Originally posted by Proper Knob
A standard anitheist attack on God? Good grief. You mean I asked a couple of questions.
Yes, I think it is pretty standard. So far all your comments have had a focus - God ..."Jealous"? That means He's no better than us.
I say standard attack because from the first that the enemy of God spoke it was to denigrate His character. That is to plant the thought in Eve that God was an evil and imperfect tyrant, a selfish despot -
" And the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die! For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will become like God knowing good and evil," (Genesis 3:5)
"Standard attack" I say because in principle you too wish to cause your listeners to doubt God's good heart, doubt God's good motive, doubt God's pure love and portray God as the evil one. So I have to say, since the thrust of your comments are the same as serpents, it is a pretty "standard attack" on God.
Again, how can a perfect being suffer from such base human emotions as anger and jealousy? Seems odd to me. Correct me if I'm wrong but your answer just seems to be - it's beyond our understanding.
It may seem odd.
But there is a justified jealousy even that we human beings could have as I think Kelly has pointed out.
If some other man began to flirt with his wife, the jealousy he felt would really be a righteous jealousy. Let's not forget the exhortation of Paul -
"Be angry and do not sin".
So we cannot say all "jealousy" is unrighteous.
In some cases if a man or woman was not jealous it would indicate that that one had no emotion.
So while agreeing is may "seem odd" it is not so odd that make God and imperfect God.
As for something of God being "beyond our understanding," there are somethings that are. Yet the experience of God with us can be had thought the nature of God contains some matters "beyond our understanding."
I mean I can come to this God who is jealous that I have no other gods before Him and say "Dear God, I don't fully understand You. Some things seem odd. But I thank You that I can have fellowship with You and enjoy Your eternal love."
I don't give up coming to God because I believe as I grow in the enjoyment of God understanding probably will come. In the natural realm as maturity occurs understanding of life also deepens.
The history of Israel in the Old Testament shows me that God could be jealous without being fidgety about His jealousy. I mean God shows Himself to be exceedingly long suffering, very patient, full of mercy and understanding. He seems to have tolerated long some waywardness of His beloved people.
In this passage we see God returning to espouse His nation to Himself again after a long lapse in their love for Him -
"And I will betroth thee unto Me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth unto Me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know Jehovah" (Hosea 2:19,20)
Unlike us His jealous love puts up with way more than most of us would put up with. The future tense of this passage indicates that God to a SECOND betrothing of God's people to Him. That means the divorced wife is brought back to the Lord as her Husband.
This means God in His jealousy is eager to give the unfaithful "Wife" another chance. The use of the word
"betroth" three times is touching and reveals how strong God's love, - IE - "I will marry you ... I will marry you ... I will marry you!" And this is after his counterpart people have gone way astray after "other gods" for a long long time.
So the "jealous" God may "seem odd" to both of us. I think the
whole story has to be considered.