Exodus 20:5 & 34:14
Before I became a Christian one of my favorite reasons why I couldn't believe in a Christian god was thatGod was jealous. I reasoned that jealousy was a very human emotion that hurt people and "I can't believe in a God with such petty human emotions. I need a God who is bigger than me." Though I've known for a while now that God is in fact bigger than me I think I've finally have put into words just why I disagree with this old complaint. Now that I am married I see the benefit of jealousy. I am a jealous wife and my husband is a jealous husband. I wouldn't want it any other way.
I'm not talking about the jealousy that would have me question every woman Geoff met with "Who is she? Where did you meet her? Did you buy her flowers? Did you kiss her???". I have no problem with Geoff having coffee or dinner with a female friend. I do expect him to tell me of such plans (or if they are last minute to tell me later). I would absolutely be jealous and concerned if he took a female friend out to an especially romantic place, bought her flowers, and stayed out late into the night talking about their feelings.
This is relevant because God defines our relationship with Him as a marriage. And to be quite frank a marriage where we are an incredibly unfaithful & unrepentant spouse. God wants our whole heart to be devoted to Him and He is hurt when we run to other lovers instead of him. Much as I would be devastated if Geoff ran to another woman for anything he should be coming to me for. This is the way God is jealous for us. It hurts Him and our relationship when I look to money (which the Bible calls a God) to solve my problems instead of asking Him to support and guide me. Or if I turn to another religion it is like a divorce. A personal God has to be jealous, an aloof God would not. This jealousy is so much greater than my own because it is always loving and never selfish. God's jealousy only comes from love and care for me AND for our relationship. In this way I was right in my initial thoughts. I DO need a God that has higher thoughts and emotions than mine. That simply means a perfect jealousness not a complete lack of jealousy. This only means perfect emotions, not lack of emotion.
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