Jehovah Tsidkenu Word on the Week 5th September 2020.
When something like the passing of a loved one breaks into otherwise tranquil lives a choice presents itself. We can stoically carry on bottling our grief or we can express it with the full range of emotions we humans are capable of showing. In addition, Christians have the consolation of worshipping a risen Saviour one who has gone through death to life everlasting (Daniel chapter 12 verse 2).
Today’s heading translates to ‘the Lord is our Righteousness’ and speaks of the eternal security evoked by this name of God (Jeremiah Chapter 23 verses 5 and 6). Jeremiah further explains that one of David’s line will come who will do ‘what is just and right in the land’ (Chapter 33 verses 14 to 16). This, of course, is Jesus who lived a perfectly righteous life on earth. Even his enemies could find no fault in him (St John Chapter 18 verse 38).
This incarnation of Jehovah Tsidkenu is the Lord Jesus in whom there was no sin (1 Peter Chapter 2 verse 22) and who perfectly reflected God’s nature (Hebrews Chapter 1 verse 3). The amazing truth is that faith in Jesus gifts the believer with the righteousness of Christ (Romans 4 verses 5 and 6).
A story may help to illustrate. A wealthy man had a son who was disobedient. In writing his will the father decided to leave all his wealth to his steward. Upon his death the will was read to the astonishment of the son and the jubilation of the steward. There was however a codicil to the will. The father on his deathbed had added a clause giving the son just one request. The son requested that the steward become his steward for life!
Notice – the son had no merit of his own. The father’s codicil was an act of sheer grace i.e. there was no obligation to add it to the will. The son without paying a cent, inherited it all.
The believer in Christ has nothing to impress the Lord with. He deserves disapproval. The reverse happens and by God’s grace Christ’s righteousness is laid to his account so that in God’s sight he or she is now even as Christ is (2 Corinthians Chapter 5 verse 21).
Charles Wesley caught this wonderful truth in his hymn ‘’Tis finished! The Messiah dies, cut off for sins, but not His own’. The penultimate verse reads
Accepted in the Well-beloved,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
I see the bar to heaven removed;
And all Thy merits, Lord, are mine.
The Christian can face death in the assurance that not only has his/her record been wiped clean but Jesus’s righteousness has been laid to his/her account.
What a glorious salvation! Embrace it and share it!