Demystifying the Jealousy of God: An Exegesis of Exodus 20:1-6

Abstract

This article seeks to demystify a rare attribute: the jealousy of God, as preached, taught, or caught from our pulpits. Jealousy of God is generally viewed as a negative trait since it is often associated with jealousy of man which often plays out as envy or wounded pride, thus the reluctance to teach and preach about it. In our examination of Exodus 20:1-6, we find that after all, Jealousy is an admirable attribute of God that refers to his intense desire towards the objects of his covenant love, to preserve them only for himself. God’s jealousy and his covenant love are two sides of the same coin. God is Jealous because he loves. The message of jealousy is grounded on worship of Yahweh alone which is in sharp contrast with contemporary celebrity worship and ‘wo/man of God’[1] syndrome. The manifestation of Yahweh’s jealousy in punishing the children for the sins of their fathers is not a negation of self-determination nor an advocacy of collective retribution but an acknowledgment of the devastating effect of the failure of a patriarch to lead his children in the true worship of Yahweh. Yahweh’s revelation as a jealous God, being part of the first word of the הַדְּבָרִ֥ים of Exodus 20 underscores the importance of teaching and preaching on this attribute in the church. This study hopes to rouse the preachers and biblical teachers to this need and provide helpful insights to prepare them for the noble task of preaching/teaching the whole council of God.