Yahweh, Day 42

Day 42
Yahweh... Proclaiming... His Name to Man's Spiritual Fear and Doubting... #12


As we close out these particular 12 lessons from God's Name revealed on the mount we find this parting warning...

Exodus 34:14
"You are to never bow down to another god because the Lord, being jealous by nature, is a jealous God." (HCSB)

Many of our other translations substitute the word "name" where the Holman chooses the word "nature." The Hebrew more literally states here that God's "Name in Jealous." This is worth a moment's reflection.

When humans think of "jealousy" it is usually in a negative connotation... conjuring up ideas of emotional control, abuse, and anger. Humanity's understanding is of course from a fallen perspective... our jealousy is not identical to God's jealousy.

Yahweh knows that humanity has an inherit nature to doubt the promises made by God... therefore the tendency to join hands with other power objects... whether people, organizations, or gods... out of insecurity and fainthearted faith that doubts Yahweh will do as He says He will do.... and Yahweh knows that every object that we place our trust in other than Himself... will fail... to our detriment.

Yahweh's Jealousy is based on His revealed nature as described back in verse 6:

"Yahweh-Yahweh is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in faithful love and truth..."

Humanity's jealousy is not based on compassion, grace, tamed anger, faithful love, nor truth.

Perhaps the greatest challenge for a maturing disciple of Yahweh is to actually learn to trust Him... even when the night is darkest.

What of the night friend... can you yet praise the Holy One in the lightning flashes and rumbling thunders of shadow... or look you to another god?

The test is for your faith... for faith untested is... not faith.

xtnyoda, shalomed