October 16. Fear and hope in God's jealousy.

The Lord whose name is jealous is a jealous God, Exodus 3414.

God is infinitely jealous for the honor of His name and responds with terrible wrath

against those whose hearts should belong to Him, but go after other things, like a spouse

running after another lover. For example, in Ezekiel 16, 38 to 40, he says to faithless Israel,

I will judge you as women who commit adultery and shed blood are judged and bring upon you

the blood of wrath and jealousy. And I will give you into their hand, and they shall throw down your vaulted chamber.

They shall strip you of your clothes and take your beautiful jewels and leave you naked and

bear.

They shall bring up a crowd against you, and they shall stone you and cut you to pieces

with their swords.

I urge you to listen to this warning.

The jealousy of God for your undivided love and devotion will always have the last say.

Whatever lures your affections away from God with deceptive attraction will come back to

strip you bare and cut you in pieces. It is a horrifying thing to use your God-given life to commit adultery against the Almighty.

But for those of you who have been truly united to Christ,

and who keep your vows to forsake all others and cleave only to him and live for his honor.

For you, the jealousy of God is a great comfort and a great hope.

Since God is infinitely jealous for the honor of his name,

anything and anybody who threatens the good of his faithful wife will be opposed with divine omnipotence.

That's good news for the faithful wife, the faithful people of God.

God's jealousy is a great threat to those who play the harlot

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