Establishing the Throne Forever
Scripture
“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up for 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 Righteous Savior (Jeremiah 23:5–6).
Reflection
A cynic once said that the difference between a pessimist and an optimist is that the pessimist says: “Things couldn’t get worse,” and the optimist replies: “O yes, they can!”
Jeremiah is sometimes called the “Weeping Prophet” because of his seemingly constant laments. Jeremiah’s nation was falling apart, its leaders were corrupt, and its people would soon be scattered into exile due to the Lord’s righteous judgment. Yet, according to the above definition, he was an optimist. When it seemed things couldn’t get worse, Jeremiah announced YHWH’s promise of salvation. Good things were on the way, and the Lord would send his beleaguered people a wise King who would rule with justice and mercy. He would be called “Righteous Savior.”
God fulfills his promises. He promised David, “I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. (2 Samuel 7:12b–14a). In Jeremiah, the Lord reiterated his promise to raise up a king from David’s line who would rule wisely, do justice, and rescue God’s people. (Jeremiah 23: 5, 6). That is the King worth serving!
What David was promised, what Israel hoped for, and what Jeremiah prophesied is fulfilled in the birth of the Lord our righteous Savior, Jesus of Nazareth. He is the One who, through his perfect obedience to the Father, restored not only Israel but all creation. All people have the promise of a new life in him. He proclaimed not merely the Kingdom of Judah or Israel, but that the Kingdom of God is in our midst now. It is available to anyone who accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior and lives in obedience to him and his law of love.
Prayer
Lord, our Righteous Savior, you invite us to be citizens of the Kingdom of your Father and to live in that kingdom now. We commit ourselves to you, our King, Lord, and Savior. Keep us faithful to your will, and give us the courage to serve you, regardless of the consequences.
Activity
Jeremiah tells us the Great King will be wise and do what is right and just. As his subjects, we too, must strive to be wise and to treat others justly and with love. Pray for wisdom and ask the Lord if there is anything you can do to make the world a more just or loving place. Maybe someone needs to hear words of forgiveness or love from you; be sure to speak them, no matter how hard it might be.
Watching and Waiting For the Lion of Judah: Advent Day by Day
Rev. Richard Hasselbach