April 30th Class

2:25pm
Hi Girls,

I'm just beginning to write the post now, so it should be up around 5:pm!

5:56 pm

After Edna opened our class in prayer this morning, we began today's session by reading through the first two paragraphs of Chapter 16 which include passages of scripture from Jeremiah 5:30-31, Jeremiah 6:13-14, Jeremiah 14:10 and Jeremiah 18:5-11, highlighting the last two lines which read, "Judgement was certain.  Nothing except repentance and a return to righteousness could stop it."  

We then went around the table and each of us was given time to highlight the one thing that stood out to us from the study this past week.  Although we each brought up something slightly different that the other, something interesting continued to rise up... it was "rest".  This common thread seemed to run throughout the entire class at some point or another and even as we closed out our morning together, both Edna and Debbie S. mentioned "rest" again and wondered if I could address it more here.  I'll see what I can do!  

My notes for this particular class were extensive, so I will try and shorten the delivery here as there were a lot of scripture references!  So this is more of a point by point post, my least favourite, but it gets it done!  Also, to quicken this along a bit, I will be referring to 'righteousness' as +R and 'unrighteousness' as -R from this point on.  I won't have time to proof-read this, so I thank you ahead of time for lavish heap-loads of mercy!  Looking forward to seeing you in The Comment Cafe!

Jehovah-tsidkenu, The LORD our Righteousness.  As I entered into this week the question I had for myself and one I extended to the class was, "Is there a crown of +R awaiting me from my Jehovah-tsidkenu?"  It may surprise you to know that this is not a given.  We will look at this a little later, but for now let's begin with 2 Timothy 4:7-8.

⁷I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith: ⁸henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day; and not to me only, but also to all them that have loved his appearing. 

Because Psalm 97:1-2 tells us that +R and justice are the foundation of His Throne, we know that this is how He is able to give a crown of +R to those who love His appearing 

1  The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice;

Let the many ^cislands be glad.

2  Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.

The very Throne of God, that from which He rules, He rules in +R and He rules in justice.  Although we read Psalm 97 in it's entirety, we focused on these two last verses,

11  Light is sown like seed for the righteous

And gladness for the upright in heart.

12  Be glad in the Lord, you righteous ones,

And give thanks to His holy name.

It was my hope that in this class we would see how we can be 'glad in the LORD' because we are +R and also how we can 'give thanks to His holy name' for the gift of +R that He has given to us.

In Jeremiah 23:6 we read

6  “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.’

Here Jesus is being referred to as The +R Branch.  Everything contained in these verses is the work of Jehovah-Tsidkenu.  Although these verses are speaking of Judah and Israel, His work today, for us, remains the same; His people being saved, His people dwelling securely.  This is His work and there is something here that is staring us right in the face... if anyone is going to dwell with God, they must be +R.  There is no other way.  Read 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

9  Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,

10  nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

11  Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

Why must they be +R in order to dwell with God?  Because an -R people cannot inherit a +R Kingdom, where the very foundation of the throne of God Himself is +R and justice.  The only way we can inherit this Kingdom is through Jehovah-Tsidkenu, The LORD our Righteousness.  Who will take an -R person and make them +R.  To be +R is to be justified.  We cannot obtain this on our own.

10  as it is written,

“There is none righteous, not even one;

11  There is none who understands,

There is none who seeks for God;

12  All have turned aside, together they have become useless;

There is none who does good,

There is not even one.”

Since the fall of man every person born has been born in sin, in -R, in broken relationship with God.  We see throughout the entire O.T. God's chosen people living unrighteous lives.  It is the same today, and yet read Jeremiah 33:14-15

14  ‘Behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

15  ‘In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth.

This is the promise of Jesus Who will be our +R.  Not only will He become our +R, but He will also execute +R and justice on the earth.  Why?  Because +R and justice are the foundation of His throne.

16  ‘In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell in safety; and this is the name by which she will be called: the Lord is our righteousness.’

We talked this morning about how someday Judah and Israel will dwell in the land of Israel inhabiting once again the city of Jerusalem.  It is interesting to note that at that time, the city itself and the people will be called The LORD our +R, Jehovah-Tsidkenu.  You've probably noticed that I am continuing to repeat that the foundation of His throne is +R and justice.  There is a reason for this, it's because it always has been and always will be!  When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden, when they who were once +R became -R, when they became sinners, God moved with His plan of redemption to redeem them from their -R.  To justify them and declare them +R in His sight, that HE MIGHT DWELL WITH THEM.  The plan that He had from the beginning was the Gospel.  That was His plan.  The Good News concerning Jesus Christ.

16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

17  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “^bBut the righteous man shall live by faith.”

18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

19  because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.

20  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

Romans 1: 16-20

The Gospel.  The Good News concerning Jesus Christ.  The Righteousness of God.  Jehovah-tsidkenu.  The LORD our Righteousness.  

Back in the garden, before the fall of man, God told Adam and Eve that they were not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for the day that they ate of it, they would surely die.  The serpent enticed Eve, she saw, she desired, she took it and ate, then gave it to her husband and he ate of it as well...

12  Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—

sigh...

Once +R they were now -R.  They had sinned.  They had gone against the word of God.  The standard of God.  They were now dead, spiritually dead, in the their trespasses and sins and so death spread to all mankind that was to follow. 

But here is the thing, The Righteous God does not want Adam or Eve or anyone to go to hell, to be separated from Him either in this world or the next, but in order to bring them fully to Himself He has to take care of their -R.  So He give them a promise.  It is a promise found in Genesis 3:15

15  And I will put enmity

Between you and the woman,

And between your seed and her seed;

He shall bruise you on the head,

And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

This is the first proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the gospel that Romans 1 tells us is the very POWER of God unto salvation.  Salvation from what?  Salvation from sin. Salvation from death.  It would take too long to look at this verse in it's entirety, but the serpent's seed will strike a blow to the woman's seed not leading to death, the woman's seed, which is Christ, will strike a fatal blow to the seed of the serpent.  This is a prophecy of the victory of Christ over the enemy. The gospel.  God's plan has always been to take our sin and Jesus Who knew no sin is going to be made sin for us.

20  Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

21  He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 

2 Corinthians 5:20-21

Way back in Genesis 3:15 The LORD our Righteousness, Jehovah-tsidkenu, was promising us a +R Branch, Jesus Christ, Who would take -R us and make us +R.  This is the first promise of the Gospel in all of scripture and it is worth taking note of.  For hundreds of years, mankind had clung to that promise, until Jesus came and died on the cross.  God took all of the sins of mankind, past, present AND future and Jesus Who knew no sin, was made to be sin for us.  Why?  So that we might be the +R of God... IN CHRIST!

Mankind had tried to keep the Law of God to attain the Righteousness of God but...

21  But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets

 Romans 3:21

Jesus ALONE is the Righteous Branch, and that only through Him ALONE do we obtain +R.  Romans 3:22-25 goes on to tell us that

22  even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;

23  for all ^ahave sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

24  being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;

25  whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation ^bin His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;

In forbearance, God passed over the sins previously committed.  From the garden to the Cross, those who believed the gospel of Genesis 3:15 by faith, from a distance, their sins were passed over at the manifestation of the Cross of Christ.  Saved by faith in Jehovah-tsidkenu.  They waited, and lived out their lives on earth in faith, and were declared +R by God.  Verse 26 reads

26  for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

God took all those sins.  From the Garden to the Cross and placed them on Jesus, that whosoever had believed upon Him from a distance, that had been looking forward in faith to the coming of the Righteous Branch, would be saved by faith alone, in Christ alone, declared +R in God's sight by Jehovah-tsidkenu, The LORD our Righteousness. 

He also died for your sins and my sins who have been born on this side of the cross.  He died for those that would be born after the cross of Christ.  He took ALL of OUR sins, when as yet we had not even drawn breath upon this earth.  We discussed this in class at some length, but think about it for a moment and let the truth of it settle deep into your soul... He has taken ALL of your sin, sweetheart, ALL of your sin.  He has taken the sin of your fallen state, He has taken the sins of your walking contrary to Him in your past, He has taken the sins of your today, of this very moment if need be, AND He has taken the sins of your every tomorrow, your future that yet lies ahead.  He's got you covered.  How?  It is through faith that +R is imparted.  It is the Great Exchange.  His Righteousness for our sin.  Beauty for ashes, strength for fear, gladness for mourning and peace for despair.  It is finished.

It has always been by faith.  Without +R no man will see the LORD, we lay hold of it by faith.

We discussed Romans 9:30-33

30  What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith;

31  but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.

32  Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,

33  just as it is written,

“Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense,

And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”

Hebrews 4:3

3  For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said,

“As I swore in My wrath,

They shall not enter My rest,”

although His works were finished from the foundation of the world.

and Galatians 3:6

6  Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.

By faith Abraham was made +R.  Made +R apart from the Law, apart from works, apart from circumcision.  So how did Israel miss it?  Why did they stumble?  

32  Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,

They missed it because of their own self-righteousness.  They were not believing, not having faith in Jehovah-tsidkenu, The LORD their Righteousness.  They were pursuing +R as though it were by works, their own efforts

33  just as it is written,

“Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense,

And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”

The Stone of Stumbling and the Rock of Offense referred to here is also personified as 'Him'.  The Stone of Stumbling and the Rock of Offense is Christ Himself.  While running to accomplish their good works to obtain +R with God, they tripped, stumbled over Jehovah-tsidkenu Himself.  The LORD their Righteousness could not be seen by them for their eyes were on their own works, their own self-righteousness.

1  Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.

2  For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.

3  For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.

4  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes

Romans 10:1-4

The self-righteous never see their own sin, their church attendance, their good behaviour, good works, sacrifices and self-abasements are all the evidence they need that they are right with God through their works.  

3  “^aBlessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:3

Poverty of spirit is seeing ourselves as absolutely destitute of anything that would gain us entrance into heaven.  It is knowing that in and of ourselves we have nothing to commend us to God.

9  And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:

10  “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

11  “The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

12  ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’

13  “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’

14  “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Luke 18:9-14

To be justified is to be declared +R.  If we are going to attain +R we need to let go of our own self-righteousness.  We need to let go of those things that we think are going to gain merit or points with God.

There are many in the church today that stumble for the same reason of self-righteousness that Israel did, or they may stumble for another reason.

Wealth or riches:

17  As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

18  And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.

19  “You know the commandments, ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’ ”

20  And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.”

21  Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

22  But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.

23  And Jesus, looking around, *said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!”

Mark 10:17-23

I think it is so interesting that Jesus asked him the question that He did, 'Why do you call Me good?'.  It's interesting because He points to the Father and explains that only God Himself is good.  In this discourse Jesus is actually underlining the point that He and the Father are One!  He was good because He is God incarnate! This particular man did not stumble over his own self +R, he stumbled because of his wealth.

We need to understand that we can receive Christ and His +R by faith, but afterwards become entangled by the affairs of this life.  Yes, riches, wealth, the pursuit of the things of this world can keep you from attaining the Kingdom of Heaven OR it can keep you from attaining the crown of Righteousness.  

Once we have received the +R of God through faith in Christ at salvation, we are now to keep +R until He returns or takes us home.  How do we keep Righteousness once we have been given it?  

37  For yet in a very little while,

He who is coming will come, and will not delay.

38  But My righteous one shall live by faith;

We can talk about this in The Comment Cafe, because I think this will tie into this thread of 'Rest' that seemed to weave itself into our morning together!

As we wound down the class I gave the girls two more things that could be reasons people stumble.  

1. Pride

16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 

1 John 2:16

2. The Favour of Man

10  For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. 

Galatians 1:10

In Jeremiah 33:14-16 God promised a +R Branch.  That +R Branch, Jesus, came and died on a cross and will come again one day in clouds of glory.  If you have received Christ by grace through faith then you HAVE received HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS and from the day of your salvation we are to live in His Righteousness from that day on.  

7  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;

8  in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

2 Timothy 4:7-8

Many in the church have accepted, with sincere hearts, the Righteousness of God, through Jesus Christ, by faith.  Yet, they are not living a life that is hungering and thirsting after Jehovah-tsidkenu, The LORD our Righteousness, with a craving that cannot be satisfied fully until Christ is perfectly formed in us.

I thought about our year long study in Revelation 

6  Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying,

“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.

7  “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His ^cbride has made herself ready.”

8  It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

Revelation 19:6-8

If we belong to Him then the Great Exchange has taken place, our sin for His Righteousness.  Yet, in this space of time between our salvation and the return of our Bridegroom, we need to ask ourselves if we are clothing ourselves in +R acts, in preparation for His return.  Or whether we have stumbled along the way.

9  Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ ” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.”

10  Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.

Revelation 19:9-11

He came the first time for salvation, to provide Righteousness for unrighteous mankind.  He will come a second time to execute Righteousness AND Justice upon the face of the earth.  He will do away with sin, yes, but to those that are His He will also pass out crowns.  Crowns of Righteousness for those that have loved His appearing.

I believe that a life of +R is maintained by faith, not shrinking back at His coming, but love at His appearing.  He is our +R, we don't have to DO a thing but rest in this and let Him do the rest... He is faithful.

We know that +R comes by faith

Faith comes by hearing

And hearing comes by the Word of God

Girls, Be in the Word

See yourselves in the Light of our Jehovah-tsidkenu

and...

for heaven's sake... enjoy Him!

The LORD our Righteousness!

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