
Jeremiah 23:6 (NLT) And this will be his name: ‘The LORD Is Our Righteousness.’ In that day Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety.
Jeremiah 33:16 (NLT)16 In that day Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this will be its name: ‘The LORD Is Our Righteousness.’
My proper name is Donald, but I’m also called dad, father, grandpa, son, uncle, brother, nephew, and pastor along with others. Each of these is a name for me which describes certain attributes. God’s proper name is Jehovah, but as with you and me His is known by other names that describe Him.
Jehovah is translated as "The Existing One" or "Lord." The chief meaning of Jehovah is derived from the Hebrew word Havahmeaning "to be" or "to exist." It also suggests "to become" or specifically "to become known" - this denotes a God who reveals Himself unceasingly. Tsedek(tseh'-dek), from which Tsidkenu derived, means "to be stiff," "to be straight," or "righteous" in Hebrew. When the two words are combined - Jehovah Tsidkenu - it can be translated as "The Lord Who is our Righteousness." - Blue Letter Bible
Jeremiah prophesied that although God was going to punish Israel and Judah for its disobedience and idolatry, He would not forget His promise to David that one of his descendants would reign as king. This was a prophecy of the coming Messiah. His name would be Jehovah-Tsidkenu, (The Lord is our Righteousness).
This prophecy included the salvation of of Judah and the safety of Israel. The amazing thing about this prophecy is that Jeremiah said that there would come a man called Jehovah. What they didn’t realize, at the time, was that Jehovah-Tsidkenu would not only come to save them from a foreign, occupation, nation but this man would bring salvation of the soul and spirit from death, the penalty of sin. This is more evidence that the Jesus, the Jew’s Messiah, is God. (See my blog series Who Is Jesus)
We know who that man, Jehovah-Tsidkenu, was the Messiah, Jesus, David’s descendent. When Pilate asked Jesus if He was a king He told him yes but His kingdom was not of this world.
John 18:33,36 (NLT)33 Then Pilate went back into his headquarters and called for Jesus to be brought to him. “Are you the king of the Jews?” he asked him. 36 Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”
Pilate believed Him and announced it on the cross.
John 19:19 (NLT)19 And Pilate posted a sign over him that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”
Jehovah-Tsidkenu has become our righteousness. The word righteousness means “the quality of being right”. The only way we could be made righteous was receiving righteousness as a gift from the only righteous One, Jehovah-Tsidkenu. Not only do you have Jehovah Tsidkenu but you are tsidkenu (righteous).
2 Corinthians 5:16-21 (NLT)16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. (Bold mine)
Ephesians 4:20-24 (NLT)20 But that isn’t what you learned about Christ.21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him,22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. (Bold mine)
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
All of this was made possible by Jehovah-Tsidkenu.
Words: Robert Murray McCheyne
Music: Gordon, by Adoniram Judson Gordon
I once was a stranger to grace and to God,
I knew not my danger, and felt not my load;
Though friends spoke in rapture of Christ on the tree,
Jehovah Tsidkenu was nothing to me.
I oft read with pleasure, to sooth or engage,
Isaiah’s wild measure and John’s simple page;
But e’en when they pictured the blood sprinkled tree
Jehovah Tsidkenu seemed nothing to me.
Like tears from the daughters of Zion that roll,
I wept when the waters went over His soul;
Yet thought not that my sins had nailed to the tree
Jehovah Tsidkenu—’twas nothing to me.
When free grace awoke me, by light from on high,
Then legal fears shook me, I trembled to die;
No refuge, no safety in self could I see--
Jehovah Tsidkenu my Savior must be.
My terrors all vanished before the sweet name;
My guilty fears banished, with boldness I came
To drink at the fountain, life giving and free--
Jehovah Tsidkenu is all things to me.
Jehovah Tsidkenu! my treasure and boast,
Jehovah Tsidkenu! I ne’er can be lost;
In thee I shall conquer by flood and by field,
My cable, my anchor, my breast-plate and shield!
Even treading the valley, the shadow of death,
This watchword shall rally my faltering breath;
For while from life's fever my God sets me free,
Jehovah Tsidkenu, my death song shall be.