What God is zealous for

I was listening to Ps Yang's sermon on zeal recently, and the emphasis was on us having zeal for God. But what struck me was this question: What is God zealous about?

If we know what God is zealous about, we will catch a glimpse into what He will fight for...what matters to Him.

A quick search unveiled this:

1. God is zealous for His name. "Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will now bring Jacob back from captivity and will have compassion on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name." (NIV, Ezekial 39:25)

2. God is zealous for Jerusalem. “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I am zealous for Zion with great zeal; With great fervor I am zealous for her." (NKJV, Zechariah 8:2)

Honestly, I have known God is zealous for His name for a while already. But I was truly surprised when Ps Yang shared that God is zealous for Zion. There are very few mentions in the Bible on what God is zealous about - and Jerusalem figures as one of them! That was new to me. It also made me realise how for many of us (including me), Israel has been peripheral to our faith. Yet, it is clearly central to God, and His heartbeat.

Why is God zealous about Jerusalem?

Because it is the city He has put his name on. Forever. Even when the people failed Him, and the temple was destroyed, and the ark of the covenant removed from the Holy of Holies, one thing did not depart from Jerusalem. God's name.

"Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever." (2 Chronicles 33:4) Other verses which say the same thing are: 1 Kings 11:36; 2 Kings 21:4; 2 Kings 21:7; 2 Chronicles 6:6

And because Jerusalem is where Jesus will one day return to rule and reign as Messiah. It is to be where He takes up residence on earth.

This is what the LORD says: "I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain." (Zechariah 8:3)

This didn't hit me until it was taught us in Israel recently.

And now that I'm more sensitive to this, that God is zealous for Jerusalem, am also more awakened to the adversities Israel faces. The attempts to divide up Jerusalem continue... with Sweden leading the latest charge. We need to watch this, and pray against it, because this is clearly not what God intends to happen.

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