them, makes perfect sense. We can be thankful that He is a jealous God for us.
He desires us, and we should desire Him.
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