Worship VIII Day 7 Our Beautiful Jealous God: Digging Deeper
Digging Deeper Days
Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!
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The Questions
Exodus 20:3-5
3 Do not have other gods besides me. 4 Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. 5 Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me
Original Intent
1) What does it mean for God to be a jealous God? (verse 5)
The Hebrew word for jealous, qanna, “combines the ideas of zeal and jealousy.” (Preceptaustion.org) When used to describe Jehovah in the Old Testament, qanna “reflects zero tolerance for the worship of other so-called gods. (Preceptaustion.org) God’s jealousy is not like human jealousy, which can be selfish and ugly. Author, David Guzik, explains that “God is jealous in the sense that He will not accept being merely added to the life; He insists on being supreme and does this out of love.” God is jealous because He is above all. He is “God of gods, Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awe-inspiring God.” (Deuteronomy 10:17) Author Richard Strauss argues that since God is the “highest and greatest being there is, infinitely holy and glorious, He must be passionately committed to preserving His honor and supremacy.” His great love for us makes Him jealous for us, wanting us to have all the benefits and protections of following Him and serving Him. When we worship idols, or turn to other gods, He is jealous for us and what we are missing by being outside the will of the only true God. He alone deserves praise, and He longs to reside in the praises of His people. (Psalm 22:3)
2) What is idol worship? (verse 4)
In Exodus 20 God gave His people the Ten Commandments to follow. God Himself spoke the words, engraving them with His finger (Deuteronomy 9:10) saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. Do not have other gods besides me. Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth.” (Exodus 20:1-4) The Israelites lived among people who worshipped many gods, so the admonition in the 2nd commandment was necessary. Author David Guzik explains, “In the days of ancient Israel, there was great temptation to worship the gods of materialism (such as Baal, the god of weather and financial success) and sex (such as Ashtoreth, the goddess of sex, romance, and reproduction), or any number of other local deities.” Idol worship is seen primarily in eastern cultures today (like statues of Buddha or Mary). Though it is less common in the western hemisphere to see carved idols in homes or people worshipping physical idols at a temple, the practice of idolatry is still prevalent across the globe no matter where you live. John Currid explains, “For us to trust in anything more than the Lord is to make that thing a god. And idolatry can take many different forms, whether it be riches, glory, wisdom, or one’s physical appetites—it is giving homage to anything but Yahweh!“ When we promote anything or anyone above God in our lives, we are practicing idolatry. Even if they are good and positive people, pastimes, or possessions, when they reign above God in our hearts they are idols and must come down if we are to be obedient to God.
3) How does God bring the consequences of iniquity on the generations? (verse 5)
When God gave Ten Commandments to the Israelites, He warned them not to worship other gods or make idols to worship, “for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.” (Exodus 20:3-5) He equated idolatry with hating God; He warns that the consequences of idol worship would fall on the sinners and their ensuing generations. Far from being a generational curse from God, this is a warning that actions have consequences. God is not condemning generation after generation to punishment, rather He is cautioning them not to continue in the sinful ways of their ancestors. Author Rod Mattoon explains, “Even though children are not responsible or guilty for their father’s iniquity, they are influenced and affected by it. Sons and remote descendants inherit the consequences of their fathers’ sins, in disease, poverty, captivity, with all the influences of bad example and evil communications.” The consequences will not fall on children who do not hate God. Frequently, the sinful practices of one generation influence the lives of the next generation; this is what God is warning about. If people love God and turn away from the sin of the previous generation, they will not receive the wrath God saves for those who hate Him.
Everyday Application
1) What does it mean for God to be a jealous God? (verse 5)
It is odd to think of God as jealous, because jealousy is such a negative human emotion. It is easier to think of the word zealous, which author Richard Strauss describes as being synonymous for jealousy in the Bible when referring to God. He argues that “God is zealous—eager about protecting what is precious to Him.” I think about it in terms of how I feel for my daughter as she is choosing colleges. She has a scholarship to a good school, but she keeps looking at other schools that will cost more and require her to take on debt. I am zealous in my promotion of the choice that will give her a quality education and keep her from owing lots of money for many years to come. I know the harm that could come, and the good she might miss, if she chooses to go into debt for her education, so I advocate for her to make the choice that will save her future problems. This is how I see God in His jealousy, or zeal, for us. He promises that choosing to obey His commands and follow His ways will bless us. (Psalm 128) He warns that turning from Him will bring destruction. (Romans 6:23) He longs for us to worship Him and commune with Him, and He is jealous for us to make the right choice and avoid calamity. When you consider your everyday life choices and circumstances, how can you begin worshipping the One worthy of all your worship?
2) What is idol worship? (verse 4)
If you know me at all you are not surprised that I am a fan of all things Jane Austen, but you might not suspect me to be an old school Star Wars fan. I also collect vintage valentines, love old Hollywood movies, enjoy copious amounts of cinnamon tea and slim volumes of British poetry. As much as I love my eclectic pastimes, I could give any of them up if needed. While it’s true they are important to me, God is number one in my heart and though I occasionally spend too much time or energy indulging other things, the Lord’s Spirit draws me back to Himself and I am quick to return. Idolatry, in its many forms, is still a source of temptation for me. D.L Moody defined it this way, “Whatever you make most of is your god. Whatever you love more than God is your idol.” For me that temptation is to put my own will above God’s will. Sometimes when I see what God is asking of me, I rebelliously assert that I know better. I fear uncertainty and I selfishly cling to my own plans, loving my own way more than God’s. I haven’t considered this idolatry before, but it boils down to worshipping my own will and wisdom over God’s, and that definitely fits the definition. So my prayer is Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.” I know He is trustworthy and true (Deuteronomy 7:9), so I purpose to choose His will over mine, breaking down my false idols.
3) How does God bring the consequences of iniquity on the generations? (verse 5)
I love watching programs about ancestry that help people create a family tree. It’s interesting to discover how families stay for generations in one place or pursue one occupation. Occasionally one enterprising person will pull up stakes and move across the country, starting a new family line for generations in a new location. Many people live in the same area where their 5th great-grandfather settled without even realizing his decision impacted their present situation. God describes a similar situation in the Bible, but with dire consequences. He tells the Israelites in Exodus 20:5 not to worship other gods, “Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.” The decisions we make impact those around us, especially our families. Children learn what we teach them, and when we model hating God by worshipping other “gods” like wealth, entertainment, materialism, or comfort, we are impacting their lives in significantly negative ways. If they don’t change and turn towards God, then we have also impacted their children. God not only warns us what can happen if we teach our children the wrong way, but He also tells us the positive consequences of teaching them to follow Him. Proverbs 22:6 gives us a wise principle; if we teach our kids to love God and follow His ways, even when they grow old they won’t digress. If we love God, even the mistakes we make can be worked out for our good and God’s glory in our lives. (Romans 8:28) We aren’t expected to be perfect, just to offer ourselves wholly to love and worship God alone. Our families will catch what we model!
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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!
1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!
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Why Dig Deeper?
Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.
In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!
Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.
Study Tools
We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.
Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!
Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))
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