Jehovah Tsidkenu – The Lord our Righteousness – 9 Oct 2008

 

"And this is his name: `The LORD Is Our Righteousness.' In that day Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety." Jeremiah 23:5-6 [NLT]

 

Righteousness isn't a very popular word anymore so Jehovah-Tsidkenu may not seem too relevant in the 21st Century, however, this name of the Lord is one of the most powerful and comforting ones he has given us and an understanding of this will create a heart bursting with gratitude.

 

Righteousness means morally right or justifiable but some of its synonyms help us more: blameless, guiltless, holy, innocent, just, sinless. When God revealed himself as "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" in the Old Testament the people were anything but sinless and guiltless. In fact, they were in the process of being hauled off into exile and captivity for their constant and longstanding sin, idolatry, and unfaithfulness to the Lord.

Satan wins many victories when we don't realize that our God is Jehovah Tsidkenu. 

 

When we have failed, stumbled and sinned against God, Satan will tell us that we are so unworthy and so weak and so guilty that we are inadequate and insufficient to do anything worthwhile in God's service. 

 

Today is Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, as Christians we believe Christ is our atonement for sin, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21)

 

For several years I ran away from church & God missing out on the joy he had in store for me because Satan's lies had won, and because I was wilful, but God never let go of my hand.  God never gloats over our sin; he always grieves and if we are suffering the consequences of our own sin, he always has a plan to bring us back to where his blessings can again flow in our lives.

 

We must learn to repent and confess our sin to God, and then to gladly accept that he is Jehovah Tsidkenu, God our Righteousness. He has declared us to be righteous, it is his gift and we can go on boldly - not in our own righteousness, but in HIS.

 

We have a Great High Priest who's name is Love…"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may received mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" Hebrews 4:16

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0S5Z0H4SpI

come Before the Throne of God Above.