Righteousness in Shevat

​The Hebrew month of Shevat is here. It is the eleventh month in the religious calendar and means "to strike or lash," which refers to the heavy rains of the season in Israel. It is meant to be a time of spiritual renewal and divine instruction. In the book of Deuteronomy, we can read the final words of Moses to remind the Israelites of God's lessons in the wilderness. "In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that the Lord had commanded him concerning them." (Deuteronomy 1:3)
 
The month of Shevat was one of preparation for the children of Israel. They were about to enter the Promised Land with their leader Joshua ahead of them. God was doing a "new thing" with them as it is declared in Isaiah 42:19. "See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being, I announce them." At the beginning of the new year, we should be seeking the Lord for the new thing He will do with us in the year to come. It is His desire that we operate in righteousness so that we can be fruitful. He is positioning us for victory in the battles we may need to fight in the future.
 
As we meditate on God's Word, we grow in righteousness. The letter from the Hebrew alphabet associated with this month is TZADIK. It symbolizes the "righteous one." One of the names of God is Yahweh Tsidqenu, "The Lord Our Righteousness." The prophet Jeremiah foretold the coming of the Lord. "'The days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will raise up to 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 live in safety. This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness.'" (Jeremiah 23:5, 6) Jeremiah's prophecy would be confirmed in the writings of the apostle Paul. Paul tells us how we can join in that righteousness. "It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is our righteousness, holiness, and redemption." (1 Corinthians 1:30)
 
It is through our faith in Jesus Christ that righteousness comes to us. (Romans 3:22) Our goal is to become like Him so that we are in right relationship with God and with others. There is a promise in Matthew 5:6 that we should grab hold of, especially during this month. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Jesus came as the only one who could provide us with redemption from the curse of sin because of His perfect life. 1 Peter 2:24 explains it well. "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed."
 
The vine that we connect to when we received Jesus Christ by faith is the vine of righteousness. Like the root of a plant that brings nutrition and sustenance to the plant, the root of the Vine that we attached to brings us righteousness and holiness so that we become who Christ is--"The righteousness of God in Christ Jesus." (2 Corinthians 5:21)
 
Since we are in the beginning of a new year and in the month where the Lord wants to do a new thing in us, let us focus on our identity in Christ and remember who we are in Him. Praise God that we became the righteousness of God because of our union with Christ. May our spirits awaken to the revelation of these truths.