Names of God: Yahweh Tsidkenu
I recognize, based on the title of this article, it looks like I spilled coffee on my laptop, and it started spouting out arbitrary letters. I will come to define the words, and delineate the pronunciation of those words shortly, but first let me share an introductory illustration.
Being an Anglican priest has simplified fashion in my life. I don’t stand before the closet and wonder, “What should I wear today?” I have a uniform. On the days when I’ll be at the church, I grab my black shirt and white collar. If it is Sunday morning, I put on my white robe. If it is a day at home, working in the yard, I grab jeans, a t-shirt and jacket. Pretty simple. Rinse and repeat.
With such a repetitive wardrobe, I do run into the problem of wearing out repeatedly used items such as shirts and robes. Recently, a friend that has a gift for refurbishing tired items of clothing looked at my favorite Sunday robe, called an ‘alb.’ They told me the garment couldn’t be saved. It wasn’t just stitching that had come loose, but I had actually worn through the seams. I was dejected. When you wear a piece of clothing that many times, it becomes an old friend. I needed to buy a fresh, white robe to cover over my black shirts on Sunday. I haven’t done it yet, but I will.
The name of God we learn about today teaches us that God is one that, like a white robe, is ready to cover over our faults, the old stains, the poor decisions and bad habits of our life. The name Yahweh Tsidkenu (pronounced Yah-WEH, tsidkenoo) can be translated, ‘The Lord our Righteousness,’ or ‘I AM your righteousness.’ It appears just twice in the bible, both in the writings of the prophet Jeremiah.
In the days of Jeremiah, the northern tribes of Israel had departed from their faith, and they had been taken over by the Assyrians. The southern tribe of Judah was following suit. They were interested in economics, and politics, and the diverse ideas of the surrounding religions.
Jeremiah, instead of standing in judgement over the apostate nation, asked God to give him tears to shed for them, and God did. He became ‘the weeping prophet’ that was broken over the way his nation had turned away from God, and were squandering their rich spiritual and cultural heritage.
It was in this context of loss, and impending exile to Babylon, that Jeremiah introduced this powerful name, saying, “‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘when I will raise up for David a Branch of righteousness; a king who shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jer 23:56).
According to the bible, this prophecy is fulfilled through the coming of
Jesus, who, in the last chapter of the bible, says “I am the Root and Offspring of David” (Rev 22:16). One of the great theological rediscoveries of the reformation, 500 years ago, is connected with this name. It is often referred to by the reformers as the ‘imputed righteousness of Christ,’ or sometimes, ‘the alien righteousness of Christ.’ Now don’t start thinking UFO’s. The idea of Christ’s alien righteousness is like a white robe that covers over all your ordinary clothes. It is ‘alien’ because it comes from outside you. It is foreign.
The bible says that when we put our faith in Christ as our Lord and savior, our sin, our disobedience, our selfrighteousness is placed on him, and receives the judgment of God it deserves through both Christ’s physical suffering, and his spiritual alienation on the cross, ‘My god, my god, why have you forsaken me?’ And in this exchange, we then are covered in Christ’s perfect righteousness. His good deeds, his perfect justice, his right words and emotions are credited to our moral account. God looks at us robed in the perfection of Christ. He has become our tsidkenu, ‘The Lord our Righteousness.’ Our old moral efforts, with the seams coming apart, have been replaced with the perfect robe of Jesus’ good deeds, which covers us morally. Baptism images this cleansing. You go down dirty, and you come up clean. Why? Because “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20).
This life is hard. Our clothes wear out, as do our efforts to honor God, and love our neighbor. Are you willing to let Yahweh Tsidkenu come and clothe you with his righteousness? He desires to declare you clean, and then, in the gratitude that comes from such a gift, to allow you to start to make progress in your spiritual life.
Together in the Journey, Father Cam Lemons
(Father Cam Lemons serves at St. Timothy’s Anglican Church. Service is at 9 a.m. on Sunday at 700 Hobson St. in Bishop. He also serves at Trinity Memorial Anglican Church in Lone Pine. The service there is at noon at 220 N. Lakeview Road. For more information, go to StTimothysBishop.com.)