The Jealous Fire
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2 min read
We often fall into the trap of thinking God has mood swings. We imagine He has a “Love Mode” (New Testament) and a “Wrath Mode” (Old Testament), and that He toggles between them depending on how well we behave.
But the God of Scripture is not divided. He does not have parts; He is One.
The Spine of Love
To understand God’s wrath, we must understand His Jealousy (Greek: Zelos). This isn’t the petty insecurity of a human ego; it is the fierce, protective zeal of a Husband. If a man loves his wife, he must feel wrath toward an intruder who tries to harm her or seduce her. If he felt nothing, he wouldn’t be loving—he would be indifferent.
God’s wrath is simply His holy love reacting to the “spiritual adultery” of sin. He burns against our idols because He knows they will destroy us, and He loves us too much to let that happen without a fight.
The Kiss of the Cross
So how do we survive this fire? We don’t extinguish it; we find a Substitute who can endure it.
The Cross is the only place in history where God’s perfect Justice and perfect Mercy met. They didn’t clash; they “kissed” (Psalm 85:10).
The Storm: God the Father poured out the full, legal penalty of our treason onto Jesus.
The Shelter: Because the fire fell on Him, it no longer falls on us.
Walking in the Fire
If you are in Christ, the “consuming fire” is no longer a threat to your life; it is a purifier for your soul. We don’t run from the fire; we run into it, asking the Holy Spirit to burn away our pride, our lust, and our apathy.
We are safe, not because God lowered His standard, but because the Standard-Bearer took our place.
“Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” — Psalm 85:10