Jer. 23:1-8; 33:14-18, The LORD Our Righteousness

There are many situations where there is a strong identification of the Messiah with Israel.  For example, in the Servant Song of Isa. 49:1-13, the Servant is the Messiah (v1-2), but then the LORD says to the Messiah that the servant is Israel (v3).  Another example is the amazing quote of Hosea 11:1, where Israel is God’s son, in Matt. 2:15 where God’s Son is the Messiah. 

In Jeremiah there is another identification between Messiah and Israel, but it is a few chapters apart and one might miss it.  In 23:5-6 it is clearly the Messiah who bears the name, “The LORD our righteousness” (YAHWEH-Tzedek).  But in 33:16 Israel bears this name.  More specifically, it is the saved nation that bears the name, and she bears the name because of the Messiah, the “Branch of righteousness.” 

It is quite possible that this was one of those things that Jeremiah might have struggled to understand.  We should have no difficulty understanding it on this side of the cross because we have the New Testament.  In Gen. 15:6 we read that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him for righteousness.  David, of course, had a similar thought: Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit (Ps. 32:1-2).  These men became righteous in God’s sight because of their faith in God who promised to send a Savior.  But the detail of how this did and would work were missing.

We know that God’s plan was that the righteousness of the Savior (i.e. the Messiah, the Holy One of Israel) would become the righteousness of the one who put his faith in Him.  God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21).  And that also reveals how both the Messiah and Israel bear the title, “The LORD our righteousness.”  Today, as in Paul’s day, the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have found it in Christ by faith, while Israel, who pursued righteousness by the works of the law has not attained it.  They stumbled and continue to stumble over the stumbling stone (Rom. 9:30-33).  But when Israel is saved, it will be a salvation under the New Covenant, as it is now for all who believe in Christ.  They will be known, at that time, as “The LORD our righteousness.”

What a day that will be, when Israel finally, truly gives glory to the God of heaven (Rev. 11:13), when they sing the Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb (Rev. 15:3-4).