Page 23 - May 2026 - Truth & Tidings

he revelation of God’s personal others have shown that the emphasis is
name, I AM, was a comfort to on God’s righteousness and justice in a
TMoses as he was divinely commis- positive sense, particularly God’s activity
sioned at the burning bush in the desert in salvation.
where the bush, although burning with The reference in Jeremiah 23:5 offers
fire, wasn’t consumed. It gave him as- a particularly beautiful portrayal of the
surance of God's unchanging character Lord Jesus. He is introduced as “a righ-
and impressed upon him that the Lord teous Branch” of the Davidic line. This
was present in all the circumstances of provides a clear link to other prophetic
the nation of Israel, revealing Him as the Scriptures. Isaiah reveals Him as the
God who is transcendent yet immanent in “branch of the LORD” (Isa 4:2). Zechariah
time and space. This comforted Moses as mentions both His servant character, “my
he was about to return to Egypt. For us, servant the BRANCH” (3:8), and the holy
the revelation of the compound names of humanity of Christ, “the man whose name
Jehovah acts in a similar way; they unfold is The BRANCH” (6:12). In the Old Testa-
His character, reveal His care, show His
relationship to humanity, and provide ment, we find a foreshadowing of how the
insight into divine dealings in history. Saviour will be presented by the authors
On two occasions, we read the name of the four Gospels. John identifies the
Jehovah Tsidkenu in the book of Jeremiah, one who is the Son of God. Mark’s Gospel
shows the lowly servant and His constant
in chapters 23:5-6 and 33:16. The name
Tsidkenu is derived from the Hebrew service. Luke presents the perfect Man,
word Tsedek, which means what is right, and Matthew’s account focuses on the
accurate, straight or correct. It may not King, who is the Son of David.
be possible for us to establish the origin Jeremiah confirms the future unveil-
or exact etymology of the word, although ing of Christ to the nation of Israel. As
comparisons have been made in the Egyp- the Lord says, “I will raise unto David,”
tian and Akkadian languages. Some He- we are presented with the expectation of
brew scholars have argued that the word the future King and the kingdom glory
includes a chastening aspect inherent in of the Lord Jesus. However, implicit in
divine righteousness and justice; however, the meaning of the word “branch” is the
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