Originally posted: 11/20/2020

The Lord has made known His salvation;
He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations, (98:2).

I went into a small boutique yesterday, and I spent a bit of time with the owner of the shop talking about the times we live in. She is a committed follower of Christ, a witness for Him, and an intercessor. And she voiced the question that many are grappling with today. How have we come to such a place as this?

And she also voiced an answer. We, as a nation, have turned our backs on God; we have somehow come to believe that our great nation is the result of man’s rule and ideology, and we have rejected His Righteousness. And her concern for her grandchildren and the future that awaits them, keeps her on her knees. I feel the same way.

How did we come to such a place in our nation, with so many beliefs that are so contrary to His holy standards? How is it we have ignored His Righteousness Revealed? Paul’s letter to to the church in Rome answers this question.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, ¹⁹ because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. ²⁰ For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse, (Romans 1:18-20).

People have suppressed the truth in their unrighteousness. But the Scriptures are clear, we are without excuse, for He Has Revealed His Righteousness.

Consider Him Who Has Revealed His Righteousness

• He Has Revealed His Righteousness in His reign.
  • The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice;
    Let the many islands be glad, (97:1).

• He Has Revealed His Righteousness in His justice.
  • Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;
    Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne, (97:2).

• He Has Revealed His Righteousness in His judgments.
  • Fire goes before Him
    And burns up His adversaries round about.
    ⁴ His lightnings lit up the world;
    The earth saw and trembled, (97:3-4).

• He Has Revealed His Righteousness in His presence.
  • The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the Lord,
    At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth, (97:5).

• He Has Revealed His Righteousness in His glory.
  • The heavens declare His righteousness,
    And all the peoples have seen His glory, (97:6).

• He Has Revealed His Righteousness in His deliverance.
  • Hate evil, you who love the Lord,
    Who preserves the souls of His godly ones;
    He delivers them from the hand of the wicked, (97:10).

• He Has Revealed His Righteousness in His light.
  • Light is sown like seed for the righteous
    And gladness for the upright in heart, (97:11).

• He Has Revealed His Righteousness in His wonderful victories.
  • O sing to the Lord a new song,
    For He has done wonderful things,
    His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him, (98:1).

• He Has Revealed His Righteousness in His salvation.
  • The Lord has made known His salvation;
    He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations, (98:2).

• He Has Revealed His Righteousness in His lovingkindness and faithfulness.
  • He has remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
    All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God, (98:3).

• He Has Revealed His Righteousness, furnishing proof by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
  • Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, ³¹ because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead,” (Acts 17:30-31).

• And He will perfectly Reveal His Righteousness when He comes again.
  • Before the Lord, for He is coming to judge the earth;
    He will judge the world with righteousness
    And the peoples with equity, (98:9).

How do we respond to Him Who Has Revealed His Righteousness?

I imagine we should begin by asking ourselves, am I suppressing truth in unrighteousness? If we reject His offer of salvation through Jesus Christ, that is exactly what we are doing.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith,” (Romans 1:16-17).

His salvation is a gift we receive by faith. Let us live unashamed of the gospel that Reveals His Righteousness in Christ. Let us ask the Lord to fill us with the power of His Holy Spirit to share the message of the gospel with boldness.

And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness, (Acts 4:31).

And even when we have placed our faith in His Righteousness Revealed in Christ, there are still questions we should ask.

• As one who has placed my faith in His Righteousness Revealed, is my life characterized by a hatred of evil and by love and faith in the Lord?
  • Hate evil, you who love the Lord,
    Who preserves the souls of His godly ones;
    He delivers them from the hand of the wicked, (97:10).

• Is there evidence of His Righteousness Revealed in my life through upright living and joyful thanksgiving?
  • Light is sown like seed for the righteous
    And gladness for the upright in heart.
    ¹² Be glad in the Lord, you righteous ones,
    And give thanks to His holy name, (97:11-12).

• Am I preoccupied with the circumstances of this life more than the wonderful things He has done? Am I more apt to bemoan my miserable state or am I filled with praises and new songs for Him Who Has Revealed His Righteousness?
  • O sing to the Lord a new song,
    For He has done wonderful things… (98:1).

Oh, let’s do some serious self-inventory. While there is no doubt we live in troubling times, let’s not allow the evil of our world to dominate our thoughts and emotions; but let us answer the call to intercede for those who have yet to place their trust in Him Who Has Revealed His Righteousness.

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men… ³ This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, ⁴ who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, (1 Timothy 2:1, 3-4).

And by faith, may our lives reflect the light He has sown like seed, that gladness and thanksgiving would spring up to daily and joyfully sing and shout, with all that we are, the praises of our Holy King Who Has Revealed His Righteousness.

Light is sown like seed for the righteous
And gladness for the upright in heart.
¹² Be glad in the Lord, you righteous ones,
And give thanks to His holy name, (97:11-12).

 Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth;
Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises.
⁵ Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
With the lyre and the sound of melody.
⁶ With trumpets and the sound of the horn
Shout joyfully before the King, the Lord, (98:4-6).

Let’s Grow Together!