A Big Word

I have a big word for you to think about today.  We have previously considered a really big word (mekoddishkem)......remember that one?  This word is not quite that long, but is a "big" word nonetheless.  The word is tsidkenu.  (I'm smiling as I picture the confused look on your face!!  What??!!!!)  If you're trying to pronounce it, the "t" is silent.  That may help.  But what in the world does it mean?  That's what we are going to discover as we consider the name Jehovah-Tsidkenu.  And one of the things we are going to discover is that not only is this a big word in terms of length or difficulty of pronunciation, but it is a BIG word in terms of what it means and how it applies to you and to me.

Let's begin with a very brief history lesson.  Remember all the way back to Genesis.  God made a covenant with Abraham (see Genesis 15).  Then later God remembered that covenant and delivered the children of Israel from slavery in Egypt.  They wandered in the wilderness for 40 years (because of unbelief.....see Hebrews 3:12-19).  Finally, with Joshua as their leader, they entered the Promised Land.  Then, according to Judges 2, "there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel.  Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD."  And so began about 350 years of each man doing what was right in his own sight, until finally Saul was annointed king.  But then Saul "rejected the word of the LORD", so God rejected him as king (see 1 Samuel 15).  Then God gave the people David, a "man after God's own heart", as their king.  After David, Solomon (his son) became king, but "his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God" (1 Kings 11).  After Solomon died, the kingdom was divided.....ten tribes became the nation of Israel, and the two southern tribes became the nation of Judah.  And that brings us (this was a whirlwind trip through time!!) to the prophet Jeremiah's day.  And that's where we want to pause in our journey.

God spoke through Jeremiah to say "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it."   Read Jeremiah 17:9-10 to see the full statement.  But knowing that the "heart is deceitful, desperately sick", did that mean things were hopeless?  It was in the middle of that judgment and failure that God revealed another of His names......Jehovah-Tsidkenu.  And with that revelation came a promise.....the promise of a new covenant.

Read Jeremiah 23:1-6 and then Jeremiah 31:33-34.  Then go to Ezekiel and read chapter 36, verses 26 and 27.  Spend some time thinking about those passages today, the "big" word (tsidkenu) and the BIG truth that the LORD is our Righteousness!  We can be right with God!  We can have right standing with God!  And not because of any sacrifices that we may make, because of any goodness within us or good things that we have done, but because the LORD is our righteousness!  Praise Him!

"Behold, the days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I shall raise up for David a righteous Branch; and He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land.  In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely; and this is His name by which He will be called, 'The Lord our righteousness.' "