Psalm 85:8-13, Jeremiah 23:5-8, Colossians 1:13-20, John 6:5-14.
A). THE FLOURISHING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Psalm 85:8-13.
The Psalmist - the believer, standing for the church - stops in his tracks and listens to what God has to say (Psalm 85:8-9). It is as we systematically and habitually study the Bible that we will be in a position to hear the still small voice which applies God’s Word to our own perplexities. This is a good place to receive an answer to our prayers.
The LORD promises peace, providing we do not return to folly (Psalm 85:8). When we have a true evangelical fear (reverence) of God, the fullness of His salvation draws near (Psalm 85:9). God’s glory returned to the Temple in Jerusalem (Haggai 2:9), and from there the peace of the Gospel emanated throughout the world (Acts 1:8).
The vision of this salvation is seen in the pencil sketches of the closing verses (Psalm 85:10-13). Four characteristics meet and embrace (Psalm 85:10), and heaven and earth work together to secure our salvation (Psalm 85:11-12). The LORD Himself is seen walking in our midst (Psalm 85:13), just as He did in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8).
The four characteristics are:
1. Mercy, arising out of a steadfast covenant love;
2. Truth, and faithfulness to the truth;
3. Righteousness, or justice, arising out of a right relationship with God;
4. Peace, indicating completion, perfection, fullness, health, success, well-being, rest, harmony, and prosperity.
Where do mercy and truth meet together, righteousness and peace embrace? In the Cross of Jesus Christ, where God is both just and the Justifier (Romans 3:26): meting out just judgment upon sin whilst at the same time being merciful to the sinners (Isaiah 53:4-6). There God’s justice is not violated, but rather His righteousness fulfilled; and there we are “justified by faith, and have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
God’s truth is personified in our great High Priest, who in the incarnation effectively “sprang out of the earth” (Psalm 85:11). God’s righteousness looks upon those whom He has justified as being made righteous in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). Thus we see the joining of the interests of heaven and earth in the mission of our redemption (Luke 2:14).
Subsequently, we see the earth yielding her increase (Psalm 85:12). This is clearly a gift of God, but also a consequence of right priorities (Matthew 6:33). Only when we put God first will righteousness flourish, and have free course in the world of men (Psalm 85:13).
B). THE BRANCH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Jeremiah 23:5-8.
“Behold… the word of the LORD,” (JEREMIAH 23:5). The prophet uses the image of a righteous Branch growing out of a felled tree – which so wonderfully typifies God’s dealings with His people. Just when the tree of David seems to be left without hope, without offspring, this Branch emerges to establish justice and righteousness in the world (cf. Psalm 72:1-2). At a time when it seemed that the kingdom of Judah was being cut to its very roots, there could be no greater reassurance (cf. Isaiah 11:1).
The last king of Judah was Zedekiah, whose name means ‘my righteousness is the LORD’ – which is somewhat ironic since it is on record that he did what was evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet ‘who spoke the word of the LORD’ (2 Chronicles 36:11-12).
In a deliberate play on words, the name of the rightful king in Jeremiah’s prophecy – the one who brings salvation, and a safe dwelling place for His people (cf. Psalm 23:6) - is ‘the LORD our righteousness’ (JEREMIAH 23:6). This King is Jesus, and He becomes our righteousness - making us righteous - when we put our trust in Him (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21).
So what will God do with us when we lack leadership in our churches, and have in our midst those who would seek to devour us (cf. John 10:10) and lead us astray (cf. Matthew 24:24)? If we are truly His, He will discipline us (cf. Hebrews 12:6), but He will not cast off forever (cf. Lamentations 3:31-32). When we are as ‘sheep without a shepherd’ (cf. Matthew 9:36), He will personally take care to gather again His people and bring them back to the fold (cf. Jeremiah 23:3).
We are familiar with this idea from Psalm 23:3 – the LORD ‘restores’ us – or ‘brings us back’ – a concept which those who have been backslidden will well understand. The lost sheep is restored to the flock (cf. Luke 15:4-6). The lost flock is restored to the land (JEREMIAH 23:7-8).
C). THE PRE-EMINENCE OF CHRIST.
Colossians 1:13-20.
Paul celebrates the fact that the Father has already qualified us to receive the inheritance which awaits His saints. We are delivered from the power of darkness and have been translated into the kingdom of His dear Son (COLOSSIANS 1:13). This is not just ‘pie in the sky when I die’, but a present reality for all who trust in Jesus.
The evidence of an underlying drift away from the gospel is found implicitly throughout this epistle, in Paul’s answers to the perceived problems. This is why, for example, Paul laid so much emphasis on the deliverance which Jesus wrought on our behalf (COLOSSIANS 1:13; cf. Colossians 2:15), and on the fullness of what He has accomplished (cf. Colossians 2:10). This is all possible because of what Jesus did on the Cross: “in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins…” (COLOSSIANS 1:14). We need nothing added, nothing taken away: but rather to recognise what we already have in Christ Jesus the Lord.
From talking about his prayers for the Colossians, the Apostle’s discourse passes seamlessly to the subject of the Lordship of Jesus, the sufficiency of His Person, and the adequacy of His Work (COLOSSIANS 1:15-20). This gives us the grounds for Blessed Assurance.
1. His Lordship over Creation (COLOSSIANS 1:15-17).
a) He is the “image of the invisible God” (COLOSSIANS 1:15a), the manifestation of God to man (cf. John 1:14-18).
b) He is the “firstborn” of creation (COLOSSIANS 1:15b), the Father’s heir (cf. Hebrews 1:2). Not, indeed, created Himself, but the possessor of the birthright (for the significance of the birthright, see Genesis 25:31-33; 1 Chronicles 5:1-2).
c) He is the Creator of all things (cf. John 1:3), and therefore again, not created (COLOSSIANS 1:16). Creation exists for Him and must submit to Him.
d) All things have their source (COLOSSIANS 1:17), and their sustenance, in Him (cf. John 1:4).
2. His Lordship over the Church (COLOSSIANS 1:18).
a) He is “head over the body, the church” (COLOSSIANS 1:18a; cf. Colossians 2:19). This metaphor has echoes throughout the New Testament (e.g. Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 12:12; Ephesians 1:22-23).
b) The ‘firstborn of creation’ (COLOSSIANS 1:15b) is also the “firstborn from the dead” (COLOSSIANS 1:18b). The resurrected Jesus is none other than, in the Greek, ‘the Author of life’ (cf. Acts 3:15). Thus those who were ‘dead in their sins’ can be ‘quickened together with Him’ (cf. Colossians 2:13).
c) There was a danger in Colossae that other things, such as the worship of angels (cf. Colossians 2:18) might be added to the worship of Christ. Yet even the angels must worship Him (cf. Hebrews 1:6). To Him alone belongs the pre-eminence (COLOSSIANS 1:18c).
3. The sufficiency of His Person (COLOSSIANS 1:19).
The “fullness” of which Paul speaks is not a supplement which is lacking, such as some new teachers in Colossae were suggesting, but ‘the full complement’ which subsists in Christ. In Him all the fullness was pleased to (literally) ‘take up dwelling’ (COLOSSIANS 1:19). There are echoes here of the incarnation (cf. John 1:14), but Paul goes a step further when he shifts the concept into the present tense (cf. Colossians 2:9), and then into heaven itself (cf. Colossians 3:1).
4. The adequacy of His Work (COLOSSIANS 1:20).
Given the fallen state of Creation, ‘peace with God’ (cf. Romans 5:1) could only be accomplished by the blood of the Cross (COLOSSIANS 1:20). He wrought reconciliation for “all” in that He alone is able to reconcile any (cf. 1 John 2:2).
D), FIVE THOUSAND FED.
John 6:5-14.
Jesus looked up “and saw a great company” of people coming to Him. The Good Shepherd tended His own flock with the words to local boy Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” (JOHN 6:5).
Sometimes Jesus makes us face up to the magnitude of our problems in order to demonstrate our total dependence upon Him. It is a comfort to know that He already knows what He is going to do (JOHN 6:6)!
Poor Philip was overwhelmed, quickly calculating in his head that even eight months wages would only provide a small portion for each person (JOHN 6:7).
Andrew now volunteered a boy with a packed lunch: “but what is that among so many?” (JOHN 6:8-9). Our gifts and offerings seem so small, a drop in the ocean: but as Mother Theresa of Calcutta once said, each drop goes toward filling the ocean.
Everything was done ‘decently and in order’ (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:40). Jesus said, “Make the men sit down” (JOHN 6:10).
“The men” is generic. The people - men, women and children – literally “reclined,” as the custom was. However, when it came to counting them, the second mention of “men” refers specifically to there being 5,000 adult males – (‘beside women and children’ adds Matthew 14:21).
Jesus takes our little, “gives thanks” (the same word as in the Communion, from which we have the word “Eucharist”), and transforms it into plenty (JOHN 6:11). Jesus delegated the distribution to the disciples, and they gave to the people; both bread and fishes “as much as they would.”
Think of it: 5,000 men, plus who knows how many women and children, and each one was filled to the full (JOHN 6:12). This was a repeat of the miracle of the manna in the wilderness: ‘he that gathered much had nothing left over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating’ (cf. Exodus 16:18).
And there was more gathered up in leftover fragments than there had been at the start. There were twelve baskets full, the same number as the tribes of Israel, symbolising God’s sufficient provision for all of His people (JOHN 6:13).
This sign was so powerful that the Galileans said, “This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world” (JOHN 6:14).
