Jealous God

God is jealous

Nahum 1:2

What a way to begin a book in the Bible. After the introductory information found in Nahum 1:1, the first words you will read are “God is jealous”. To be fair, the book is aimed toward the evil city of Nineveh. This capital city in the Assyrian empire is portrayed by a litany of sinful descriptors. But, don’t miss the significance of verse 2. Verse 2 is not a description of Nineveh. It’s about God. The jealous nature of God might make us feel a bit uncomfortable but it is not hard to understand. A quick trip back to Exodus 20 clears up any confusion. You may recall that Exodus 20 contains the “Ten Commandments”. Here’s a portion of Exodus 20:2-5: “You shall have not other God’s before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image – any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to the nor serve them”. Immediately after these commandments, God clarifies himself: “For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.” It’s not very long before the Hebrews provoke God’s jealousy. Centuries later, the people of Nineveh provide another backdrop for God’s jealousy. But, these two examples are not isolated.

Nahum may not be at the top of your reading list, but please do not question the relevance of the material for a 21^st century reader. The description of God found in Nahum 1 reinforces the revelation of God in the “Ten Commandments”. When (not if) we are tempted to place anything “before” God or elevate anything as a “counterfeit” god we need to revisit this book. Nahum provides an awe-inspiring portrait of God’s character. The opening words are preparation for a revelation of God’s incomparable glory and power.