Strong Protecting Love

Isaiah 26:1–6, Psalm 18:1–9, Nehemiah 6:15–16

is measured in many ways. When you’re the one being attached, often it is by fists (or equivalent). Another way is deterrent. In other words, what will be the cost to attack? When a strong city is called out, it is a city that, yes, can defend itself. It is also a city that others would not want to attack. This particular city, Jerusalem, had God as its ultimate defense.

What country or military power would want to attack God? This was the of the Israelites, that God would protect them.

God does want to protect those who God, and and honor God. The phrasing, however, gets odd when we talk about . Jealousy always seems to be bad. Even when we say God has a jealous love for us, it sounds bad.

Rev. George Harrison calls jealousy the shadow of love. That doesn’t sound much better. However, he notes that what we often jealousy is actually love corrupted by envy. True jealousy—or jealousy—is when wholesome love and devotion are denied, betrayed, or destroyed.

God, then, is jealous when the love due by right (as Creator) and relationship (whether Israelite, Christian or the not quite) is no longer. God’s jealous love is the heart of one betrayed. As the one whose love is and never-changing, God would do just about anything for those God loves.

1) Re-read the last paragraph. What do we have of this?

2) Re-read the scriptures with this understanding of God’s jealous love. Does your understanding ?

3) What is important to understand God’s jealous love and our lives, and how we live them?