Who is the Righteous Branch? Clearly defined in scripture as Jesus, the Messiah.
Jeremiah prophesied, “The days are coming, declares the Lord when I will raise up to David a righteous branch, a King, who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.” (Jeremiah 23: 5-6)
The Lord Our Righteousness
Jesus can only operate and rule in justice and righteousness. That’s why He earned the name, The Lord Our Righteousness. He can only rule this way, through the eyes of justice and righteousness. “Righteousness and justice are the foundations of His throne.” (Psalm 89: 14)
- A foundation is a substructure or the base of what all else is built upon.
“For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3: 11)
- Jesus is the foundation; He is the Righteous Judge.
The Branch Of Righteousness
What’s righteousness? It’s being upright in character. Those who are right with God have taken on the righteousness of Jesus. We cannot earn this, for we are sinners only saved by His grace. However, on the cross He laid down His life, so we can receive Him. So, in fact, by receiving Him, we are receiving His righteousness, which is His character, His nature.
- As His righteous ones, we are in right standing with God.
Those prophetic voices that are speaking, Jeremiah said, will “Proclaim my words to my people and turn them from evil ways and from evil deeds.” (Jeremiah 23: 22)
- Prophetic voices address sin and exhort walking in the ways of God.
Our God fills heaven and earth. He sees heaven’s activity and earth’s activity. He knows what’s going on everywhere! Nothing is hidden from our God. He looks into the hearts of men and knows every thought, every struggle, and every motive.
What Do You See?
Jesus keeps asking Jeremiah this question. He shows Jeremiah, in a vision, two baskets of figs in front of the temple. One has good figs and one is bad, not edible at all. Then the Lord explains the vision. He says, “Like these good figs, I regard as good…My eyes will watch over them for their good…But like the poor figs, which are so bad they cannot be eaten…I will send the sword, famine, and plague against them.” (Jeremiah 24: 1-3, 6, 10)
- God sees the good and the bad.
- God enables the prophets to see as He sees–to proclaim His Word–not just the prophet’s interpretation.
- True prophets will see and hear, through the eyes of the Lord.
Prophets To Boast In The Lord
Jesus is the branch, that we branch out from. What do I mean by that? “It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God–that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” (1 Corinthians 1: 30)
- Righteousness is from the righteous branch.
Testify About Righteousness
If God has made you a mouthpiece for Him, always testify about what the Lord has done and has made known and take no credit for it. “But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known, to which the law and the prophets testify.” (Romans 3: 21)
- Testify about His law of love and His righteousness which is now ours.
(Shared from Jeremiah 23-24)
Testify Of Trusting In The Lord
Let this be our hope, “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits and in His Word, I put my hope.” (Psalm 130:5)
Israel was told to, “Put your hope in the Lord for with the Lord is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption.” (Psalm 130: 7)
- Only our God can redeem us and redeem this nation.
- Trust Him.
(Shared from Psalm 130, Modified)
Keep The Royal Law
What’s the royal law, we ask? “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (James 2: 8)
- If we can’t love ourselves, we can’t love our neighbors.
- Start loving yourself.
James reminds us, “Mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2: 13)
Here are some other reminders:
“Faith is made complete by what we do.” (James 2: 22)
Abraham’s obedience and his actions and what he believed was, “Credited to him as righteousness.” (James 2: 23)
“A person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.” (James 2: 24)
- God’s rule in justice and righteousness is measured by what we do, not by what we say.
Mercy, truth, righteousness, and peace all are intertwined. May that be the cord that is interwoven tightly into our lives and throughout our lifetime.
“Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.”(Psalm 85: 10)
(Shared from James 2, Modified)
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