What Does It Mean That God Is Jealous?

July 3 2026

Pinchas "Phineas"

TORAH: Numbers 25:10-30:1 | PROPHETS: Jeremiah 1:1-2:3 | GOSPEL: Luke 13:1-10

Do you ever wonder what it means when the Bible says that God is a jealous—or zealous—God?

This week's Torah portion, Pinchas (Phinehas), introduces us to a priest who discovered exactly what that means. Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, demonstrated what it looks like to be zealous with God's zeal.

When Israel fell into the sin of idolatry with the Midianites—a rebellion that was encouraged by Balaam—God's judgment came upon the nation, and 24,000 Israelites died in a plague. That plague was only stopped when Phinehas took decisive action.

God actually praised him, saying:

"He has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel because he was zealous with My zeal among them."

God also declared that Phinehas "was zealous for his God and made atonement for the children of Israel."

This isn't the only place in Scripture where we see the zeal of the Lord.

Think about Jesus cleansing the Temple. In His righteous anger, He overturned the tables of the money changers because God's house had become something it was never intended to be. His disciples remembered the words of Psalm 69:9:

"Zeal for Your house has consumed Me."

Isaiah 9 also points us to the coming Messiah, declaring that the everlasting Kingdom on the throne of David will be established by "the zeal of the LORD of hosts."

One final passage I'd like to mention is Zechariah 8:2, where God says:

"I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy."

The word translated jealous can also be understood as zealous. Interestingly, it is the same holy zeal that God demonstrated in the days of Phinehas. The difference is that here it is expressed through His covenant love for Zion and His determination to fulfill His promises.

Today, being a Zionist is often misunderstood and mixed with political opinions and debates. But I want to encourage you to look beyond politics and embrace the heart of God—His zeal for Zion.

Listen to what God says in Zechariah 8:

"I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem."

"Jerusalem shall be called the Faithful City."

"Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem... The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing."

"I will save My people from the east country and from the west country, and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. They shall be My people, and I will be their God, in truth and righteousness."

Can you hear the heart of God?

Can you see His zeal at work?

As followers of Jesus, we are called to be His hands and feet in the world. The question for each of us is this:

Do we desire to have the same zeal—to care deeply about the things that God Himself is zealous for?

Shabbat Shalom.

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NEXT PORTION July 17 2026 Mattot-Massei "Tribes" "Journey of"

TORAH: Numbers 30:2-36:13 | PROPHETS: Jeremiah 2:4-28, 3:4 | GOSPEL: Mark 11:12-25