November 21, 2020

“The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’” (Jeremiah 23:5-6)

This prophecy from Jeremiah is not only comforting, it is a harbinger of the New Covenant accomplished by the death and resurrection of Christ. This coming king will be called “The Lord is our righteousness.” This means that our righteousness before God has nothing to do with us, per se, and everything to do with the king named “our righteousness.”

As Pilgrim’s Progress author John Bunyan says, “One day, as I was passing through a field, suddenly I thought of a sentence, ‘your righteousness is in heaven,’ and with the eyes of faith, I saw Christ sitting at God’s right hand. And I suddenly realized — THERE is my righteousness. Now my chains fell off indeed! I felt delivered from slavery to guilt and fears. I went home rejoicing for the love and grace of God.”

Amen!

“Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought togetherunder his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.” (Proper 29 – BCP)