Main news for 5 June 2023

Again and again the words of the first commandment repeat themselves on various tunes in the Bible: God is one, and nobody else should be worshiped. Well let us not stop now on this commandment, let’s look rather the next words: whose name is jealous, is a jealous God.

We regard generally with disapproval the manifestation of jealousy. It appears to us as a feeling of possessor, unworthy for modern man. A jealous person doesn’t respect the freedom of the object of jealousy; he closes it {the object} in jealousy, as in prison. So, if it is written here that "jealous" is God's name, which is the expression of a certain aspect of His essence, doesn’t it then portray to us a false God?

Let’s try to disconnect ourselves from our modern “human” associations with the word "jealousy" and understand what the Holy Scriptures is telling us. Firstly, jealousy is never the source of itself; it ensues from a certain "strong" relation, for example - love. Secondly, jealousy is when we are not indifferent in how lives and what does the object of jealousy. Thirdly, jealousy is an attitude, and not an act depriving of liberty. And, if it is so, then all this is really of God - He loves us such, as we are; He isn’t indifferent to how we live and what we make; expressing His opinion about our life and also giving His commandments, He never deprives us of liberty.