For you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God
(Exodus 34:14 NIV)
This verse contains a statement that makes us a bit uncomfortable. Isn’t jealousy supposed to be bad? Why would God describe Himself this way, even making it a part of His name?
The Hebrew word translated “jealous” here is qanna (קַנָּא), pronounced “kah-NAW.” It’s an adjective used exclusively for God in Scripture, and it means “jealous” in the sense of fiercely zealous or passionately protective. Unlike human jealousy, which covets what belongs to others, God’s qanna is a righteous zeal for what is already His by right, our wholehearted devotion.
Think about it this way: If you saw your spouse flirting with someone else, you wouldn’t just shrug and say, “Whatever.” You’d feel a protective instinct, a righteous anger at the threat to something sacred. That reaction isn’t selfishness; it’s devotion. It’s an appropriate passion for an exclusive covenant love.
God’s qanna is like that, only infinitely pure and holy. He created you, loves you, and entered into covenant with you like a bridegroom with His bride. So when our ultimate loyalty drifts toward money, success, comfort, or even good things that take priority, it grieves Him.
We often picture God as distant and detached, calmly observing us from afar. But qanna reveals a different truth. God cares intensely about His relationship with you. It’s not a casual thing to Him. You matter profoundly to the God who made you.
God’s jealousy means you’re worth fighting for. You’re the beloved He pursues with holy passion. And when you drift toward things that will harm you, He doesn’t just shrug and move on. He fights for your heart and does everything He can to draw you back.
Knowing that changes how we view sin. Sin isn’t just breaking a rule; it’s breaking the heart of someone who loves us fiercely and wants what is best for us. God’s qanna isn’t about control; it’s about commitment.
Because of that, God won’t settle for our half-hearted devotion. He’s not content being one priority among many or one item on an already crowded schedule. He wants all of you, not because He’s selfish, but because He wants us to fully experience the life He created us for.
So ask yourself this: Where is most of your attention focused? What occupies your thoughts throughout the day? How do you spend your time, your energy, and your money? The answers to those questions will reveal what’s competing for God’s rightful place in your life.
You are not incidental to God. You are passionately loved by El Qanna, the God whose very name is Jealous. The One who refuses to share your heart with anything less than Himself because He knows that nothing less will ever truly satisfy it.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for having such a passionate love for me. Help me to see when my heart drifts toward other things. Draw me back to You, the only one worthy of my whole-hearted devotion. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Alan Smith
Reprinted with permission from Alan Smith’s Thought For the Day