Qanna NoG12

Tonight we will look at a name for God that was the basis for the first two of the Ten Commandments. Let us take at look at the passage in:

Exodus 20:3-5  Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

Tonight we are looking at God as Qanna, which translates as jealous. I think it is interesting that this is one of the names given in this passage, because God is setting up the basis for all of his laws and we find out that he is jealous.

This relates to the first two commandments because God is saying in the first one that we need to keep him first place in our lives. That is we must have nothing that comes before him. the second command is similar because it is also about making sure that God is kept in his proper place and that we are not making things equal or even greater then God.

We don’t normally think of God being jealous, I mean jealousy is such a human trait, we would think that God being all powerful would not care what the most important thing in our lives was. But we must realize that God has invested a lot into this relationship. The bible compare the relationship between God as people to a marriage and that is pretty apropos, in both instances you are bringing together two very different personalities, and views but you are committed to making it work. But if one person in either relationship, the marriage of husband & wife or the relationship between us and God puts a person outside the relationship up as more important then the other person in the relationship feels jealous. That is why God has commanded us to keep him as the most important thing in our lives. God values us and our relationship with him and he wants us to value it so much that nothing can get in the way of that relationship.

Later on in Exodus it is reiterated Exodus 34:14  For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: so this is not a one-time thing. If we read through our Bibles then we learn of so many instances where God’s anger burned against the people because they failed to respect him and he became jealous of whatever they were worshiping.

If we look into the context of these verses where God is called Qanna or jealous in the old testament we learn that they are all times that Moses is trying to prod the people back to God. Moses is saying that we need to look at what we are doing and think about how that effects God.

Let us take another look at another passage talking about God being qanna in Nahum. Nahum 1:2  God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.

Verse two here tells us that God is jealous and wants to take out vengeance, but on who? If we look into the first verse then we learn this is a vision concerning Nineveh. God is angry because even after Jonah came and caused Nineveh to repent earlier they had once again turned away from God. And God was fed up, he was tired of doing everything to reach this group of people and they just kept turning away from him. God was jealous because even though he had sent them a messenger years before and given them a chance to come to know him they choose not to and had went their own way, so God was jealous of the other gods, he was jealous of what the people choose to do.

This chance they were given is spelled out in verse 3. Nahum 1:3  The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

In the first part of this verse it tells us the Lord is slow to anger but he does not acquit the wicked, that is God cannot just let sin go unpunished. So these people had been given a chance to come back to God years before and had, but then they fell back into the same old patterns of behavior and God was angry once again.

Can we apply this story to our lives? Yes because God has provided a way for us to come into a relationship with him and we can be saved through that, but if we turn away from God and begin doing our own thing or not listening to God then he does have to punish us.

If we take a look at another instance in the old testament about God being jealous Zec 8:2  Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.

In this verse it is specifically talking about God being jealous for Zion. That is God was concerned for the place where he was dwelling. Then the question becomes, well so what, because God no longer dwells in the temple because there is no temple. The point is God is in us today

Romans 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

So it matters that God was jealous for the temple and for Zion because we are now the temple of God. Thus God cares about us and what happens to us and also what we are doing. Using this picture of us as the temple we need to know that our God has set us apart for a specific purpose just like the temple was a building with a specific purpose. Our purpose is to show God to the world and to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to him. If we fail to do what he commands and start following after something else then God becomes jealous.

Another way to look at this name is in the picture of a marriage. I’m sure we are all familiar with this passage where Jesus likens the disciples as brides. Matthew 9:15  And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

We can look at God calling Israel his bride long before this passage as well, so God is the same today yesterday and forever.

Isaiah 54:5  For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.  

We can apply this passage to us as well. We are in a relationship with God and Christ. So how does this picture of a marriage relate back to God as Qanna. I look at it from the perspective that God has done all of these things to bring us into a relationship with him. Just like when two people are dating and trying to get to know each other. So then what happens in our human relationships if the person that you have put all of this time and effort into then decides they don’t want to be w you and want to go see this other person? It is not something you would like and I know that would make me jealous. God is the same way. He has been doing his part to build this relationship and then when we turn away from him, he becomes jealous and upset with us. This is natural.

We can take a look in Revelation and see where this comparison is still being made Rev 18:23  And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

We are called the bride of Christ all the way through the New Testament. We are to be the light to all people in the world. But if we do not do the will of God then he becomes jealous.

Taking the illustration of the church as Christ Bride a step farther 2Co 11:2  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

We are called to be just like a woman on her wedding night. If a person truly loves their future spouse even if they do not know them then they will save themselves for them. Thus on the wedding they are pure. In the same way we are to be pure, we are to save ourselves for God. That is, we are to do his will and follow his leading. God becomes jealous of the things that take our attention away just like if you had sex with someone who was not your spouse, that causes your spouse to be jealous of the other person. Thus we need to remain pure for God we need to be following him and doing what he says.

Is it a bad thing that God is jealous, I would say no. It is not as if God needs us for anything. But God knows what is best for us. He knows what we need. He knows that when we choose things that are outside his will that we are not doing what is best for us. Thus Gods jealousy is not bad it is all about making sure that we do what is best for us. That is Gods jealousy is all about love. It is just like if one of your friends gets into a new relationship and that changes them for the worse, you might be jealous because they are not spending time with you as much. But you being jealous is also out of love because you want what is best for the person. In the same way God wants us to follow him and keep him first in our lives because he knows what is best for us and does not want to see us hurt.

God is jealous of things that we place before him and we must be sure that we are not simply saying that God is the most important thing in our lives because it says in Isaaih 29:13-14  Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

This passage is a stern warning that we must make sure that God really is the most important thing in our lives or there will be consequences. Our God cares about us so much that he gets upset whenever we push him down our priority lists and he also does not want us simply saying that he is higher on our priority list then he really is. I know that I am guilty of pushing down the importance of God. I get busy I get stressed, I get worried, and the last thing I want to do is to take time and pray and read my Bible. God becomes jealous of all of those things that take me away from him.

This is a characteristic of God that is very important for us to remember. Not only is this the characteristic that is outlined in the first two of the Ten Commandments but it also is a picture of how much God care for us. God is jealous for us because we are his bride and are supposed to be in relationship with him first and foremost. This characteristic of God is good for us because it leads God to care for us and fight for us. But we must remember to truly have God first in our lives because God is Qanna that is God is jealous.