Monday, December 2, 2024 // Day 2
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’ —Jeremiah 33:14–16
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’ —Jeremiah 33:14–16
BRANCH OF DAVID
When the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, the army of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, was besieging Jerusalem. Jeremiah himself was confined in the courtyard of the guard in Jerusalem, imprisoned by King Zedekiah because his prophecies predicted Judah’s downfall. Jeremiah had tried to convince Judah and its leaders to turn back to God, but it was clear that Judah’s destruction was inevitable. At this point in time, it would be easy to conclude that all hope was lost. However, in today’s verses, we see God’s promise of future restoration.
These verses declare, “The Lord will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line,” which reflects the promise God made to King David in 2 Samuel 7. God promised to raise up David’s offspring and establish a kingdom that would endure forever. This righteous leader would be unlike all the kings of Israel’s history, and He would do what is just and right.
While Jeremiah may have seen this promise as specific to the house of Israel, we know that God’s amazing plan includes all of us. Jesus, the righteous Branch, was sent to save the world. Jeremiah lived through a terrible time in Israel’s history, but he was able to rest in God’s promise of a new day. We can also put our hope in the fulfillment of that promise. Jesus said:
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12)
Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise. By following Him, we can be confident in the future and our ultimate place with Him. Like the Israelites, we may still face many trials in life, but we have a Savior who loves and understands us. As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, let us thank the Lord that he provided our Righteous Savior. Let us thank Him for the light that Jesus provides.
Joy to the World, the Lord has come!
Matt and Stephanie Baker
Matt and Stephanie Baker