- Jehovah-Tsidkenu - Jehovah is Righteous
(Jeremiah 23:5-6) Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
When Jeremiah spoke this prophecy, the kingdom of Judah was about to fall. The land of Judah was full of idolatry, oppression, violence, and political revolution. The Northern kingdom of Israel had gone into captivity 100 years before and Judah seemingly learned nothing from God's judgment upon them. It was under these conditions God gave this prophecy of Jehovah-Tsidkenu.
I. The Meaning Of The Word "Tsidkenu"
A. The word "Tsidkenu" is derived from "Tsedek" and means "righteousness."
B. "Tsedek" is translated hundreds of times as: right, righteous, righteousness, just, justify, declare innocent.
C. A simple definition of righteousness is 'doing that which is right'.
D. This name speaks of the fact that God will always do that which is right…because He is righteous!
- (Exodus 9:27) And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.
(Psalms 129:4) The LORD is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.
II. Jehovah is the Source of Righteousness
A. Jehovah is Himself perfect righteousness.
(Deuteronomy 32:4) He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
- (Isaiah 45:21) Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.
- B. Man has no righteousness
- (Romans 3:10) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
(Isaiah 64:6) But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
- C. The Bible makes it clear that righteousness is impossible to be attained by man alone.
- (Psalms 51:5) Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
(Job 25:4) How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?
- (Psalms 51:5) Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
- D. Since we are unrighteous, we need pardon from God.
- (Isaiah 61:10) I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
III. Jesus Is Our Jehovah-Tsidkenu
A. Jesus is Himself the Righteous One.
(Hebrews 1:8-9) But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
- B. Jesus is made righteousness to us.
- (1 Corinthians 1:30) But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
(2 Corinthians 5:21) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
- (1 Corinthians 1:30) But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
- C. What we could not do Jesus the perfectly righteous one did for us.
- (Romans 10:4) For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
(Romans 5:19) For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
- D. Man tries to establish his own righteousness which cannot be done.
- (Romans 10:3) For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
- (Romans 10:4) For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
- E. Our new man is created by Jehovah-Jesus in righteousness.
- (Ephesians 4:24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
(Romans 3:26) To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
- (Ephesians 4:24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
What a wonderful name that God has used to describe Himself. He is Jehovah-Tsidkenu. The Righteous God who has provided for our acceptance before Himself through the cleansing of the blood of the Lamb. He wraps us in His righteousness through Jesus Christ the Righteous One!
taken and adapted from: The Names of God - Jehovah-Tsidkenu Jeremiah 23:5-6
