“The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.” — Atheist Professor Richard Dawkins
Yes indeed, God is jealous for His people, and He is jealous for all of humanity:
For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” (Exodus 34:14)
What were some of the gods which heathen nations worshipped? Consider Molech:
“And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 18: 21)
The LORD recognized the intense wickedness of false gods and their cults of worship, which would lead people to sacrifice their own children by burning them in fire. Why has Dawkins not expressed deep disdain for these cults? Would he not condemn these religions?
Furthermore, God is jealous for all people, not just to the Jews, but for all believers:
“Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live” (Ezekiel 18: 23)
and also
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3: 9)
Yes, God is jealous, in that He desires us to worship Him, for there is no one else:
“Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is
none else.” (
Isaiah 45: 22)
Notice that God invites all the ends of the earth to look to Him, to believe on Him, and be saved.
We find this salvation clearly in His Son, Jesus.