The Father is calling His people to understand His jealous love in this hour. He is a jealous God Who longs to clothe us in His strength in an hour that’s here, and coming; a time for which we have no ability to stand on our own. (Psalm 27:5) ALL false definitions of greatness and strength are being exposed – not because He’s hostile toward us, but because He’s hostile toward those things that falsely promise to be sufficiently strong for us.

This is why so many in the body of Christ are talking about the issues of idolatry and nationalism etc. right now. This also means the Lord is actively protective and discriminatory toward everyone and everything that would purport to serve as intermediaries to His personal goodness. (See 1 Samuel 8:7)

Our King, the resurrected Son of God Himself is coming to rule the nations (ala. “us folk”) The Father is jealous that humanity learns to trust under the shadow of His singularly sufficient wings, now, in a way that will be manifest fully, on that Day when every eye shall see Him. Today, we are blessed indeed as we place more and more of the weight of all that we are; our strengths” and our weaknesses, our good and our trouble, our provision and our needs into His capable leadership. He’s jealous to show forth the depth, the closeness and the goodness of His power to reign over our lives.

Exodus 34:12-16
“Be careful not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it become a snare among you. 13 Rather you must destroy their altars, smash their images, and cut down their Asherah poles. 14 For you must not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God. 15 Be careful not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to their gods, and someone invites you, you will eat from his sacrifice; 16 and you then take his daughters for your sons, and when his daughters prostitute themselves to their gods, they will make your sons prostitute themselves to their gods as well.”

Deuteronomy 4:23-24
Be on guard so that you do not forget the covenant of the Lord your God that he has made with you, and that you do not make an image of any kind, just as he has forbidden you. 24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire; he is a jealous God.

James 4:1-10
Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? 6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

2 Corinthians 11:2-3
For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity (of trusting in and relying upon) that is in Christ.

See also Deuteronomy 32:1-47 and Psalm 78:52-58

He displays all this jealousy so that we would learn to trust the true and perfect security of His wings (vs. the false promises of imperfect protection) through a time of trouble, and into His eternal land of promise.

“Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.” (Psalm 2:12)

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JSB • December, 2020