Quote:
Originally Posted by dnlgfnk
One could consult learned sources themselves to perhaps understand, if not agree, how countless intelligent, scholarly theists interpret concepts such as the immutability of YHWH versus fluctuating emotion , as described in the bible. Or the nature of inspiration regarding biblical authorship. One could do the same with what is essentially proposed here as "petty--the Holiness Code.
The author is inspired to convey, with his own powers leaving a mark on the text, the incompatibility of idolatry (the context of "jealous" descriptions) and the God of Israel. He necessarily does so via anthropomorphism, analogously comparing YHWH's "jealousy" to that of a spouse (Hosea 1-3 esp.)
And the Holiness Code emphasized in detail, that outer holiness reflected and effected inner holiness.
Or, "scratch an atheist, find a fundamentalist".
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And jealousy (i.e. righteous indignation in response to infidelity) expressed in anthropological language via analogy is perfectly appropriate. If God was not jealous
for his chosen people Israel, what would that say about God's true "feelings" toward Israel? About the nature of God's love toward his chosen people?
The covenant bond between the Creator-Redeemer and his chosen people is analogous to the sacred and inviolable marriage covenant between husband and wife. Hence, this analogy is often employed in scripture of Old Covenant Israel and the New Covenant Church. If a husband doesn't bat an eyelash over his wife's flirtations with other men, then can there possibly be a strong bond of love between the two? Any husband, who takes the covenant (or vows) of marriage seriously has every
right to expect his wife to flirt only with him. But if she doesn't, then he has every right to be righteously indignant.
But perhaps even more than this, God is jealous of his divinity, his honor, his glory and his sovereignty. Everyone should avail themselves to Charles Spurgeon's sermon dealing with this topic of jealousy.
https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm...rmons/0502.cfm
