Our GOD is a Jealous GOD

The Catholic Bible repeatedly quotes God saying He is a “jealous God.” This is particularly quoted in the Old Testament when discussing His exclusive covenant and relationship with His people. In the Ten Commandments, Exodus: 20-5 and Deuteronomy 5:-9, God states, “I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.” In variations, you will find the same statement, although the wording is slightly different. Such as in Exodus:34-14, “You shall not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is jealous, is a jealous God.” And in Deuteronomy: 4-24, “For the Lord, your God, is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”

However, it must be said that although the Bible says God is “jealous”, it is not jealousy like ours; it is not envy or insecurity.

In Catholic teachings, God’s divine jealousy is not petty, it has no envy or insecurity as humans experience it. Rather, God’s passionate, protective love and His desire to keep His people completely loyal and devoted to all that is good, much as a faithful spouse protecting their marriage from unfaithfulness.

Therefore, when we place God above all that is earthly and live with focus on God, He in turn protects us, motivates us, and inspires us to become greater than we could without His love for us. Knowing and understanding God’s great love for His creation helps us to aspire to become all that He wants us to be. This is why God has often been referred to as the “Bridegroom.” The full verses to these words can be found in the Catholic Bible.

Let us remind ourselves daily how much God loves us, even when we feel all else is crumbling in our lives. Remain faithful, knowing that the Bridegroom waits for us to come to Him, submitting fully to His will.