King Of Righteousness

When the second Temple was being built, God told the priests to make 2 crowns of silver and gold for… “The Man, whose name is The BRANCH; He shall build the Temple of the LORD: bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His Throne” (Zechariah 6:11-13). 

Two crowns awaited Jesus in the Temple for His reign as King-Priest. He knew they were there, and Satan tempted Him to “take it now, if you will only fall down and worship me.” But Jesus wasn’t tempted. Right things don’t come the wrong way.

Later, after feeding multitudes in the wilderness with five loaves and two fish, people were so excited about the miracle, Jesus perceived they would come and take Him by force, to make Him a “a king.” So He departed into a mountain alone. He would not be made king for “free food.” He was headed to the Cross to make a righteous people for His righteous Kingdom. 

Today “Jesus is King” is the new mantra of many, but is it for the right reasons? Is Jesus the Genie-ticket to “prosperity now” - or is Jesus the Lamb whose blood cleanses me from sin, saves me from hell, and gifts me with His everlasting righteousness? This is a serious question people must search their own hearts for.

The message of salvation is that God has offered mankind forgiveness and a new nature of righteousness through faith in His Son (Romans 3:22,23). He will not be “a king” over those who come for any other reason. He is “The King of Righteousness.”

When His Kingdom comes, it’s beautiful to see that He and His people share the same name because they share the same nature… “This is the name by which He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” … and this is the name by which she shall be called “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23:6; 33:16).

(Devotional by Lisa Cataford)