40 "Also make linen robes, belts, and turbans for Aaron's sons. These clothes will give them dignity and honor. 41 Put these clothes on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint them, ordain them, and set them apart to serve me as priests.

42 "Make linen undergarments to cover them down to their thighs. 43 Aaron and his sons must wear them when they go into the tent of meeting or when they come near the altar to serve as priests in the holy place. Then they will be blameless and won't die.

"This is a permanent law for him and his descendants."

Make Aaron and His Sons Priests-Leviticus 8:1-36 29 1 The LORD continued, "Now, this is what you must do in order to set Aaron and his sons apart to serve me as priests: "Take a young bull that has no defects and two rams that have no defects. 2 Use the finest wheat flour, but no yeast, and bake some loaves of bread, some rings of bread made with olive oil, and some wafers brushed with olive oil. 3 Put the bread in a basket, and bring the basket along with the young bull and the two rams.

4 "Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and wash them. 5 Take the clothes, and put them on Aaron-the linen robe, the ephod and the robe that is worn with it, and the breastplate. Use the belt to tie it on him tightly. 6 Put his turban on him, and fasten the holy crown to it. 7 Take the anointing oil, pour it on his head, and anoint him.

8 "Have his sons come forward. Dress them in their linen robes, 9 and put turbans on them. Tie belts around the waists of Aaron and his sons. They alone are to be priests; this is a permanent law. In this way you will ordain Aaron and his sons.

10 "Then bring the young bull to the front of the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons will place their hands on its head. 11 Slaughter the bull in Yahweh's presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 12 Take some of the bull's blood, and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger. Pour the rest of it out at the bottom of the altar.

13 "Then take all the fat that covers the internal organs, the lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar. 14 But burn the bull's meat, skin, and excrement outside the camp. It is an offering for sin.

15 "Take one of the rams. Then Aaron and his sons will place their hands on its head. 16 Slaughter it, take the blood, and throw it against the altar on all sides. 17 Cut the ram into pieces, wash the internal organs and legs, and put them with the other pieces and the head. 18 Then burn the whole ram on the altar. It's a burnt offering, a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to Yahweh.

19 "Take the other ram. Then Aaron and his sons will place their hands on its head. 20 Slaughter it, take some of the blood, and put it on the right ear lobes of Aaron and his sons, on their right thumbs, and on the big toes of their right feet. Throw the rest of the blood against the altar on all sides. 21 Take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his clothes and on his sons and their clothes. In this way Aaron, his sons, and their clothes will be holy.

22 "From this same ram take the fat, the fat from the tail, the fat that covers the internal organs, the lobe of the liver, the two kidneys with the fat on them, and the right thigh. (This is the ram for the ordination.) 23 From the basket of unleavened bread which is in Yahweh's presence, take a round loaf of bread, a ring of bread made with olive oil, and a wafer. 24 Put all of these in the hands of Aaron and his sons, who will offer them to Yahweh. 25 Then take them from their hands, and burn them on the altar on top of the burnt offering. It's a soothing aroma in Yahweh's presence, an offering by fire to Yahweh.

26 "Take the breast from the ram used for Aaron's ordination, and present it to Yahweh. This will be your share. 27 Set apart as holy the breast that is offered to the LORD and the thigh that is the contribution. Both will come from the ram used for the ordination. They both belong to Aaron and his sons. 28 It is a permanent law that the Israelites give this portion to Aaron and his sons as a contribution. This will also be their contribution to Yahweh from the fellowship offerings.

29 "Aaron's holy clothes will belong to his descendants so that they can be anointed and ordained in them. 30 The son who succeeds him as priest-the one who goes into the tent of meeting to serve in the holy place-will wear them for seven days.

31 "Take the ram used for the ordination, and boil its meat in a holy place. 32 At the entrance to the tent of meeting, Aaron and his sons will eat the meat of the ram and the bread left in the basket. 33 They will eat those offerings through which they made peace with the LORD at their ordination and installation. No one else may eat them because the offerings are holy. 34 If any meat or bread from the ordination is left over until morning, burn it up. It must not be eaten because it is holy.

35 "Do this with Aaron and his sons exactly as I have commanded you. Take seven days to ordain them. 36 Each day sacrifice a young bull as an offering to make peace with the LORD. Sacrifice this offering for sin on the altar in order to pay for its sins. Then anoint it with olive oil in order to dedicate it. 37 For seven days at the altar make peace with the LORD and set the altar apart for its holy purpose. Then the altar will be most holy. Anything that touches the altar will become holy.

38 "This is what you are to offer on the altar regularly every day: two one-yearold lambs. 39 Offer one in the morning and the other at dusk. 40 With the first lamb make an offering of eight cups of flour mixed with one quart of virgin olive oil. Make a wine offering of one quart of wine. 41 Offer the other lamb at dusk, and with it make the same grain offering and wine offering as in the morning. This is a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to Yahweh.

42 "For generations to come this will be the daily burnt offering made in Yahweh's presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting. There I will meet with you to speak to you. 43 I will also meet with the Israelites there, and my glory will make this place holy. 44 I will dedicate the tent of meeting and the altar for their holy purposes. I will set Aaron and his sons apart for their holy duties of serving me as priests.

45 "Then I will live among the Israelites and be their Elohim. 46 They will know that I am Yahweh their Elohim. I brought them out of Egypt so that I might live among them. I am Yahweh their Elohim ."

The Altar for Incense-Exodus 37:25-29 30 1 The LORD continued, "Build an altar out of acacia wood for burning incense. 2 Make it 18 inches square and 36 inches high. The horns and altar must be made out of one piece of wood. 3 Cover all of it with pure gold-the top, the sides, and the horns. Put a gold molding around it. 4 Make two gold rings, and put them below the molding on opposite sides to hold the poles for carrying it. 5 Make the poles out of acacia wood, and cover them with gold. 6 Put the altar in front of the canopy which hangs over the ark containing the words of my promise. I will meet with you there in front of the throne of mercy that is on the ark.

7 "Aaron must burn sweet-smelling incense on this altar every morning when he takes care of the lamps. 8 Also, when Aaron lights the lamps at dusk, he must burn incense. For generations to come an incense offering must burn constantly in Yahweh's presence.

9 "Never burn any unauthorized incense on this altar or any burnt offerings or grain offerings. Never pour a wine offering on it. 10 Once a year Aaron must make peace with the LORD by putting blood on its horns. Once a year-for generations to come-blood from the offering must be placed on the altar to make peace with the LORD. It is most holy to Yahweh."

Counting the Israelites 11 Then Yahweh said to Moses, 12 "When you take a census of the Israelites, each person must pay Yahweh a ransom for his life when he is counted. Then no plague will happen to them when they are counted. 13 As each person is counted, he must give onefifth of an ounce of silver using the standard weight of the holy place.a This onefifth of an ounce of silver is a contribution to Yahweh. 14 Everyone counted who is at least 20 years old must give this contribution to Yahweh. 15 The rich must not give more than onefifth of an ounce of silver, and the poor must not give less. This contribution is given to make peace with the LORD and make your lives acceptable to Yahweh. 16 Take the money the Israelites give to make peace with the LORD, and use it to pay the expenses of the tent of meeting. It will be a reminder for the Israelites in Yahweh's presence that the sins in their lives are removed."

The Bronze Basin-Exodus 38:8 17 Yahweh said to Moses, 18 "Make a bronze basin with a bronze stand for washing. Put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and fill it with water. 19 Aaron and his sons will use it for washing their hands and feet. 20 Before they go into the tent of meeting, they must wash so that they will not die. Before they come near the altar to serve as priests and burn an offering by fire to Yahweh, 21 they will wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This will be a permanent law for him and his descendants for generations to come."

The Oil for Anointing 22 Yahweh said to Moses, 23 "Take the finest spices: 12 pounds of powderedb myrrh; half as much, that is, 6 pounds of fragrant cinnamon; 6 pounds of fragrant cane; 24 12 pounds of cassia-all weighed using the standard weight of the holy place-and 4 quarts of olive oil. 25 Have a perfumer make these into a holy oil, a fragrant mixture, used only for anointing. This will be the holy oil used for anointing.

26 "Use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark containing the words of my promise, 27 the table and all the dishes, the lamp stand and all the utensils, the altar for incense, 28 the altar for burnt offerings and all its accessories, and the basin with its stand. 29 In this way you will dedicate them for their holy purpose. Then they will be most holy, and anything that touches them will become holy. 30 Anoint Aaron and his sons as well. In this way you will set them apart for their holy duties of serving me as priests.

31 "Say to the Israelites, 'For generations to come, this will be my holy oil used only for anointing. 32 It must never be poured on the bodies of other people. Never make any perfumed oil using this formula. It is holy, and you must treat it as holy. 33 Whoever prepares a perfume like this or puts it on anyone who is not a priest must be excluded from the people.'"

The Incense for Use in the Tent 34 Yahweh said to Moses, "Take one part fragrant spices (two kinds of gum resin and aromatic mollusk shells), and mix them with one part pure frankincense. 35 Have a perfumer make it into fragrant incense, seasoned with salt, pure and holy. 36 Grind some of it into a fine powder, and put it in front of the ark containing the words of my promise in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. You must treat it as most holy. 37 Never make any incense for yourselves using this formula. Treat it as holy to Yahweh . 38 Whoever prepares anything like it for his own enjoyment must be excluded from his people."

The Craftsmen for the Tent-Exodus 35:30-35 31 1 Yahweh said to Moses, 2 "I have chosen Bezalel, son of Uri and grandson of Hur, from the tribe of Judah. 3 I have filled Bezalel with the Ruach Elohim , making him highly skilled, resourceful, and knowledgeable in all trades. 4 He's a master artist familiar with gold, silver, and bronze. 5 He knows how to cut and set stones and how to work with wood. He's an expert in all trades. 6 Also, I have appointed Oholiab, son of Ahisamach, from the tribe of Dan, to help him. I have given every craftsman the skill necessary to make everything I have commanded you: 7 the tent of meeting, the ark containing the words of my promise with the throne of mercy on it, and all the other furnishings for the tent, 8 the table and the dishes, the pure gold lamp stand and all its utensils, the altar for incense, 9 the altar for burnt offerings and all its accessories, the basin with its stand, 10 the speciala clothes-the holy clothes for the priest Aaron and the clothes for his sons when they serve as priests, 11 the anointing oil, and the sweet-smelling incense for the holy place. They will make all these things as I commanded you."

The Sign between the LORD and His People 12 Yahweh said to Moses, 13 "Say to the Israelites, 'Be sure to observe my days of worship. This will be a sign between me and you for generations to come so that you will know that I am Yahweh who makes you holy.

14 "'Observe the day of worship because it is holy to you. Whoever treats it like any other day must be put to death. Whoever works on that day must be excluded from the people. 15 You may work for six days, but the seventh day is a day of worship, a day when you don't work. It is holy to Yahweh. Whoever works on that day must be put to death. 16 The Israelites must observe this day of worship, celebrating it for generations to come as a permanent reminder of my promise.a 17 It will be a permanent sign between me and the Israelites, because Yahweh made heaven and earth in six days, and on the seventh day he stopped working and was refreshed.'"

18 Yahweh finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai. Then he gave him the two tablets with his words on them, stone tablets inscribed by Elohim himself.

The Gold Calf 32 1 When the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. They said to him, "We don't know what has happened to this Moses, who led us out of Egypt. Make gods who will lead us."

2 Aaron said to them, "Have your wives, sons, and daughters take off the gold earrings they are wearing, and bring them to me."

3 So all the people took off their gold earrings and handed them to Aaron. 4 After he had worked on the gold with a tool,b he made it into a statue of a calf.

Then they said, "Israel, here are your gods who brought you out of Egypt."

5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of it and announced, "Tomorrow there will be a festival in Yahweh's honor."

6 Early the next day the people sacrificed burnt offerings and brought fellowship offerings. Afterward, they sat down to a feast, which turned into an orgy.

7 Yahweh said to Moses, "Go back down there. Your people whom you brought out of Egypt have ruined everything. 8 They've already turned from the way I commanded them to live. They've made a statue of a calf for themselves. They've bowed down to it and offered sacrifices to it. They've said, 'Israel, here are your gods who brought you out of Egypt.'"

9 Yahweh added, "I've seen these people, and they are impossible to deal with. 10 Now leave me alone. I'm so angry with them I am going to destroy them. Then I'll make you into a great nation."

11 But Moses pleaded with Yahweh his Elohim. "Yahweh," he said, "why are you so angry with your people whom you brought out of Egypt using your great power and mighty hand? 12 Don't let the Egyptians say, 'He was planning all along to kill them in the mountains and wipe them off the face of the earth. That's why he brought them out of our land.' Don't be so angry. Reconsider your decision to bring this disaster on your people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. You took an oath, swearing on yourself. You told them, 'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. I will give to your descendants all the land I spoke of. It will be their permanent possession.'"

14 So Yahweh reconsidered his threat to destroy his people.

15 Moses turned and went down the mountain carrying the two tablets with God's words. They were written on both sides, front and back. 16 The tablets were the work of Elohim , and the writing was Elohim's writing inscribed on the tablets.

17 Then Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting. He said to Moses, "It's the sound of war in the camp!"

18 Moses replied, "It's not the sound of winners shouting.

It's not the sound of losers crying.

It's the sound of a wild celebrationc that I hear."

19 When he came near the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing. In a burst of anger Moses threw down the tablets and smashed them at the foot of the mountain. 20 Then he took the calf they had made, burned it, ground it into powder, scattered it on the water, and made the Israelites drink it.

21 Moses asked Aaron, "What did these people do to you that you encouraged them to commit such a serious sin?"

22 "Don't be angry, sir," Aaron answered. "You know that these people are evil. 23 They said to me, 'We don't know what's happened to this Moses who brought us out of Egypt. Make gods for us. They will lead us.' 24 So I told them to take off any gold they were wearing. They gave it to me. I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!"

25 Aaron had let the people get out of control, and they became an object of ridicule to their enemies. When Moses saw this, 26 he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, "If you're on Yahweh's side, come over here to me!" Then all the Levites gathered around him.

27 He said to them, "This is what Yahweh Elohim of Israel says: Each of you put on your sword. Go back and forth from one end of the camp to the other, and kill your relatives, friends, and neighbors."

28 The Levites did what Moses told them, and that day about 3,000 people died.

29 Moses said, "Today you are ordained as Yahweh's priests. God gave you a blessing today because each of you fought with your own sons and brothers."a Moses Begs the LORD to Spare the People 30 The next day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a serious sin. Now I will go up the mountain to Yahweh. Maybe I will be able to make a payment for your sin and make peace with the LORD for your sin."

31 So Moses went back to Yahweh and said, "These people have committed such a serious sin! They made gods out of gold for themselves. 32 But will you forgive their sin? If not, please wipe me out of the book you have written."

33 Yahweh answered Moses, "I will wipe out of my book whoever sins against me. 34 Now, go! Lead the people to the place I told you about. My Messenger will go ahead of you. But when I punish, I will punish them for their sin."

35 So Yahweh killed people because they had Aaron make the calf.

The LORD Assures Moses That He Will Have Mercy on Israel 33 1 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "You and the people you brought out of Egypt must leave this place. Go to the land I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with an oath, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants.' 2 I will send a Messenger ahead of you, and I will force out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 3 Go to that land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not be with you, because you are impossible to deal with, and I would destroy you on the way."

4 When the people heard this bad news, they acted as if someone had died. No one wore any jewelry. 5 Yahweh had said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites, 'You are impossible to deal with. If I were with you, I might destroy you at any time. Now take off your jewelry, and I'll decide what to do with you.'" 6 After they left Mount Horeb, the Israelites no longer wore their jewelry.

7 Now, Moses used to take a tent and set it up far outside the camp. He called it the tent of meeting. Anyone who was seeking Yahweh's will used to go outside the camp to the tent of meeting. 8 Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise and stand at the entrances to their tents and watch Moses until he went in. 9 As soon as Moses went into the tent, the column of smoke would come down and stay at the entrance to the tent while Yahweh spoke with Moses. 10 When all the people saw the column of smoke standing at the entrance to the tent, they would all bow with their faces touching the ground at the entrance to their own tents. 11 Yahweh would speak to Moses personally, as a man speaks to his friend. Then Moses would come back to the camp, but his assistant, Joshua, son of Nun, stayed inside the tent.

12 Moses said to Yahweh, "You've been telling me to lead these people, but you haven't let me know whom you're sending with me. You've also said, 'I know you by name, and I'm pleased with you.' 13 If you really are pleased with me, show me your ways so that I can know you and so that you will continue to be pleased with me. Remember: This nation is your people."

14 Yahweh answered, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you peace."

15 Then Moses said to him, "If your presence is not going with us, don't make us leave this place. 16 How will anyone ever know you're pleased with your people and me unless you go with us? Then we will be different from all other people on the face of the earth."

17 Yahweh answered Moses, "I will do what you have asked, because I am pleased with you, and I know you by name."

18 Then Moses said, "Please let me see your glory."

19 Yahweh said, "I will let all my goodness pass in front of you, and there I will call out my name 'Yahweh.' I will be kind to anyone I want to. I will be merciful to anyone I want to. 20 But you can't see my face, because no one may see me and live."

21 Then Yahweh said, "Look, there's a place near me. Stand by this rocky cliff. 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a crevice in the cliff and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take my hand away, and you'll see my back, but my face must not be seen."

The LORD Meets with Moses on the Mountain 34 1 Yahweh said to Moses, "Cut two more stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets which you smashed. 2 Be ready in the morning. Then come up on Mount Sinai, and stand in my presence on the top of the mountain. 3 No one may come with you or even be seen anywhere on the mountain. Even the flocks and herds may not graze in front of this mountain."

4 So Moses cut two more stone tablets like the first ones. Early the next morning he went up on Mount Sinai, as Yahweh had commanded him, carrying the two stone tablets.

5 Yahweh came down in a cloud and stood there with him and called out his name "Yahweh."

6 Then Yahweh passed in front of Moses, calling out, "Yahweh, Yahweh, a compassionate and merciful El, patient, always faithful and ready to forgive. 7 He continues to show his love to thousands of generations, forgiving wrongdoing, disobedience, and sin. He never lets the guilty go unpunished, punishing children and grandchildren for their parents' sins to the third and fourth generation."

8 Immediately, Moses knelt, bowing with his face touching the ground. 9 Then he said, "Adonay , please go with us! Even though we are impossible to deal with, forgive our sin and the wrong we have done, and accept us as your own people."

The LORD Makes His Promise with Israel Again 10 Yahweh said, "I'm making my promisea again. In front of all your people I will perform miracles that have never been done in any other nation in all the world. All the people around you will see how awesome these miracles are that I will perform for you. 11 Do everything that I command today. Then I will force the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites out of your way. 12 Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you're going. This will prove to be a trap to you. 13 But tear down their altars, crush their sacred stones, and cut down their poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah. 14 (Never worship any other god, because Yahweh is El Kanna . In fact, he is known for not tolerating rivals.) 15 Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in that land. When they chase after their gods as though they were prostitutes and sacrifice to them, they may invite you to eat the meat from their sacrifices with them. 16 Then your sons will end up marrying their daughters. When their daughters chase after their gods as though they were prostitutes, they'll lead your sons to do the same thing.

17 "Never make an idol.

18 "You must celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread. As I commanded you, you must eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, because in that month you came out of Egypt.

19 "Every first male offspring is mine, even the firstborn malesb of all your livestock, whether cattle, sheep, or goats. 20 It will cost you a sheep or a goat to buy back the firstborn donkey. If you don't buy it back, then you must break the donkey's neck. You must buy back every firstborn of your sons.

"No one may come into my presence without an offering.

21 "You may work six days, but on the seventh day you must not work. Even during the time of plowing or harvesting you must not work on this day.

22 "You must celebrate the Festival of Weeks with the first grain from your wheat harvest, and the Festival of the Final Harvest at the end of the season.

23 "Three times a year all your men must come into the presence of the Adonay , Yahweh Elohim of Israel. 24 I will force nations out of your way and will expand your country's borders. No one will want to take away your land while you're gone three times a year to Yahweh's festivals.

25 "Never offer the blood of a sacrifice to me at the same time you offer anything containing yeast. No part of the sacrifice at the Passover Festival should be left over in the morning.

26 "You must bring the first and best of the produce harvested from your soil to the house of Yahweh your Elohim .

"Never cook a young goat in its mother's milk."

27 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Write down these words, because on the basis of these words I'm making a promise to Israel and to you."

28 Moses was there with Yahweh 40 days and 40 nights without food or water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the promise, the ten commandments.

Moses Returns to the People 29 Moses came down from Mount Sinai, carrying the two tablets with God's words on them. His face was shining from speaking with Yahweh, but he didn't know it.

30 When Aaron and all the Israelites looked at Moses and saw his face shining, they were afraid to come near him. 31 Moses called to them, so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him. Then Moses spoke to them. 32 After that, all the other Israelites came near him, and he commanded them to do everything Yahweh told him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. 34 But whenever Moses went into Yahweh's presence to speak with him, he took off the veil until he came out. Whenever he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 they would see that Moses' face was shining. Then Moses would put the veil back on until he went in again to speak with Yahweh .

ESH OKLAH, EL KANNA.

CONSUMING FIRE, JEALOUS GOD.

The Lord is a Jealous God, who loves us completely and who, therefore, demands our wholehearted response. He is also a Consuming Fire, who will ultimately destroy whatever is opposed to his holiness. If we love him, we can be confident of his mercy, and our own zeal will make us jealous for God's honor and glory. When you pray these names of God, ask him to give you and the church a deeper understanding of his holiness and a greater desire to honor and exalt his name.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, God sometimes manifested himself through images of fire-as a blazing torch, in the burning bush, or as a pillar of fire. When Moses met with God on Mount Sinai, the Israelites thought the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.

Most often, when Scripture pictures God as a consuming fire [Esh Oklah; AISH o-KLAH], it is in connection with expressions of divine anger against the sins of men and nations. Even so, his jealousy is not the "green-eyed monster" so often associated with human jealousy. Instead, God's jealousy involves his righteous zeal for his own name or glory.

Even so, Scripture compares God's jealousy to what a husband feels when his wife has been unfaithful. No wonder the first of the Ten Commandments prohibits the worship of other gods. The Lord is our Jealous God [El Kanna; EL kan-NAH], who cannot endure unfaithfulness. Jesus expressed this same kind of exclusiveness when he told his disciples: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one goes to the Father except through me. If you have known me, you will also know my Father. From now on you know him through me and have seen him in me" (John 14:6-7).

Praying to Esh Oklah, El Kanna Imagine being married to someone who didn't mind if you dated other people." No big deal if you stay out all night. Bring your lover home if you prefer. Whatever makes you happy."

But would it make you happy?

Most of us would be dismayed if a spouse merely yawned and looked the other way when learning about an extramarital affair. As an African saying goes, "He that is not jealous is not in love." We might be justified in suspecting our indifferent spouse of unfaithfulness, tolerating our affair because of his affair.

But far from being a listless husband, God is a passionate, jealous lover who deserves and demands the wholehearted love of his people. And we can thank him for that. For who would want to worship any other kind of God?

Though images of God as a jealous husband or Consuming Fire can be intimidating, they bring to mind the awe-filled lyrics of Handel's Messiah: But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner's fire.

As we think about our Jealous God, let us ask him for the grace to be as devoted to him as he is to us and for the strength to withstand his purifying, refining, life-shaping fire.

Consuming Fire, Jealous God, Esh Oklah, El Kanna, I bow down before you, praising and thanking you, acknowledging your devoted, faithful love. Shape me with your fire, and separate me from everything that keeps me from you. May you be the first and greatest Love of my life.