Jesus: The Sun of Righteousness

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver

"But unto you that fear My name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall" (Malachi 4:2)

The day of salvation is a day in which the saved are strong, willing and able. They "grow up" and with holy vigor run the race set before them as calves from the stall. Those who were once dead are quickened and given an abundance of life. Those who were once in darkness are given the light of life and walk in it. Those who once had gone astray are granted repentance and thus, turn from their wicked ways to serve the living God. They are those were once as a valley of dry bones having been slain by sin, yet in the day of salvation they rise up as an exceedingly great army. In all of this, the redeemed of the Lord are a display to all men and all principalities and powers in heavenly places that the Sun of Righteousness has risen with healing in His wings.

Jesus Governs the Day. As "the Sun" we can see that Jesus has been given dominion. On the fourth day God created the "lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night" (Gen 1:14). The sun is "the greater light" that was given to "rule the day" (Gen 1:16). The sun was created as a depiction of Jesus. Jesus, as "the Sun" is seen as a governor. He declared, after His resurrection and prior to His ascension, "all power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth" (Mt 28:18). As the "Exalted One" (Ps 89:19), the government of God and the kingship of the kingdom of God has been given unto Him (Isa 9:6).

Jesus is not just "the Sun" but "the Sun of RIGHTEOUSNESS" that is, He is the source of righteousness, the strength of righteousness, and His righteousness endures for ever. Jesus' rule is righteous. He establishes His kingdom "with judgment and with justice" (Isa 9:7). The sceptre of His kingdom "is a right sceptre" (Ps 45:6). Everything He does is righteous and all of those who submit to His rule are righteous as well, for He makes them righteous. They are the "children of the light" and "the children of the day" (1 Th 5:5).

Jesus is the Illuminator. The sun and the moon, you recall, were made to "be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth" (Gen 1:15). The sun gives light. Even so, the Sun of Righteousness gives light to those in the earth. Jesus said, "I am the Light of the world, he that followeth after Me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life" (Jn 8:12). Men stumble in darkness but walk circumspectly in the light. They are able to properly navigate around dangers and toward helps.

Darkness, in the Scriptures, is always associated with confusion, sin, and death. Those cast out of the kingdom of heaven are cast into "outer darkness" (Mt 8:12; 22:13) where these things abound. The "works of darkness," being unfit for the kingdom of heaven, are "unfruitful" and worthy of reproval (Eph 5:11). The most profound work of darkness was the crucifixion of the Lord's Christ where opportunity was given to "the power of darkness" (Lk 22:53). Those who perform such works show their distance from the God of heaven, who is Light. They are under "the power of Satan" (Acts 26:18) and their works testify to this. They love darkness rather than light (Jn 3:19) and therefore stay away from the light lest their deeds be made manifest.

Light, in the Scriptures, is always associated with understanding, righteousness, and life. The children of God, are children "of the light" and "of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness" (1 Th 5:5). These people come to the Light so that their deeds can be manifest as being wrought in God. They walk in the light and have fellowship with God. Their works testify of this communion with the Light.
Jesus is the Sun of Righteousness that "Greater Light." He is one who shines out of darkness.
He is "the True Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world" (Jn 1:9). Where darkness is also associated with ignorance, light is associated with understanding. "He that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes" (1 Jn 2:11). But "we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ" (1 Jn 5:20). God has caused this light of understanding to shine in our hearts "to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor 4:6). Thus, we have been illuminated (Heb 10:32) and the eyes of our understanding have been enlightened (Eph 1:18) and will continue to be as Jesus continues to shine in our hearts.

Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness, causes darkness to disseminate and light to spring forth. Where He has been it is rightly said "those who sat in darkness have seen a great light" (Mt 4:16; Lk 1:79). Jesus does not allow men to remain in darkness but calls them out of it "into His marvelous light" (1 Pet 2:9). They walk with Him and please the Father. I praise God that He "divided the light from the darkness" (Gen 1:4).

Jesus is the Source of Strength. "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men" (Jn 1:4). Just as the sun is the source of all energy in the earth, so Jesus is the source of all life or energy God-ward. No man cometh unto the Father, either initially or ultimately, but by Jesus (Jn 14:6). He is the source of all strength to "come unto" or "draw nigh" unto God.

The light that emanates from Jesus to men is the product of His abundant life. "Because I live," He says, "ye shall live also" (Jn 14:19). When the Sun of Righteousness heals men they are strengthened to do the things that God requires them to do. When they "skip about like calves from the stall" (NASB), they "do righteousness" and no longer are slaves to sin. Their feeble knees are strengthened, their hands are lifted up, and they run with endurance the race set before them. They are healed!

The reason that believers are able to say "no" to Satan and "yes" to God is that they have been healed by the Sun of Righteousness. The light that He gives them is the source of spiritual life and strength. The rays of this Sun enable them to be "strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man" (Eph 3:16) and "according to His glorious power" (Col 1:11). Their strength is attibuted to Him. In other words, if the Sun of Righteousness didn't arise, no calves would go forth skipping about. If men are not healed by Him, they will not do righteousness (1 Jn 3:7). But alas, He is come and those who come to Him are healed. They are made alive and made strong.

Healing That Endures. Jesus is a healer. The Scripture declares that 'by His stripes we are healed' (1 Pet 2:24). This healing is not the healing of the body. (Although we do not doubt that He does this.) While the healing of the body is marvelous in our eyes it is only a delaying of inevitable death. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Only a changed body will be fit to inhabit the eternality and glory of heaven. The Lord will provide this body for those that love Him. Jesus' work is not about simply healing a body that is later to be destroyed but healing the soul that will endure forever in a body that endure for ever.

Jesus heals by granting us repentance, giving us a new heart, giving us a new mind, making us willing, and causing us to walk in His statutes. As a result of the Sun of Righteousness healing us, it is not said "ye were sick and now we are healthy" but rather, "ye were as sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls" (1 Pet 2:25). This kind of healing will not eventually end in death; it will endure unto eternal life.

Jesus governs the day. He illuminates those in darkness. He provides strength to the weak. He heals those who are wounded. If you can be found among that number of "them that fear the Lord" you can have everlasting consolation and good hope because Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness, has arisen and He has done so with healing in His wings!

Fearing the Lord in a Religiously Corrupt Environment

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver

"But unto you that fear My name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall." (Malachi 4:2)

The Condition of the People

The prophet Malachi ministered to a people much like the religious people of our day. The people were unpleasing to the Lord yet could not understand why. Their view of themselves was far different than God's view of them. The waywardness is displayed by their questioning of God and their inability to accurately perceive their condition and their standing with God.

• The Lord declared "I have loved you" but they responded, "Wherein hast Thou loved us?" (1:2)
• The Lord addressed the priests as those that "despise My name" and they responded "Wherein have we despised Thy name?" (1:6)
• The Lord rebuked, "You offer polluted bread on My altar?" and they retorted, "Wherein have we polluted Thee?" (1:7)
• He rebuked them for their manners at His altar and they asked, "Wherefore?" in other words, "What have we done wrong?, why are You displeased?" (2:14)
• "Ye have wearied the Lord of hosts with your words. Yet ye say, 'Wherein have we wearied Him?'" (2:17)
• "You have robbed Me? Yet you say, 'How have we robbed Thee?'" (3:8)
• "Your words have been stout against Me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, 'What have we spoken so much against Thee?'" (3:13)

In their ignorance they thought that their performance of religious duties justified them before God. This was not the case at all. God was not happy with them because their hearts were far from Him. The ministry they performed and the table of the Lord itself, was "contemptible" to them. They despised the requirements of serving the Lord and did as little as possible to appease the Lord. But, "be not deceived, God is not mocked" (Gal 6:7). He was very well aware of their affections, just as He is today. To be sure, God looks at the heart and is not worshipped by men's hands as though He needed anything.

God determined to put an end to their corrupt offerings. He requested of the people, "Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on My altar! I am not pleased with you...and I will accept no offering from your hands" (Mal 1:10, NIV). He then issued harsh curses on the Levites who led the people astray. "I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart" (Mal 2:2). Let it be known that God is the focal point of all meaningful religion. It is incumbent upon all will come to Him to take it to heart that His name is honored and glorified.

The people were engaged in religious activity but had no concern for the name of God, the glory of God or ministry of God. It is not uncommon in our day to have many engaged in religious activities but neglect God Himself. A great multitude of "church-goers" lack any zeal for the name and glory of God. They perform religious duties which often amount to giving God the leftovers from their wallets, time and energy. It is a rare thing to see people actually sacrifice of themselves to serve the King of kings.

The religious climate of America is much like the religious climate of Malachi's day...and God has kept for Himself a remnant. Just as not all the people are lukewarm today, so not all the people were lukewarm then, and the Lord takes note of such people. It is written,

"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name. And 'They shall be Mine,' saith the Lord of hosts, 'in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.'" (Malachi 3:16-17)

"The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished" (2 Pet 2:9). Those who fear God, fear His name, seek His glory and engage themselves in true ministry from the heart shall be spared from the wrath to come. Unto them "shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings."

God Makes a Distinction. One of the purposes of the judgment and the coming of Christ is to make a distinction between the righteous and the wicked; between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. While many in our day are offended by the consideration that such a distinction even exists, it is, nevertheless, the truth. That day is a time which the followers of Jesus earnestly anticipate. It is a time when they shall be manifested as who they really are, the children of God (Rom 8:19).

Now, they that live by faith and walk by the Spirit are mostly unrecognized in the world. They are "hid with Christ in God" (Col 3:3). But it will not always be this way. There is coming a day when Christ shall be revealed from heaven and all those who have joined themselves to Him shall also be revealed. In fact, they shall be glorified together with Him (Rom 8:17).

The apostle spoke of such a separation being made at the coming of Christ and it being a display of God's righteousness. In other words, it is right to make such a distinction. This is not the task of men in the flesh but of God who is able to judge thoughts and intents of the heart. And in view of this judgment, every man will receive his reward for the deeds done in the body, whether good or bad. "Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you who are troubled rest with us" (2 Th 1:6-7). God has gone on record saying that He will take vengeance "on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." Such people will "be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power" (2 Th 1:8-9).

But, praise God, those who fear the Lord shall be spared. They shall escape the vengeance of God because the Sun of Righteousness has arisen to heal them. They shall be made jewels for the Lord's crown. While the earth and its works are burned up, they shall not even have the smell of smoke on them. They shall be loosed from the vexation that accompanied them while dwelling in a crooked and perverse generation. They shall be forever with the Lord. God will be their God and they shall be His people. The fullness of salvation and the fullness of the riches of Christ shall be given to them as they have an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom ministered unto them. What a day, glorious day, that will be.

We are living in a corrupt religious environment, but in the end it will go well for those who fear the Lord. Encourage one another with these words.

My People Have Been Shown Mercy

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver

"Say ye unto your brethren, 'Ammi;' and to your sisters, 'Ruhammah'" (Hos 2:1).

The gospel is preached in view of what Christ Jesus has done! It is an announcement that sin has been put away and salvation is available in Christ Jesus the Lord. The gospel calls to those who were once "not a people" and says "Ammi," which means "you are My people." It calls out to those who had once not been shown mercy and says "Ruhammah," which means "you shall be shown mercy."

They Rejected the Lord. The people in Hosea's day were idolatrous. They were adulterers and adulteresses. They had gone after other gods and had forgotten the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They honored Him not as God, and neither did they give thanks. They attributed His provision to other gods. Much like Israel did with the golden calf saying, "These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt" (Exod 32:4), so the people in Hosea's day said, "I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink" (Hos 2:5).

It is never acceptable to attribute another's work to God or God's work to another. Thus, the Lord says of the people, "She did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold." God had provided all of these things for His people yet the people attributed their sustenance as coming from another. They even used God's provisions to prepare sacrifices to Baal (Hos 2:8). They took what God had given them and offered it in worship to a false god.

As a result of this God used the prophet Hosea to both speak and demonstrate what He would do with Israel. God told Hosea "Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms; for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the Lord" (Hos 1:2). Furthermore, God instructed Hosea to name one of his children "Lo-ruhammah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away" (Hos 1:6). Later, Hosea bore a son and was to name him "Lo-ammi: for ye are not My people and I will not be your God" (Hos 1:9). Hosea would be to his family what God was to Israel: married to a harlot, having children of harlotry.

This circumstance was not desirable to God. His people were living in wickedness and their iniquities had separated them from their God. As a result, they were dwelling in His wrath. His word to such people is "Repent!" "Plead with your mother, plead" (Hos 2:2) saith the Lord. God does not accept sin but calls men out of it. "As I live," saith the Lord God, "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: 'Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?'" (Ezek 33:11).

The condition of God's people was an abomination to Him. But the Lord is abundant in mercy and would give them space to repent. He was determined to give them a good end. He committed Himself to gathering this wayward people to Himself. They would be able to consider the patience of the Lord as salvation. For in His wrath, He would remember mercy. "And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, 'Ye are not My people,' there is shall be said unto them, 'Ye are the sons of the living God'" (Hos 1:10).

God's Tender Mercies are Displayed in Salvation. Israel was not the only people who went "a whoring after the heathen" and was polluted by their idols. This is the experience of all the sons of Adam. "For ALL WE have gone astray; we have turned EVERY ONE to his own way" (Isa 53:6). The glory of the Lord is seen in His power and wisdom to save such people. And how would He do it? By causing the iniquity of us all to be laid on Jesus (Isa 53:6). Jesus took away the sin of the world so that this word through Hosea could be uttered: "I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say unto them which were not My people, 'Thou art My people,' and they shall say, 'Thou art my God'" (Hos 2:23).

God is revealing Himself in salvation. More of His person is displayed in His salvation than in His wrath. He is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Pet 3:9) and would "have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim 2:4). When men consider their own straying from the Lord and the path of sin they trod, God's great salvation manifests to them His tender mercies and His power to save. They know it is a faithful saying, "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear" (Isa 59:1).

A Proper View of Salvation. As men grow in their understanding of the work of God through Christ, it will become increasingly more obvious to them that "the Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy" (Num 14:18). The wrath of God is upon "the children of disobedience" (Eph 5:6; Col 3:6). They are not, as some suppose, getting away with wickedness. They are, in fact, storing up for themselves "wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; who will render to every man according to his deeds" (Rom 2:5-6). The reason God has not rained down fire and brimstone like He did in Sodom and Gomorrah is because "the Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy." But there is coming a day "wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat" (2 Pet 3:12). Until then all those who are out of the way can "account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation" (2 Pet 3:15).

And for those who have turned from their wicked ways and called upon the name of the Lord, they have something to say. "Say ye unto your brethren, 'Ammi;' and unto your sisters, 'Ruhammah.'" This is precisely the declaration of the apostles' doctrine. The Holy Spirit reasons upon Hosea's ministry and speaks comfortably to us in Christ Jesus:

"Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God [Ammi]; which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy [Ruhammah]." (1 Pet 2:9-10)

He Consecrated a New and Living Way For Us

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil that is to say, His flesh; and having an High Priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10:19-22)

This message was preached at the Refreshing Waters Renewal, "What Jesus Accomplished in our Behalf" on June 15th, 2011. The title of this message was "He Consecrated a New and Living Way For Us." This meeting was hosted by the Word of Truth Fellowship in Joplin, MO. For more videos from there visit their channel:    http://www.youtube.com/user/wotruth

The Life is in the Son

"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son" (1 John 5:11).

This message was preached in Antwerp, OH on October 26th, 2012. This was a "Preaching Festival" based upon the theme "Eternal Life." For all of the messages, both video and audio, visit the hosting church's website:  http://loveofthetruthfellowship.com

Jesus Has Been Given the Tongue of the Learned

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver

"The Lord God hath given Me the tongue of the learned that I may know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary" (Isa 50:4).

Weariness is a natural consequence of living in a world that is suffering the bondage of corruption. Without Divine provision and sustenance "even the youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall utterly fall" (Isa 40:30). This is a grave danger for them that would endure to the end. For, it is a requirement of all men who desire to live eternally that they NOT "fall" and NOT grow weary. "For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of the Father, you may receive the promise" (Heb 10:36, NKJV). In order to "run with endurance, the race that is set before us" (Heb 12:1) we must have provision from on high. We must have one that is able to sustain us, establish us, and strengthen us. Therefore, let us look unto Jesus, who knows how "to sustain the weary one with a word" (NASB).

The Nature of Christ. It is Jesus and Jesus alone who knows what is in a man (Jn 2:25). With this ability to disern the thoughts and intents of the heart, the Word of life is able to recognize the weary sojourner and speak comfortably to him. He knows how to succor them that are tempted (Heb 2:18).

Jesus is compassionate. It is His nature. He will not break a battered reed and will not quench a smoking flax (Isa 42:3). Jesus is the "man" who is "a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the temptest." He is "as rivers of water in a dry place, as a shadow of a great rock in a weary land" (Isa 32:2).

He delivers men from the toils associated with this life and He does so as one who has conquered. "In the world ye shall have tribulation," says He, "but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (Jn 16:33). Jesus is the Savior of all men and in an expression of His strength and wisdom, He sustains the weary ones that come to Him for rest.

A Word In Season. The kingdom of God operates in an economy of faith. Men overcome the world by faith and therefore they "live by every word of God" (Lk 4:4). Thus, the sustenance provided to strengthen the weary soul is "a word in season." Simon Peter knew this and when asked if he would depart from the Lord said, "To whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life" (Jn 6:68). The words of Christ have great power, even power to give life - to sustain the weary soul. "The words that I speak unto you," Jesus said, "are spirit, and they are life" (Jn 6:63).

Those who are weary and heavy laden are bid to come to Jesus for rest. It is there, in communion with the Lord, that He preaches "good tidings unto the meek" and "binds up the broken hearted" and proclaims "liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound" (Isa 61:1). This is speaking a word "in season" to the weary.

They are words spoken "at the appropriate and necessary time." They are words that are "fitly spoken" (Prov 25:11). This is what the psalmist would call giving those that "wait upon Thee...their meat in due season" (Ps 104:27; 145:15). Partakers of this precious ministry can say of a truth, "a word spoken in due season, how good it is!" (Prov 15:23). Jesus is THE Faithful Servant that gives the household of God their meat in due season (Mt 24:45) for He has been given the tongue of the learned to do so.

Go to Him. Just as God placed Joseph in Egypt to provide corn for the people during the time of famine, so He has placed Jesus at His right hand to provide "corn" for the people. We, too, live in a famine but "not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord" (Amos 8:11). But take heed, Jesus has been given the tongue of the learned and is able to speak a timely word to those that come to Him that He might "save much people alive" (Gen 50:20).

When you find yourself weary from your warfare against the forces of darkness, go to Jesus. Is anyone hungry? Is anyone thirsty? Is anyone weary? Go to Jesus!