Is God Possessive?
Share
As parents, we try to teach our kids to share. A baby or toddler will be aware of a toy, perhaps a favorite. Sometimes another child will try to play with the toy, just by picking it up. But the first kid might react with a “mine!” and take it back for themselves. These actions are totally normal for the age, and indicative of our inherent selfish nature. So, we teach kids to share, to not be so possessive.
In many ways, the ideas of being possessive or jealous has negative connotations, and for good reasons. However, Scripture defines God as jealous. How can a good and loving God be so possessive?
Where Does the Bible Say God Is Jealous?
The Bible states God as possessive or jealous in several passages. As a foundation, God expresses this in the Ten Commandments, when he commands his people worship no other gods. “You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God …” (Exodus 20:5). God alone is worthy of worship, and this lies at the heart of the blessings to a community that inherits the promised land.
A clear example happens in Exodus 34:14. “Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” These words occurred after Israel made a golden calf. Moses had gone up to Mount Sinai to meet with God and get the law of the covenant. Moses returned to find the camp worshipping the calf, and God deals with the rebellion and idolatry. But the Lord reestablishes the covenant, repeating the law against idolatry, and he includes a command not to make treaties with the pagan nations they meet, since those people groups will lead them to worship other gods. God expected Israel to worship only him.
We get further mention of God’s jealousy before Israel enters the promised land. Moses warns the people to remain faithful and stay away from idolatry, common in the peoples they would battle. “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” (Deuteronomy 4:24). God continually refers to the reason he’s displacing the nations within Canaan: their idolatry and religious practices that include great abominations, like sacrificing their own children (Leviticus 18:24-28, Deuteronomy 9:4-5). Therefore, he warns the Israelites not to take on those same beliefs and activities, which would bring similar consequences.
Paul echoes these ideas in the new covenant, writing to the church in Corinth of his own possessiveness. “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy” (2 Corinthians 11:2). Paul had planted the church and seen many come to Christ, saved from idolatry and hell. The Corinthian church dealt with many sins, and Paul expressed his “jealousy” for them to return to the Gospel life. He calls this a “godly jealousy.” Paul’s love reflects God’s own jealousy.
The Bible often includes how God is jealous, especially in contexts where his people are tempted to fall away from right worship, forsaking God and the Gospel. This differentiates God’s jealousy from the world’s.
What Is Ungodly Jealousy?
The Bible also describes a sinful type of possessiveness. Like any good aspect of God’s character, the world can take things meant for good and twist them, perverting them for selfish ends. Understanding the difference helps us understand God’s character and warns us about sin and our own rebellion.
In many cases, the Bible uses the same Greek word zelos for good and bad jealousy. Zelos means a zealous, desperate desire to protect what belongs to you. The twisted form of this includes envy, rivalry, and selfish ambition. Paul uses zelos for godly jealousy in 2 Corinthians 11:2 and for the sinful version in Galatians 5:20, listing it as an act of the flesh along with discord and fits of rage. Ungodly jealousy tries to take someone’s belongings or resents their blessings. In another sense, sinful possessiveness seeks to control and enslave instead of set free.
James 3:14-16 describes negative jealousy. “But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth … For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every evil practice.” Again, James uses the Greek word zelos, but the verses teach how it can be twisted and lead to things like division and disorder, even “every evil practice.” While not outright a reference to the Old Testament, James’ letter reflects the abominable practices of the idolatrous nations.
We know things by their fruit. If it comes from a root of rebellion and idolatry, then we can see the results. Sinful jealousy looks like resentment, covetousness, and division. Twisted possessiveness leads to control and enslavement. These are marks of Satan, not God.
Righteous jealousy comes from love, a desire to bless and set people free.
Why Is God a Jealous God?
Righteous jealousy reveals God’s pure and holy nature. The Hebrew word used in Exodus 20:5 and other places is qanna, which means a zealous, burning desire to protect something, in this case, a people’s worship and loyalty to God. Worship belongs to God alone, and he calls people back to that truth to bless them, set them free from sin and death, and include them again in his redemptive story.
He’s not trying to take something that’s not his. We’ve been the ones to do that. The Father lovingly longs to have us back in a saving, intimate relationship with him where we live by the truth instead of lies.
God’s jealousy isn’t selfish. Just as a faithful spouse rightly expects the same from their husband or wife, God demands wholehearted love from his people. Jesus even taught how the greatest commandment is to love God with all we have, repeating words from Moses (Matthew 22:37, Deuteronomy 6:5). When Paul expresses this godly jealousy, he desperately desires for the Corinthians to stay faithful to Jesus, for their own good, because he loves them and doesn’t want to see their destruction.
God created humanity for himself, for relationship with the divine. Even after Adam and Eve rejected this reality, believing a lie, the Lord sought redemption, beginning with Abraham and the Israelites. While he was already owed their worship, he went further to ransom the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, purchasing them for himself. His love and righteousness can’t participate in the lie they get to worship anyone else, since it would destroy them through sin and death.
As if that wasn’t enough, God went beyond any obligation to send his only Son to redeem those who would believe (John 3:16). On a spiritual and eternal level, the Father ransomed the church for himself, as a Bride, from the slavery of Satan, sin, and death (Romans 7). God’s possessiveness reflects his love and longing for the full and complete relationship we were created for, for our good.
Yet godly jealousy doesn’t seek to control us, like the sinful one does. God will not force people to love him and worship him as they should. His jealousy includes a deep desire for willing hearts bowing to him, pulling close to him.
James 4:5 states it well. “Or do you think Scripture says without reason that He jealously longs for the spirit He has caused to dwell in us?” God’s jealously shows his overwhelming love. He rescued us for himself, created us for relationship, and won’t passively let us be lost to sin and death. The Savior cares for and fights for those he loves.
What Does This Mean for Us Today?
First, God’s possessiveness reminds us of the purpose of our salvation. In Titus 2:14, Paul writes how Christ, “gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession.” We were saved from sin for God. This transforms how we live. Salvation isn’t just a rescue from hell. The ultimate goal is to have a joyful, faithful relationship with God.
Second, God won’t tolerate a lie which will lead us into destruction. He warns us against any rivals for our love for our protection. He’s not jealous for our love because he needs it but because we need him. Only in him will we find life, joy, purpose, love, what truly satisfies us.
Therefore, we must guard our hearts against worshipping any other person or thing. As the Bible returns often to these principles, we should be humble and honest regarding how easy it is to drift in our faith and full devotion. The world calls us to seek material possessions, personal ambitions, and pleasure, and these things try to capture our hearts, idols each in their own way. But God’s love woos us to love him above all else and walk closely with him.
Finally, and amazingly, having relationship with God means we possess him, as well. God promised to be Abraham’s great reward for faith (Genesis 15:1). This doesn’t only apply to Abraham, but to all who follow him, the ultimate promise. “‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him’” (Lamentations 3:24). The Old Testament priests didn’t have a physical inheritance in the promised land. From their service to God, he promised them himself as their portion (Numbers 18:20). For Christians of the new covenant, we are a kingdom of priests (1 Peter 2:9), with God himself as our inheritance forever (Revelation 21).
Like a husband and wife, we give our lives to one another, and this intimate oneness is a mystery (Ephesians 5:31-32). However, God invites us into this loving relationship, jealously seeking us as his own possession.
In light of God’s jealousy, we should live as people who remember our purpose: to know, love, and glorify God forever. He saved us for Himself. May we respond with gratitude, faithfulness, and joy, honoring the One who loves us with a holy, jealous love.
Peace.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/digitalskillet
