This jealousy is not to be understood in terms of the sinful reaction of mankind (Proverbs 6:34; Proverbs 7:4). The Hebrew word carries the idea of an intense state of mind that urges toward. Thus, God is jealous not in today’s sense of being envious of what rightfully belongs to someone else, but he is jealous in the way of earnestly desiring the honor that rightfully belongs to him.
1 His jealousy is like that of the sovereign who does not tolerate anyone next to him in his covenant with his subjects. He has a blazing desire to be worshipped as the only God (e.g., Deuteronomy 4:23–24; Psalm 79:5; Ezekiel 23:25). Therefore, bowing down or worshipping an idol calls for judgment since God is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5; Exodus 34:14). The whole world will be consumed in the fire of God’s jealousy since all have sinned and turned to their own evil ways.
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18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the LORD. In the fire of his jealousy, all the earth shall be consumed; for a full and sudden end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.