“‘The days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will fulfill the gracious promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.’”
Jeremiah 33:14-16
Hope in a Name
Daily Devotion – December 1, 2018
Devotion based on Jeremiah 33:14-16
See series: Devotions
A name is a very important thing. That’s because a name says something about a person. Researchers have found that within a culture people tend to agree on characteristics that are associated with any given name. In other words, we form similar ideas about a person, whether it be their race, social status, or even profession, just by hearing their name. For example, most people in America trust someone who is named “Lincoln,” and when they hear the name “Tiffany,” they think of someone who is wealthy.
The prophet, Jeremiah, comforted the people of Judah, who had experienced destruction at the hands of the Babylonian army, by sharing with them a name. He promised them that in the midst of their despair a righteous Branch would sprout from David’s line and bring salvation. This righteous Branch would be called “The Lord, our righteousness.”
Could you imagine being given that name? Could you imagine telling people that your name was “righteousness?” Jesus Christ could, because when he was born into this world, he lived a perfectly righteous life by following all of God’s commands. He not only did what no one else has ever done, he took our sins upon himself and give us his perfect righteousness in their place. The apostle Paul says, “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Romans 4:25).
A name says something about someone. “The Lord, our righteousness” is a name that could only fit one person. Jesus Christ lived, died, and rose again to be our righteousness. Now when you trust in him you are given another name. Like the bride who takes the name of her husband, believers take the name of their Savior Jesus—”righteous.” This name gives us hope and assures us of our eternal future of peace and safety with him.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for being my righteousness and for taking my sin upon yourself. Help me to always find hope in your perfect life and innocent death in my place. Amen.
This devotion was selected from the Daily Devotion archive.
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