Jealousy – An Anthropomorphic Attribute of God

March 4, 2011

Anthropomorphism comes from two Greek words: anthropos (man) and morphe (form).
Therefore, an anthropomorphism is when God appears to us or manifests Himself to us in human
form or even attributes to Himself human characteristics. Anthropomorphism: God relates to us
in human terms or things we can see, taste, touch. It’s a method God uses to help us understand
and relate to Him.

1. Human actions - changed mind, relented, remembered, rested.

1. Exodus 32:14, "So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He
would do to His people."
2. 2 Sam. 24:16, "When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy
it, the Lord relented from the calamity, and said to the angel who destroyed the
people, “It is enough! Now relax your hand!”
3. Gen. 9:16, “When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember
the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is
on the earth.”
4. Gen. 2:2, "And by the seventh day God completed His work which He had done;
and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done."
2. Human emotions - sorrow, jealousy, pity, regret, anger.
1. Gen. 6:6, "And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He
was grieved in His heart."
2. Exodus 20:5, "You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your
God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the
third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me."
3. Judges 2:18, "...for the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those
who oppressed and afflicted them."
4. 1 Sam. 15:35, "And Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death; for
Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord regretted that He had made Saul king
over Israel."
5. Deuteronomy 29:27-28: “Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against this
land, to bring on it every curse that is written in this book. And the Lord uprooted
them from their land in anger, in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them
into another land, as it is this day” (emp. added).
3. Human physique - hands, face, mouth, eyes, arm.
1. Exodus 7:5, "And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out
My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst.”
2. Num. 6:24, "The Lord make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you."
3. Psalm 33:6, "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath
of His mouth all their host."
4. Psalm 34:15, "The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears are
open to their cry."
5. Psalm 89:10, "Thou Thyself didst crush Rahab like one who is slain;
Thou didst scatter Thine enemies with Thy mighty arm."

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 4. Human senses - see, taste, hear, smell.
1. Psalm 34:8, " Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;
2. Ephesians 5:2, “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself
for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”
3. Rev 3:22, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
5. Other - Wings
1. Psalm 57:1, "Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, for my soul takes
refuge in Thee; and in the shadow of Thy wings I will take refuge, until
destruction passes by."

Godly Jealousy – one of God’s Human emotions

2 Corinthians 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.

Some Biblical usages of the word "jealousy"

A. Old Testament Hebrew words qana (kaw-naw), qanna, qina - meaning "zealous" or
"jealous"
Gen. 37:11 - "his brothers were jealous of him" (Joseph)
Exod. 20:5 - "I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God"
Numb. 5:14,30 - "jealous of his wife"
Deut 32:16,21 - "they made Him jealous with strange gods"
Zech. 8:2 - "I am exceedingly jealous for Zion"

B. New Testament Greek words zelos, zeloo, zelotes - meaning "zealous" or "jealous"
I Cor. 3:3 - "there is strife and jealousy among you"
I Cor. 10:22 - "do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?"
I Cor. 13:4 - "love is not jealous"
II Cor. 11:2 - "I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy"
James 3:14,16 - "jealousy and selfish ambition exist"

II. Defining "godly jealousy"

A. English word "jealousy" is etymologically derived from Greek zelos

B. Webster's Dictionary
1. "apprehensive of loss of exclusive devotion"
2. "intolerance of rivalry or unfaithfulness"
3. "hostile toward one believed to enjoy an advantage"
4. "vigilant to guard a possession"
C. Defining features from original Biblical words
1. Emotional expression toward person, idea or cause

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 2. Passionate commitment
D. A working definition: "Jealousy is a fervent desire to have things transpire as one desires."

III. Applying the definition to the Biblical usages

A. The jealousy of God

1. God has a fervent desire that things should transpire as He desires, which is always in
accord with His character.
cf. Exod 34:14 (for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is
Jealous, is a jealous God),

; Exod 20:5; Deut 4:24; 5:9; 6:15; Josh 24:19

2. God is zealous/jealous that His people should not sin.
cf. Deut. 29:20; 32:16,21; Ps. 78:58; 79:5; Ezek. 16:38; I Cor. 10:22
3. God is zealous/jealous that His people should live in accord with His character.
cf. Ezek. 39:25; Zech 8:2

God is jealous/zealous when someone gives to another what rightly belongs to

Him. God is jealous for us and not of us. It is a protective jealousy.
A. We belong to God – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: Or do you not know that your body is the
temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your
own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body[a] and in your
spirit, which are God’s.
2 Thess. 2:13-14; Gal. 3:13; Eph. 2:1-4; Psa. 110:3)
B. God and God alone is the focus of our worship. “Thou shalt worship the Lord
C. thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” (Matt. 4.9-10); Rev. 22.8-9

Humans experience godly jealously – we feel this emotion when someone

attempts to take something that belongs to us. This is not a sin. This explains 2
Cor. 11:2 – Paul was concerned that the church at Corinth was moving away from God . Why?
v3-4. They were being led astray.

Ungodly/Human Jealously – A destructive jealously and a sin.

Galatians 5:19-21:
ow the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies,
outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders,
drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also
told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the
kingdom of God.
A. A desire for what does not belong to us. Joseph and his brothers (Gen 37:11). Jacob and
Esau;Lucifer in heaven
B. A matter of personal choice.

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 C. Often accompanied by envy. Envy and jealousy overlap in the scenario where another
person is admired by everyone else for possessing something. This gives you a 'double
whammie' as it means they are both giving someone else attention and also not giving
you attention. You are envious of the attention that they are getting and jealous because
you see them 'stealing' that attention from you.Turning loss into hate

Both godly and ungodly jealously starts with intense emotion. The distinction between God’s
jealousy and the human perversion of it can be a very important one indeed. Oprah Winfrey mis-
understood that distinction years ago as she sat in church listening to a sermon about God being a
jealous God? At that time, she was still a Christian. However, in her mind she could not
reconcile the idea with her own negative concept of jealousy. “If he’s that type of God something
is wrong here,” she said to herself. Her misunderstanding was the beginning of the end of
Christianity for her and she veered off into New Age.

5 Causes of ungodly jealousy

Let’s first review five (5) common causes of jealousy:

A. Unmet expectations. Many times we place unrealistic expectations on ourselves and the
people around us. Often times we feel things should come easier and faster to us. Then if
things don't happen when we think they should, we inevitably run into someone who
already has what we want. All of a sudden, we feel this surge of ugly emotion called
jealousy.

B. A sense of entitlement. For some reason we have this ingrained attitude that we are
entitled to things. Kids leaving the nest for the first time believe their own standard of
living should be the same as their parents. They don't consider that their parents have
worked for years and years. Many times people with financial problems feel "entitled" to
buy things on credit, even though they know it's a bad idea. Having the nicest car and the
newest toys seems more important than getting out of debt.

C. Insecurity/low self-esteem. It is so easy to look at other people and wish we had what
they have. And so many times it doesn't stop there. We start berating ourselves for not
having what they have. Then we begin to believe negative junk ourselves. The next thing
we know, we've developed insecurities in our relationships.

D. Jealousy is a manifestation of a person’s fears and worries. Feeling jealous toward others
is often a result of fear; fearing rejection or betrayal is a common cause of jealousy,
especially if you've fallen victim to deception in the past. The more desperate you are to
ward off the possibility of rejection, the more intense the jealousy becomes. Jealousy can
be validated when there is a genuine threat that should be thwarted; yet fear of a
nonexistent and unsubstantiated threat reveals itself in destructive jealousy that can ruin
any relationship.
E. Competition: Jealousy manifests itself when you feel as though you're in competition
with someone else over something that you value or desire. Competition can be a healthy

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 part of life--it's what impels us to obtain successful careers and relationships--but
competition can turn into unhealthy jealousy when the reasons are distorted or the
motives are clearly unattainable. Harboring the desire for harm to come to others,
sabotaging someone's relationship or defaming someone's name are all distinct signs of
unhealthy jealousy.
F. Comparison – we notice a friend, co-worker or family member who has something we
desire/want. We tell ourselves, “I wish I had his/her ….(talent, gift, influence, etc)

Consequences of Jealousy

1) A critical spirit – we become negative in our thinking. The other person’s success
generates negative feelings and we seek ways to undermine their efforts. Cain and Abel –
God accepted Abel’s offering but rejected Cain’s.
2) A divided mind/indecisiveness – we are not able to focus clearly and become distracted
and unable to discern God’s direction for our lives. Our focus is no longer on God but on
the other person – God in turn becomes jealous for us.
3) Anger, bitterness and resentfulness – our attitude becomes negative; we become angry,
bitter and resentful to those of whom we are jealous and envious. (Prov 25:23; Gen 4:6)
4) A sense of insecurity – we become unsure of who we really are in Christ and lack
confidence in His purpose for our lives.
5) We lose focus – the focus now shifts to ourselves. We begin to spiral downwards. “For
where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.” (James
3:16)
6) We begin to struggle with depression and feelings of anxiety. “I am in my 40s. Will I
ever get married and have a family, like …?
7) We make foolish decisions
8) Our relationship with God is broken. Jealousy is a self-centered emotion. Instead of
grateful hearts and worshipping God, we spend much time figuring out how we catch up
to the other person. Fellowship with God becomes low on our list of daily priorities.
9) Physical sickness. Bitterness, resentment, hostility, anger, jealousy, and envy can lead to
mental and physical ailments. The natural chemical reactions in our bodies become
imbalanced through our sinful thoughts and actions.
A half-hour argument with your lover can also slow your body's ability
to heal by at least a day. In couples who regularly argue, that healing
time is doubled again. Researchers at Ohio State University discovered
this by testing married couples with a suction device that created tiny
blisters on their arm. When couples were then asked to talk about an
area of disagreement that provoked strong emotions, the wounds took
around 40 per cent longer to heal. This response, say researchers, was
caused by a surge in cytokines immune-molecules that trigger
inflammation. Chronic high levels of these are linked to arthritis,
diabetes, high-blood pressure, heart-disease and cancer.
10) We can also cause harm to ourselves and to others, including those we love. Pathological
jealousy – a disease that leads to terrible consequences. And it equally affects both sexes.
Psychiatrists usually see it as a symptom of more serious mental illness. Victims of
pathological jealousy often develop something known as 'learned helplessness'. This is a

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 circumstance where you can physically leave the situation/environment, but mentally and
emotionally cannot.

Dealing with Jealous People

11) Don’t provoke them or boast to them.
Gen. 37: 5-11 - Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even
more. 6 So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: 7 There we were,
binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed
your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”
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And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have
dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
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Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have
dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to
me.”
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So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What
is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to
bow down to the earth before you?” 11 And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter
in mind.

12) Show the person love

13) Do not boast (Psalm 75:4)
14) Pray for them (Luke 23:34)
15) Talk about it with a trusted friend.
16) Describe Jesus’ response to each of the events below:
Ingratitude — Healing the ten lepers (Luke 17:11-19)
Insensitivity — Disciples falling asleep (Matthew 26:36-45)
Backstabbing — Judas’s betrayal (Matthew 26:47-50)
Lack of support or loyalty — Peter’s denial (Matthew 26:33-35, 69-75)
Criticism — Eating with sinners; healing on the Sabbath (Matthew 9:10-12; 12:8-
13)
17) Remove yourself from the situation.
David fled from Saul. 1 Samuel 24:12-13 Let the LORD judge between you and me, and
let the LORD avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you. As the proverb of
the ancients says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand shall not be
against you.
18) Avoid striking back, if you can’t run.
Often people take their anger out on us. Sometimes we may have aggravated them, in
which case an apology is needed, but usually the difficult person is frustrated in general
and we are the handiest target.
“A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.” (Proverbs
12:16)
"But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God." (1 Samuel 30:6)

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Avoiding/Managing Jealousy in My Life

“When we feel jealous, the knee-jerk reaction is to place the blame on someone else for evoking
such an unpleasant emotion with their actions. But it turns out that experiencing jealousy may
actually say more about the individual than the relationship. Our individual personalities
influence our likelihood to feel- and act on- jealousy.”

a) Examine yourself. If you find yourself being jealous of someone, acknowledge it.
b) Repent of it. Jealousy is not just an emotion it is a SIN.
c) Confide in a trusted advisor and seek his/her counsel. “Therefore, confess your sins to
one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” (James 5:16)
d) Ask God to deliver you from the sin of jealousy – made whole/well/cured. “If we confess
our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) (10th leper made whole/well - Luke 17:11-19)
e) Stop comparing yourself to others.
f) Learn to be content with what God had given to you. Phil. 4:8-13
g) Set your focus on God. “Let this mind(set) be in you like it is in Christ” Phil 2:5

I am jealous for you, so I would not tell you anything that would make you
jealous of me.