The Lord Our Righteousness

The Lord our Righteousness

In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Jeremiah 23:6

If you are familiar at all with the writings of Jeremiah, you know of his identity as, ‘The Weeping Prophet.’ His mission was to declare the judgment of God upon the unfaithful nation of the Southern Kingdom of Israel. As such a prophet, we rarely look to find something of Christ within that book.  Our text today shows us that Christ is indeed there. Our text arises from a delightful passage of Messianic prophecy. ‘“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.’ Today, let us meditate briefly upon this blessed title of Christ, ‘THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.’ The first half of the text refers to His Person. Christ is Jehovah. ‘Jehovah is the Name which underlies the word ‘LORD’ in our translation. Jehovah is the Personal Name of God. In as much as Jeremiah makes such a distinct reference to Christ as the context shows, there is but one conclusion.  Christ is Jehovah. The second half of the text refers to Christ’s justifying work. ‘Justification is an act of God’s free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in His sight only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone.’ It is the Righteousness of Christ which God imputes to those whom He justifies. Therefore, Christ bears this glorious title. Therefore, He is worthy of all our praise, our adoration, and our thanksgiving. Because of Christ, God views us, in the eyes of His Law, as being as righteous as Christ Himself. Here is cause for rejoicing. Here is the ground of our acceptance with God. Here is all our hope and plea. ‘THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.’

Our most Holy and Righteous God,
we praise You for Your justifying grace.
We rejoice that Christ is our Righteousness,
And that because of Him, You accept us in the Beloved.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning