“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. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.”
Jeremiah 23:5-6
Our Righteous Savior-King
Those of us who live in the United States have just survived another presidential campaign. For over a year, we have been bombarded with countless messages from all sorts of political candidates, all promising that, if elected, they will do wonderful things for us. If elected, they will raise our incomes. If elected, they will keep us safe. If elected, they will make our grievances right. However, past presidential elections show us that we cannot count on candidates always to fulfill their promises once they are elected. Sometimes, what they've promised us simply is impossible. Sometimes, it is beyond their ability to accomplish, even though they try. Sometimes, their promises were a ploy to get us to vote for them. It is foolish for us to place all our confidence in earthly rulers, for they will never be able to do everything that they promised.
There is a ruler, however, in whom we can place absolute confidence. A ruler who can do for us what no earthly ruler can do. A ruler who always keeps his promises. This perfect ruler is Jesus, whom God describes for us in today's Bible passage. Jesus is the righteous Branch from the family tree of King David. And as he rules the universe, everything he does is wise, just, and right. No one can bribe Jesus into doing anything unfair. No one can persuade him to do anything that is not what is best for his people.
As we live under Jesus' wise and fair rule, we are safe—not just physically safe from physical enemies, but spiritually safe from all our spiritual enemies. Because our King suffered the punishment for all our sins when he suffered and died on the cross, we are forgiven from all our sins. Because he fought Satan head-on and won, we are rescued from hell. Because he has given us his own perfection, we are absolutely holy in God's sight. The name by which our King is called describes both him and his work perfectly. He truly is the Lord Our Righteous Savior.
Earthly rulers will inevitably let us down. Jesus, our righteous Savior-King, never will. Place your confidence in him, and rejoice in the blessings that are yours as you live in his kingdom.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, my righteous Savior-King, rule in my heart and keep me always as a member of your gracious kingdom. Amen.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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