YHWH-Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness)
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Introduction
Introduction
Understanding the names of God always requires understanding the context in which it is mentioned. For example, our study leads us to the His name, YHWH-Tsidkenu, which means “the LORD (Jehovah) Our Righteousness.”
Write this name in the sixth box next to the term “YHWH or Jehovah.”
This name is one that many may not be familiar with. However, as I said, it is best to learn the context of how it is used. An excellent illustration is its use in the book of Jeremiah. Look with me in your Bible at these passages.
5 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.
6 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.
Now look again at one more.
16 In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our righteousness.
If you study the context of these two passages, we find that the prophet Jeremiah is speaking to the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Remember that after Solomon’s death, Israel divided into Northern and Southern Kingdoms. The Southern Kingdom was mainly one tribe, the tribe of Judah. Later, the tribe of Benjamin made an alliance with Judah forming this Kingdom. As for the Northern Kingdom, it consisted of all the other tribes. Jeremiah was God’s prophet to the Southern Kingdom, the Kingdom by which God’s Son would be born and the Kingdom through which God would keep His promises to Abraham and David. Yet, like the Northern Kingdom, the people sinned grievously against Jehovah. As a result, God used men like Jeremiah to preach about His coming judgment upon them to see them repent and return to Him. As we know, they did not. Thus, God, through Jeremiah, predicted that they, the Kingdom of Judah, would be conquered and taken captive by the mighty Babylonian empire. However, the great news was this would not prevent God from fulfilling His promises. He would establish one Who would come out of Judah to sit on David’s throne forever. You see that in the text we just read.
“I will raise unto David a RIGHTEOUS Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper...”
Now, note that this King will be known as the “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
YHWH Tsidkenu
The word “tsidkenu” cannot be adequately translated utilizing just one English word. It is derived from the Hebrew word “tsedek” (sedek), which means straight or right.
It is often used to represent God’s dealings with men regarding righteousness, justification, and acquittal. As we already have learned, Jehovah is a God of righteousness and truth. He cannot deal with men outside of righteousness. As a righteous God, He demands that we be righteous even as He is righteous. Therefore, we are to have right and righteous relationships not just with God but with others as well. This name, Jehovah Tsidkenu, emphasizes that thought. Note these verses in Leviticus.
35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.
36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.
Jehovah, the Righteous God, demanded that His people deal righteously and justly with others by carefully considering weight and measurement. In other words, they were to live and practice righteousness. In fact, the conditions of their prosperity were directly related to their willingness to live righteously.
15 But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
When our forefathers established our nation, they did so using the many principles of God’s Word. In those early days of our nation, justice and righteousness permeated politics, government, and education. In fact, we adopted a symbol of justice that has continued to stand until now. Do you recall what the symbol of justice is in America? It is a woman holding in her hand a BALANCED pair of scales. Where do you think they got that idea from?
6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, That God may know mine integrity.
9 Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: To be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
As we think about the word “tsedek” (remember that is the Hebrew word from which “tsidkenu” is derived), it is the term used of a full weight or measurement toward God spiritually. This word is used over 100 times in Scripture and translated as righteous, just, just, and right.
Let’s explore the importance of Jehovah and His righteousness as we find it in Scripture. Here are four very relevant and practical truths related to Jehovah Tsidkenu.
His Righteousness Proclaimed
His Righteousness Proclaimed
I will not belabor this point as this is territory that we always cover. From Genesis to Revelation, the righteousness of God is proclaimed repeatedly. Here are just a few verses that speak to God’s righteousness.
10 According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: Thy right hand is full of righteousness.
2 Clouds and darkness are round about him: Righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.
137 TZADDI. Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgments.
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways, And holy in all his works.
I will close this point with our text.
6 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.
His Righteousness Prescribed
His Righteousness Prescribed
Again, this territory we have already covered; however, we must remember that as God is righteous, He commands His people to be righteous as well. Interestingly, we cannot be righteous in and of ourselves. God knows this. And, as we know, God, who is righteous, demands His people be righteous and also makes way for us to be righteous. His name, Jehovah Tsidkenu, reminds us of our hopelessness and helplessness. However, praise God; by this name, we are reminded of His mercy and grace as He paved the way for our righteousness.
Isn’t it amazing that men genuinely think they can be righteous despite their unrighteousness? In his famous Commentary on Galatians, Martin Luther noted four ways men think they can be righteous.
“A political or civil righteousness which emperors, princes of the world, philosophers and lawyers deal withal.
Ceremonial righteousness, which the traditions of men teach.
A righteousness of the law, or of the Ten Commandments which Moses teaches.
A righteousness of faith or Christian righteousness which must be carefully discerned from the fore-rehearsed.”
Each of these leaves a false impression upon men that they can be righteous when none of them stand righteous before God. You see the gospel of Christ that goes beyond civil and ceremonial codes and the outward appearance of morality. Through the gospel of Christ, men understand how truly unrighteous they are as we have violated God’s law and incurred condemnation. As a result, we all stand guilty before Him. However, the great news is this. Due to Christ’s actions, His death, burial, and resurrection, all who put their complete faith in Him have His righteousness imputed and imparted upon them. For, you see, Jehovah Tsidkenu, the LORD our righteousness, made it so.
The biggest issue for all men and women is the idea they can do something to attain enough righteousness through their own efforts. We saw this in full effect during Christ’s ministry on earth. How often did Christ point out the artificial righteousness practiced and preached by the Pharisees? He pointed out their false righteousness as those who paraded themselves in the streets, lifting up their voices to pray so that all could hear and know how righteous they were before others. Even Saul, long before he became known as Paul, sought to establish his own righteousness. Genuinely remarkable and sad is that a person can honestly observe every ordinance of the law and still be as lost as a goose before God.
Martin Luther’s friend once confided to him the following story. “I have vowed a thousand times that I would become better, but I have never performed that which I vowed. Hereafter I will make no such vow, for I have learned from experience that I am not able to perform it.” Yet, Jehovah Tsidkenu desires and demands of man what man cannot do for himself. We cannot work out justifying righteousness capable of satisfying the LORD of righteousness. No amount of observance or good work can save us.
Praise God, there is more to the story!
His Righteousness Provided
His Righteousness Provided
As we know, we must turn to the Gospels to see God’s righteousness provided. The good news of Jesus Christ is about Jehovah Tsidkenu who became flesh and was made unto us righteousness.
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
It was Jehovah Tsidkenu, the LORD our righteousness, who pronounced the judgement of death as our penalty of sin.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
It is a penalty no sinner can escape. Yet, the great and wonderful news of Scripture is the fact that Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our righteousness, sent Himself (as the Son of God), as the Righteous Branch, to die for our sins. In doing so, He provided righteousness. It is transferred and imputed to each repentant and believing sinner. All of which provides an opportunity for sinful men to be accepted by God once again. It is the only way a sinner who is destitute of any righteousness can obtain the righteousness that God desires.
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
God’s righteousness is personified in Christ. He, the One Who know no sin, suffered as the Just for the unjust. His perfect and holy life was a prerequisite of His efficacious death. Had Christ no obeyed God’s law without sin, He would not have been qualified to die for our sins. Yet, even in His trial, no one could convict Him of sin. Even Pilate, a Roman governor, could find not fault in Him. Christ did exactly all that the righteous Father demanded of Him. His sinless action procured the gift of eternal life. Thus, when any sinner acknowledges that his own personal righteousness is as filthy rags, that is a good thing. For it is then, they are able to cry, “O wretched man that I am!” enabling him to embrace the wonderful deliverance that only come from Jehovah Tsidkenu. Knowing and understanding Jehovah Tsidkenu causes us to sing...
Just as I am without one plea
But that Thy blood was shed for me
and that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
Christ voluntarily placed Himself under God’s law that He might shed His blood for you and me. Praise God for all that He did! His actions of love brought everlasting righteousness for all who receive Him as Savior.
All the Divine Names and Titles in the Bible 3. Provided
Robert Murray McCheyne, the Scottish divine, and one of the saintliest men of his time, who died at the early age of 29, wrote a poem of seven verses around the title of Jehovah-Tsidkenu, three verses of which we cite—
I once was a stranger to grace and to God,
I knew not my danger, and felt not my load;
Though friends spake in rapture of Christ on the tree,
Jehovah-Tsidkenu was 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 Saviour 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.
Here is the last thought concerning Jehovah Tsidkenu, the LORD our righteousness.
His Righteousness Practiced
His Righteousness Practiced
For this last point, we must return to this thought. The LORD our righteousness demands righteousness of His people. We just spent time considering the wonderful fact that He provided righteousness for us at Calvary. We who have believed and accepted Him are now expected of Him to live righteously everyday. Positionally, we are righteous in Christ and heaven is assured. However, practically, we must live and act righteous as we remain on earth. Christ set the example of us. As a man, He kept Himself unspotted by the taint and temptation of sin. Now, as believers, He asks that we do the same. We must live with integrity and uprightness each day. Due to all that Christ did, He calls us now to be “servants of righteousness.”
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Our lives must clearly show that we now are truly righteous in Christ. That evidence must come from our hatred for sin and our love for all that is right and holy according to God’s Word. Everyday must be a commitment to right conduct and communication.
There is additional news regarding Christ’s expectation of practical righteousness. Look at 2 Timothy 4:8
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
What is the “hope of righteousness” that the Spirit inspires us to wait for? Is it not “the crown of righteousness?” And, according to 2 Timothy 4:9, is it not implied that this crowning reward will be when we see Jehovah Tisdkenu face to face.
Face to face with Christ my Savior
Face to face what will it be
When with rapture I behold Him,
Jesus Christ who died for me?
Face to face I shall behold Him
Far beyond the starry sky;
Face to fave in all His glory
I shall see Him by and by.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Heart - Since we, as believers, are not covered by Christ’s righteousness we have been changed. We are no longer the servants of sin. Instead, we now have ability to overcome sin and be servants of righteousness. Thus, in our own hearts, we must determine to live each pleasing Him.
Thoughts - If we will fully acknowledge that we belong to Jehovah Tsidkenu, the LORD of righteousness, then we can change our thought life. A change that must start each day recognizing that I am to live righteous even as He is righteous. Thus, my focus each day is do His will not mine. My thoughts must be on Him continually.
Words - In turn, I must ask Him each morning to help me focus on His will and not mine. Each word that comes out of my mouth throughout the day must be words of righteousness that glorify Him and edify others.
Actions - Then, on top of all that, I am to devote my actions so that I reflect His righteousness. In surrendering my will to His, I allow His Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit to live out through me.