In Jeremiah, God pronounced judgement against Israel, but also gave them a promise of a righteous Branch that would restore. We know The Branch as Jesus…from the root of Jesse. In Jeremiah, we see our Jehovah Tsidkenu: The Lord Our Righteousness
What is righteousness? Well, to keep it simple…righteousness is being right with God. It is a life that is sanctified, cleansed and produces good works of faith. It is set apart. Righteousness is quite peculiar to the world around you.
How can you be right with God? Well, honestly there is nothing that YOU can do to be right with God. But, remember The Branch from Jeremiah? Because of Jesus, we are made to be righteous! He took on the sin of the world on the cross, so that we could be made the righteousness of God! (2 Corinthians 5:21). How fitting as we are in the Holy Week that God would have me looking at our Jehovah Tsidkenu and the righteous that is available to us through His death and resurrection on the cross! Gives me chills, friend!
Now, as a believer of the finished work at Calvary, it is not our job to stay there! We must look forward to the return of our Savior and live in anticipation of His second coming! In 2 Timothy 4:8, Paul said, “There is reserved for me on the future the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who loved His appearing.”
Because of what Jesus did on the cross and our belief and faith in Him, there is a crown of righteousness stored up and placed for safe keeping for you and me! It isn’t based on anything we have done or will do, but on the finished work of Calvary and what our faith allows us to become IN HIM!
Simply, righteousness comes through faith in our Lord. We are the vines and He is the branches. If we aren’t attached to Him, we cannot expect to grow and thrive in righteousness. I don’t know if the crown is a physical or symbolic crown, but I do know that whatever it is, I want it blooming with flowers from the vine that was attached to His righteousness and His righteousness alone.
