Both Zealous and Jealous

Both Zealous and Jealous

“Zeal” is generally regarded as a positive; “jealous,” not so much. But in the Bible, “zealous” and “jealous” are actually quite close to one another. We will look at their positive use.

First, we should notice that God describes Himself in the Bible as jealous: Ex. 34:14 — “for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God”; and Deut. 4:24 “For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”

God is jealous for His own glory. For God, that is a righteous thing, whereas if you are jealous for your own glory at the expense of others, that is a sinful thing. The difference is that God is unique, and He has no rivals. So attempts to “steal” the glory of God are an offense, and stirs God’s righteous jealousy. When you get all worked up because someone has slighted you, you’re just being petty.

God is zealous for His glory, moving him to jealousy when that glory is violated. There are some areas where this rightly applies to us. As a married person, if someone violates your spouse, you have every right to be moved to jealousy, and you should have a righteous zeal to recover or protect their honor and to see that justice is done. In fact, if you are not j(z)ealous with regard to this offense, then there is a moral nerve missing from your character.

In addition to moral jealousy with regard to horizontal, human relationships, people created in the image of God (that would be all humans) have a responsibility to their Creator to be jealous for His glory and zealous in cultivating reverence for Him. Obviously, most do not do this, but those who are Christians certainly should. And this applies to Jesus as well. Peter says, “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). We are to j(z)ealous for His honor, to fail to do so is to be missing a core element of being a Christian.

Elijah, a prophet during evil Ahab’s day, was zealous for the Lord. He boldly proclaimed God’s honor in the face of powerful, idolatrous opposition. He was involved in the vindication of God’s honor on Mt. Carmel, a lone prophet against the horde of the prophets of Baal. And God revealed His power and potency; His glory. Then .. Elijah ran for his life. Here is his testimony: “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” He is asking, “Was it worth it?”

But God gently reminds Elijah that it was indeed worth it; that the story was not finished; that Elijah was never truly alone. And God reminds us of something else. God is not only jealous and zealous for His own glory. He is also jealous and zealous for His people. He calls us “the apple of His eye:” Zech. 2:8 For thus says the LORD of hosts, “After glory He has sent Me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.” Your eye is a part of you that you instinctively guard most carefully. God’s instinct is to even more carefully guard His children. Jesus shows this instinct as He prays for His disciples and for us in John 17, just before His arrest: “Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. (v.11); “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me” (vv.20-21). If Christ is j(z)ealous for me, then I can be j(z)ealous for Him.