“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch,
a King who will reign wisely
and do what is just and right in the land.
In his days Judah will be saved
and Israel will live in safety.
This is the name by which he will be called:
The Lord Our Righteous Savior.
Jeremiah 23:5-6 NIV
A Righteous Branch
Canada has three branches of government – legislative, executive and judicial. Within these three branches, many Canadians wonder what the difference is between parliament and government. Created by the Constitution Act, 1867, Parliament is the legislative branch of government. Its main purpose is to make laws and hold the government to account. Government is a broader term with different meanings. Inside the House of Commons, it usually refers to the Prime Minister, Cabinet and other members of the governing party. Outside the House of Commons, the term often also includes government departments.
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Followers of Jesus long for His return. After two millennia, there are many in our world who doubt that what He promised is going to happen. To their credit, in the centuries leading up to the coming of Jesus, the Jewish people clung to the hope that was given by their prophets about the first coming of the Messiah. Because every one of those prophecies came to pass just as promised, we have the assurance that Jesus is coming again. The prophet certainly got the first Advent right when we wrote in Jeremiah 23:5-6: “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Saviour.” From the line of David came the Messiah Jesus, a King who reigns with wisdom and justice. At this time of the year, we look back to Jesus’ coming – and we look forward to His coming again.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley