Five words. Five words that brings things to a halt. Five words that demand a pause. Words that generate again wonder. Words that evoke again praise. Words that remind again that my righteous standing before a holy, holy, holy God is due solely to a Righteous Savior. The One identified of old with five words, “The LORD is Our Righteousness.”

As I continue to read in Jeremiah it’s clear that Judah had come apart at the spiritual seams. Her kings led her into deeper and deeper apostasy, her shepherds had lost all affection and care for the flock and were leading her to feed in rotten pastures of idol worship, and her prophets had determined to no longer seek the voice of God but to ad lib, passing off their own hollow words of, “It will be OK” as “thus says the LORD.” A dark and ominous time. Judgment is inevitable.

But this morning I also encountered a ray of light, some hope for the hopeless, a safe harbor for those in the storm.

Behold, the days are coming, declares 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 dwell securely. And this is the name by which He will be called: “The LORD Is Our Righteousness.”

(Jeremiah 23:5-6 ESV)

Even as the God of Israel is about to lay waste the land and send an adulteress people into captivity, He promises that He will gather a remnant of His flock out of the countries where He drives them. Promises that they shall, one day, again be fruitful and multiply. Promises that He will set shepherds over them who will care for them (23:3-4). And at the center of this promise is a righteous Branch.

A Branch who will be a sprout or shoot from the Davidic tree. He will be of the line of royalty. He will have the right to rule. And He will be righteous.

Unlike the wayward kings Israel had known, juxtaposed against the self-seeking shepherds of the day, in contrast to the false prophets and their bogus words, He will be God’s quintessential King, the Father’s supreme Shepherd, and the LORD’s perfect Prophet. He will be the King who will rule forever in the way of justice with a scepter of righteousness. He will be the eternal Shepherd willing to give His life for the sheep, that He might feed them in green pastures and lead them to living water. He will always speak perfectly and accurately the mind of the LORD for He will be the very Word of God.

And what grabs me afresh this morning — what cries to me to “Be Still” — is His name. He will be called: “The LORD Is Our Righteousness.” In the original, “Jehovah-Tsidkenu.”

This morning I’m reminded that the only ground I stand upon before a holy God is the ground secured by this Branch of David. That He is the “secret sauce” of my salvation. Because the Branch, Jesus the Messiah, is Jehovah-Tsidkenu.

This Branch who is Jehovah — God. Very God. Fully God. Himself the radiance of God’s glory, the exact imprint of God’s nature, the Creator and Sustainer of all things, worthy alone to be seated at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Heb. 1:2-3).

This Branch who is Tsidkenu — our Righteousness. Having Himself made purification for my defilement, having Himself become the once for all sacrifice for my sin. Having been pierced for my transgressions and crushed for my iniquities so that His chastisement could bring me peace and reconciliation. His perfect character imputed to my purchased soul giving me a righteous standing before a holy God. A righteousness — the righteousness of Christ — affording me access into the Most Holy Place. A righteousness received by faith alone in Christ alone.

For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

(2Corinthians 5:21 ESV)

Jehovah-Tsidkenu. Overwhelmed by the name! Overjoyed by the reality.

He is Our Righteousness!

Oh, what grace!

To God be the glory!