4. You shall not make a graven image for yourself, or any likeness in the heavens above, or in the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth;
5. you shall not bow to them, and you shall not serve them; for I am YAHWEH your Elohim, a jealous El, visiting the iniquity of fathers on sons, on the third and on the fourth generation, to those that hate Me;
In this and all Food for Thoughts I recommend you read the Scripture(s) provided and the entire chapter they are from to obtain more insight.
Definition of Jealous:
- Intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness
- Fiercely protective or vigilant of one’s rights or possessions
- Feeling or showing suspicion of someone’s unfaithfulness in a relationship
- Feeling or showing envy of someone or their achievements and advantages
There’s a considerable amount of misunderstanding surrounding YAWHEH’s statement about Himself, the creator of the Heavens and Earth, being a jealous El. The confusion occurs when people are fooled into thinking or believing that YAHWEH is jealous or envious of what they have and wishing He had it. However, this understanding needs to be changed as it is not accurate. YAHWEH’s jealousy does not resemble flawed human jealousy, which usually stems from a place of envy, greed, and covetousness. YAHWEH is the creator and owner of everything (Colossians 1:15-17) and is the one that provides “every good gift and every perfect gift” (James 1:17). As such, it would not be reasonable for Him to feel envy towards anything we might possess.
Oprah Winfrey’s Account of a Jealous El
(See minutes 5:17 – 7:30)
Oprah Winfrey shared a story about a charismatic minister who preached about YAHWEH being omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, and jealous. She recounted how she sat listening to this great minister and couldn’t help but wonder to herself, ““God” is jealous of me?” Her thoughts left her unsettled, stating, “something about that didn’t feel right in my spirit.” Oprah began to explain that the words “The Lord thy “God” is a Jealous God” was her awakening that moved her to search for and explore something more than doctrine.
Righteous Doctrine
I firmly believe that individuals must reject and walk away from manufactured doctrine and instead prioritize the teachings of the Bible (Colossians 2:8). It is imperative to follow only those doctrines that align with Scripture or, even better, allow the word of YAHWEH to guide your beliefs. The word of YAHWEH should dictate your doctrine instead of the doctrine dictating your beliefs. Man-made doctrines are often associated with cherry-picking Scriptures to detach them from the surrounding context to change their true meaning. Therefore, we must prioritize the whole truth of Scripture over any manufactured beliefs and truly embrace the wisdom and guidance the Bible provides (2 Timothy 3:16).
Continued: Oprah Winfrey’s Account of a Jealous El
Oprah’s exploration for spiritual enlightenment outside of the doctrine she was currently in took a demonic turn that led her away from righteous doctrine. She continued her story and dropped a bombshell by quoting Eckhart Tolle, which indicated that she did not move away from doctrine but instead chose another man’s doctrine or philosophy. She moved away from the belief in YAHWEH and His son Yahshua and moved more to a belief in self and the multiple ways to “Heaven” ideology. Regrettably, her misunderstanding of Scripture and mischaracterizations of YAHWEH led her astray from the path of righteousness. Her new beliefs are a cause for concern as she is now leading many others down the same road, further distancing them from YAHWEH and Yahshua.
Even now, she and other celebrities like Steve Harvey continue to promote the false idea (doctrine) that there are multiple paths to “God” and eternal life through self-belief or any of the numerous religions in the world. A study by the Pew Research Center indicates that a shocking 58% of American Christians believe other religions can lead to eternal life. Contrary to that belief is the truth found in (John 14:6 and Acts 4:12), which proves that there is only one way to YAHWEH, and that is through His Son Yahshua. See the: “What is Sin” Series Parts 1-6 to understand the only way.
What Does: “I Am Yahweh Your Elohim, a Jealous El” Mean?
With strange gods they moved Him (YAHWEH) to jealousy; and with idols they provoked Him to anger.
In this and all Food for Thoughts I recommend you read the Scripture(s) provided and the entire chapter they are from to obtain more insight.
First, it is crucial to recognize and acknowledge that we belong to YAHWEH. He created us and placed us on His Earth as His possession. Unfortunately, Adam introduced sin and death to humanity, which created a separation between humanity and YAHWEH. Thankfully, as a demonstration of His love for us, YAHWEH sent His only begotten son (John 3:16), Yahshua, to pay for our sins and allow us to be reconciled with Him. Through Yahshua’s sacrifice, we can once again become the possessions of YAHWEH.
Jealous is defined as “intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness” and “fiercely protective or vigilant of one’s rights or possessions.” When this definition is applied to the word Jealous in the Scripture, and we accept that we are His possession, it allows us to understand more clearly the intentions of YAHWEH. I am YAHWEH, your Elohim, and I will not tolerate rivalry or unfaithfulness. I am fiercely protective and vigilant of YOU, my possession. Exodus 20:4-5 illustrates the righteous jealousy that YAHWEH has for us, His possession, not jealousy of us.
Furthermore, to fully understand the meaning of Exodus 20:4-5, it’s essential to read it in context. Exodus 20:4-5 gives the second commandment, specifically addressing the act of creating, worshiping, and serving idols. YAHWEH is concerned with His possession falling prey to idols. The Bible makes it clear that there is only one El, and no others exist (See Scriptures at the bottom). Additionally, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 reminds us that our bodies are the temple of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), and that we were redeemed with a great sacrifice. Therefore, it’s not appropriate to offer up this sacred temple to idols.
So says YAHWEH, the King of Israel, and His Redeemer, YAHWEH of Hosts: I am the First, and I am the Last; and there is no Elohim except Me.
In this and all Food for Thoughts I recommend you read the Scripture(s) provided and the entire chapter they are from to obtain more insight.
Human Example of Righteous Jealousy
When a man and woman come together in a marriage, they become bonded to each other by the covenant agreement they made with each other. Any interference with this union can trigger righteous jealousy. For instance, if a man’s wife is pursued by another man and she responds positively, it will and should cause the husband to experience righteous jealousy as she is his partner and belongs to him. Similarly, suppose a child decides to spend more time with another family instead of their own. In that case, it can lead to a sense of righteous jealousy from the parents and possibly their siblings.
Why? Because your spouse and children belong to you. This is why YAHWEH repeatedly calls us His bride and His children in the Bible (See Scriptures at the bottom). We rightfully belong to Him for three reasons:
- He created and loved us
- He purchased us with the blood of his Son Yahshua
- Covenant agreement (we are His bride).
Conclusion
We must stop playing the harlot with idols and return to YAHWEH.
There is Only One EL and One Way to Him.
Deuteronomy 4:35,39, Deuteronomy 6:4, Deuteronomy 32:39, 2 Samuel 7:22, 1 Kings 8:60, 2 KINGS 5:15, 2 Kings 19:15, 1 Chronicles 17:20, Nehemiah 9:6, Psalm 18:31, Psalm 86:10, Isaiah 37:16,20, Isaiah43:10,11, Isaiah44:6,8, Isaiah 45:21, Isaiah 46:9, Hosea 13:4, Joel 2:27, Zechariah 14:9, Mark 12:29-34, John 17:3, Romans 3:30, 1 Corinthians 8:4-6, Galatians 3:20, Ephesians 4:6, 1 Timothy 1:17, 1 Timothy 2:5, James 2:19
We are His Bride.
Ezekiel 16:8-14, Jeremiah 31:32, Ezekiel 16:59-60, Isaiah 54:5, Hosea 2:7, Joel 1:8, Jeremiah 2:2, Ezekiel 16:43, Hosea 2:15, Jeremiah 3:20, Jeremiah 2:32, Ezekiel 16:32-34, Hosea 1:2, Hosea 9:1, Hosea 2:2, Isaiah 50:1, Jeremiah 3:6-10, Jeremiah 3:12-14, Hosea 3:1-3, Isaiah 54:6-8, Hosea 2:14, Isaiah 62:4-5, Jeremiah 31:31-33, Ezekiel 16:62, Hosea 2:16, Ephesians 5:25-33, John 3:29, Matthew 9:15, Mark 2:19-20, Luke 5:34-35, Matthew 22:2, Matthew 25:1-13, 2 Corinthians 11:2, Revelation 19:7-9, Revelation 21:2, Revelation 22:17.
By: David Edwards