Articles by Arles
Here's the "POINT"!
"GOD" (23)
"JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU" (yah-HO-vah Tsid-KAY-noo) ("Jehovah, our RIGHTEOUSNESS" , see Jer.23:5-6) is the next form of GOD's "NAME" which takes us another "Giant-step" forward (or deeper, or even higher) in our understanding WHO and WHAT "GOD" is! We find the term used first in Jer. 23:5-6--"Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will Raise unto 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 shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell Safely; and this is HIS Name whereby HE shall be called. . .
'JEHOVAH our RIGHTEOUSNESS' ".
A hundred years after "Israel" had "fallen" to Assyria, this prophecy was delivered, and "Judah" was almost in "bondage" to Babylon. King "Josiah" (a "Good King") was on the Throne. The history of the Kings was similar to that of the Judges, up and down (mostly down) and certainly hardly ever "RIGHTEOUS"! After "Josiah", the succeeding kings destroyed all of his "good" re-forms. Everyone fell into "UNrighteousness", from the Throne to the street. (read I Kg. 2:4, II Kg. 23:26-27, II Ch. 36:16, II Sa. 7:16-17, Is. 1:6, Jer. 32:33, Ezk. 8:10-11, et.al.) Interestingly, the last King of Judah was "Zedekiah", whose name means "the righteousness of Jehovah". During his time, Jeremiah repeats this prophecy in Chapter 33. In vs.15, HE said--"In those days and at that time, will I cause a Branch of Righteousness to Grow up unto David ; and He shall execute Justice and Righteousness in the Land." As HE declares the future salvation of "Judah", and that "Jerusalem shall dwell safely", HE says "the NAME where-by she shall be called (is) 'Jehovah our Righteousness'" (vs. 16) the "N:AME" of GOD! "Jerusalem", which equates to The New Testament "Church", (He. 12:22-24, Rev. 21:9-22:5) is to be known by the "NAME" of "JEHOVAH our RIGHTEOUSNESS"! There is no doubt, therefore, that this Divine-"NAME" should Identify and Describe "The ("RIGHTEOUS") Church" for Which JESUS died! (Mt. 16:16-18, Ac. 2:47 (37-46), Rev. 4:25-5:2, I Co. 1:2, 6:11, Tt. 3:4-7, Gal. 2:15-3:29, Ep. 5:25-27).
The same historical failures which kept "Israel" and "Judah" from being "The People" of GOD
that they should have been, and from enjoying the "Promised-Blessings" GOD offered through HIS "NAME" i.e.--"REDEMPTION" from "Jehovah-JI-REH"; or "HEALING" from "Jehovah-RO-PHE"; or HIS "BANNER" to follow from "Jehovah-NiS-SI"; or "SANCTIFICATION"/ "HOLINESS" from "Jehovah-M'KADDESH"; or "PEACE" from "Jehovah-SHALOM" ; is much like that sordid-history through which "The Church" has plodded from the first century till now! As then, so now, people can't seem to accept in "obedience" and be "faithful" to GOD's "NAME" and its "Blessings"! The last 1900 year history of "the Church", which Christ "Built" through HIS Own "Sacrifice" (Ac. 20:28), which emerged from the first century era of the "Apostolic" preaching, teaching, and writing; is a sad, immoral, and unscriptural picture of any and all "sins" which could cause "the Church" to be anything but that for which Jesus died!
(See Eph. 5:25-27)
As then, so now, GOD calls HIS "People" to live in HIS "RIGHTEOUSNESS"! The Hebrew word used commonly, and in Zedekiah's and Jehovah's NAMES, basically means "stiff" or "straight". It is hard to fully translate by any one word. It has great meaning, morally and spiritually. The idea of "acquittal" and "balance" is in it. In "the New Testament", it is translated by "JUSTIFI-CATION"/"RIGHTEOUSNESS". Job prayed--"Let me be weighed in an even-Balance, that
God may know mine integrity". (31:6) Psalm 62:9 says that "men of low degree. . .and of high degree are vanity in the Balances, they are all together lighter than vanity ". He is saying that, in the sight of GOD, and in comparison to the "RIGHTEOUSNESS" of GOD, all men are "lighter", i.e., "emptier" than "vanity". Man is "lighter" than "lightness". He is "emptier" than "emptiness"! (Remember also what Paul wrote about such in Rom. 12:3, I Cor. 4:6, and Solomon, in Prov. 30:32). Isaiah 40:15 describes the stringency of GOD's "RIGHTEOUSNESS "--"Behold, the Nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the Balance". Ancient Rome depicted their "JUSTICE" as a woman holding a pair of Balances in her hand. We see the same Icon in our Judiciary today. Today's Orthodox Jews teach of GOD as weighing Good Deeds against the Bad, and they spend their lives in Prayers, Liturgies, and Rituals trying to "BALANCE the Scales". But in reality, as we shall see, in the next articles, only GOD can do that! Man's "righteousness" just doesn't "weigh" very much!
We previously studied "JEHOVAH-M'KADDESH" (our "HOLINESS" ), and now in this "NAME"--"JEHOVAH-Tsid-KAY-noo" (our "RIGHTEOUSNESS" ). We see the two qualities very much akin to the other. "HOLINESS", the innate Purity of GOD and "RIGHTEOUSNESS", the nature of HIS Actions and Relationships with man. Other "gods" might execute "POWER", or give "PROMISES", or point a "DIRECTION"; (that is through their human Priests) but only the One, True, and Living "GOD" can be and is "HOLY" and "RIGHTEOUS" ! HE is "HOLY" in and of HIMself, (without any need of "supply") and HE is "RIGHTEOUS" in all HIS "Thoughts" and "Deeds" ! This is our "GOD", revealed through "The BIBLE" of HIS "WORD"!
HE is "JEHOVAH-Tsid-KAY-noo", my "RIGHTEOUSNESS"!
Here's the "POINT"!
"GOD" (24)
"JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU" (Tsid-KAY-noo) is "RIGHTEOUS"! We've developed the word in
the last two Articles, showing first HIS Prophecy of the coming "RIGHTEOUS-Branch" (Jer. 23:5-6) WHO would ultimately "Rule" "RIGHTEOUSLY" as no other King. Also, HIS "Reign" would be in "Jerusalem" (i.e., the New Testament "CHURCH", He. 12:22-24, Rev.21:1-3, see Ac.2) which bears HIS "NAME"--"JEHOVAH OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jer. 33:16). HIS "Rule" is in this "CHURCH" for which HE died (Ep. 1:20-23, 5:26-27, Ac. 20:32). That JESUS will "Reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet". (I Cor. 15:25). And, it is in this "CHURCH" under this "Reign" which GOD calls us to be HIS "RIGHTEOUSNESS". In the second Article, we showed the superiority of GOD's "RIGHTEOUSNESS" over man's attempts at his own "brand" of righteousness. Seeing this nature of GOD, and the irrefutable Teachings of “Scripture”, history shows the futility of man's self-righteous efforts by himself!
As we concluded the last Article, we noted Paul's teachings in Rom. 5-6, about GOD's "RIGHTEOUSNESS" revealed in JESUS. Now, we must conclude that teaching. And, remember that man's "righteousness" is nothing but "UNrighteousness"; but True "RIGHT-EOUSNESS" is only of GOD! HE affirmed it in HIS Prophecy of Jer. 49 about HIS "Servant of Salvation” and in Is. 53 about HIS "Suffering Servant", and in Jer. 23 about HIS "Righteous-Branch" of David's Lineage, and in Zech. 3 about HIS "Servant the Branch". So, "JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU" (our "RIGHTEOUSNESS") is intent on showing HIS "RIGHTEOUSNESS/ JUSTICE", and on conveying it to man. But, the big question is--How does GOD do this, and How is “Unrighteous” man able to become "RIGHTEOUS" before GOD?
Go with me back to Paul's argument for GOD's "Gift" of "RIGHTEOUSNESS/JUSTIFICATION". In Rom. 5:15, he said--". . . much more the Grace of God and the Gift by Grace, which is by one man--Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many". It is for mankind. He then wrote--". . . but, the Free Gift is of many offences (for the sins of all) unto Justification". (vs. 16) He then said--". . . much more, they who receive abundance (Gift) of Grace and of the Gift of Righteousness shall reign in Life by One--Jesus Christ". (vs. 17) Man has "Life" ("the Gift of Righteousness") "through Jesus"! And, he emphasized it again--". . . even-so, by the Righteousness of One (Jesus), the Free Gift came upon all men unto Justification of Life". (vs. 18). He continued--" . . . so, by the obedience of One (Christ on the Cross) shall many be made Righteous". (vs. 19) Man shall become GOD's "RIGHTEOUSNESS" by becoming a part of Jesus' Death. So, he concluded--" . . . but where sin abounded (under Law), the Grace did much more abound", (vs. 20)". . . through Jesus Christ . . ." (vs. 21).
Now, when and how does this happen?! We've seen, it's by GOD's "Gift of Grace". Then, it
is"through Jesus" and "His Death"! Now read--"but God be thanked that ye were the Servants of sin; but ye have Obeyed, from the Heart, that Form of Doctrine into which you were delivered". (6:17) "Heart"-felt obedience to "that form of doctrine" when "you were delivered into" it, has "made you free from sin (and) ye became the servants of Righteousness"! What is that "form of doctrine"? When and how is one "delivered into it", by "heart"-felt (faithful, Ac. 2:37) "Obedience"? One must understand that there is only one "form of doctrine" in the New Testament (i.e. the "Death. . .Burial. . .and Resurrection of Christ" ) (I Co.2:2), and only one "Obedience" to it (i.e. our "Baptism into" it!). So, let's read Rom. 6:3-4--"know ye not that so many of us as were Baptized into Jesus Christ, were Baptized into His Death? Therefore, we are Buried with Him by Baptism into Death: that like as Christ was Raised up from the Dead by the Glory of Father, even-so we also should walk in Newness of Life!" It is clear that one becomes "the Servant of RIGHTEOUSNESS" through "Heart” - felt "Obedience" to "that form of doctrine" when he is "delivered into" it. And now, it is clear that one is "Baptized into His Death". . .(and he is) "buried with Him by Baptism into Death" (and) "that like as Christ was Raised Up from the Dead by the Glory of the Father, even-so we also should walk in Newness of Life"! (i.e. "RIGHTEOUSNESS" )
HE is "JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU" , my "RIGHTEOUSNESS" !
by Arles Vandiver, Minister
Church of Christ
Point, Texas 75472
