By: Gen. James Green
“God is Jealous, for He loves; God is Wrath, not as yielding to passion, but for the purpose of chastising, and punishing…for God also is said to be jealous, not that any should suppose passion (for the Godhead is impassible) but that all may know that He doeth all things from no other regard than their sake over whom He is jealous” (The Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers, Series 1, Vol. 13, Homilies on First Corinthians).
S OME SCHOLARS take issue with statements like this, they say, that at times, negatively perceived emotions of God have been underappreciated and dismissed as merely incomprehensible anthropopathisms. They say that the diminishing of His transcendent qualities, easily heads down the road of “process theism” (see Most Moved Mover by C.H. Pinnock, 2001 for example).
There is such a LACK of hearing from God today—I mean His Spirit speaking, that subjects like jealousy and wrath are misunderstood. We’ve been fed the “Candy Store Jesus” so long, that we do not believe that God or Jesus have the right to be angered, or to punish. This is not the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit…I know! We’re so used to the “Babylonian Jesus” that we (the backslidden Church) can’t grasp godly emotions that are opposite of love and mercy. HIS JEALOUSY IS MORE THAN A PASSING MOOD, IT SPRINGS FROM HIS CHARACTER JUST LIKE LOVE DOES.
Deut. 6:13-15
“THOU SHALT fear the LORD thy God, and serve Him, and shalt swear by His name. Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you (for the LORD thy God is a JEALOUS God among you); lest the ANGER of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and DESTROY thee from off the face of the earth.” It is not merely an “emotion” that leads to divine wrath/genocide, it is to protect His honor and protect His people—that He has exclusive claims on.
Isaiah 48:9-11 tells us, that for the sake of His name, and His honor, that He acts. Ezek. 20:44 repeats this in 36:21-23, and He says it again; 39:25, “…I will be jealous for My holy name.”
Consuming Fire
DEUT. 4:24 tells us that, “…the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” (only in post exilic times did the divine jealousy—qinah, become transmitted into “zeal” for His chosen people). His Jealous anger (fire) was stirred because of idolatry. Do you think that all is WELL WITH PEOPLE WORSHIPING IDOLS today?
Ezekiel 16:38 is telling: “I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in FURY and JEALOUSY.” Verse 42 reads: “So will I make My FURY toward thee to rest, and My JEALOUSY shall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no more ANGRY” (KJV). The RSV reads: “So will I satisfy My FURY on you, and My JEALOUSY shall depart from you…” His Jealousy will abate after His wrath has done its work.
Because of Israel’s infidelity by the means of idolatry and adultery, God’s wrath/fury is the response. Do you think He feels the same towards His New Israel—the body of Christ?
I tell you, when (human) jealousy for God’s name, honor, and glory is neglected, those calling themselves “His wife” will eventually fall into idolatry/adultery. The Church in this generation is nothing but a BIG WHORE on God! THE CHURCH HAS WEDDED HERSELF TO THE WORLD; SATAN IS THE PRESIDING MINISTER. This Babylonian whore is so far from God in worship, obedience, and service, that the Churchites see nothing wrong with idolatry/adultery. Today, modern whorehouses know NOTHING about giving kabod/doxa (honor), respect, homage, and reverence to their husband. Unfaithfulness among married couples today is so common that it’s off the grid. (With some exceptions.)
Humans Used: Humans Not Needed
WE FIND, and I have taught, that God works alone in His wrath, and also with humans. God uses heavenly forces (angels/weather etc.), and also uses human armies to fulfill His will.
It is asked: “Was the Cross primarily an act of human wickedness inflicted on Jesus, or an act of divine judgment in which He bore the weight of His Father’s anger against our sin?” I know the Muslims have a hard time with the last, as well as the liberals.
It is also asked: “Was the exile the result of human wickedness and violence inflicted on Israel by their enemies (Babylonians) for rebelling against them?, or, was it the result of divine punishment inflicted on Israel by their God for rebelling against Him?” I believe it was both at the same time. It is a Biblical fact that God’s sovereignty used the Babylonians as He did the Assyrians and Romans. The actions were totally and wholly theirs—behind their cruelty was the HAND of the JEALOUS GOD! There is no other way to see it. God calls the Assyrians “the rod of Mine ANGER, and the staff in their hand is Mine INDIGNATION” (Isa. 10:5). He calls the Babylonians (Nebuchadrezzar), “My servant…and will utterly destroy them…” (Jer. 25:9). God brings this up again in 43:10.
So, we can say, without a doubt, that Acts 2:23 states that Jesus, “…was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put Him to DEATH by nailing Him to the Cross” (see also Ezek. 11:9). It is said, and I agree, that God acts thru human actions—without turning people into mere puppets (read Hab. 1:5, 6), Habakkuk later said, “You, LORD, have appointed them (Babylonians) to execute judgment; you…have ordained them to punish” (Hab. 1:12).
There is ample proof in our Bibles that point to God behind what happens to nations, be they Israel or pagan.
Jeremiah 29 tells us that, “…the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I HAVE CAUSED to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon” (v. 4). This is repeated in vv. 7 and 14 (Ezek. 4 tells us that it was God who was the [hidden] enemy of Israel; the Babylonians were the visible enemy). Ezek. 5:8 plainly reveals who is AGAINST Jerusalem to execute judgment…to be carried out by the Babylonians.
All this, dear ones, proves that the accumulated wickedness merited God’s cruel punishment.
True Truth
THE OLD TESTAMENT Scriptures report true news about what happened to God’s backslidden people. Should we dare read Jer. 30:14, 15 and Isa. 42:24, 25? Read the pitiful book of Lamentations (1:5, 8, 14 etc., etc.). Read Isaiah’s account of the suffering Servant (Christ) in Isa. 53:4-6 (Luke 23:39-41 recognizes Isa. 53).
Second Cor. 5:21 tells us that “God made Him (Jesus the Christ) who had no sin to be sin for us.” Knowing this should cause us to be more careful of how we live, yet this generation seems impervious to the SIN issue. The modern Church has grown oblivious to the penal substitutionary atonement. She actually believes that she can act like Hell and still go to Heaven. These religious perverts who teach this will find out who is right and who is wrong.
-Cont.