Jesus, our Righteousness, Our Light that overtakes the darkness.
“But unto you who revere and worshipfully fear My name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings and His beams, and you shall go forth and gambol like calves [released] from the stall and leap for joy.” (Malachi 4:2, AMPC)
Do you need answers? Do you need guidance? Do you need healing or a reason to get up every day? You have it. He is right here in this verse…the Sun of Righteousness…Jesus!
Jesus is the sun that rises across the horizon of the believer’s heart. He brings joy, healing and comfort to our broken souls as He enters the plains of our lives. Jesus is the Sun of Righteousness that arose in the dark world we encounter on a daily basis. He is the Light of the world.
“Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life.” (John 8:12 AMPC)
“In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men. And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it].” (John 1:4-5 AMPC)
Jesus is to man what the sun is to the visible world we see around us. Just like man would be consumed by utter darkness without Jesus in your life, so the world would be like a dungeon without the sun. Like the sunrise overtakes the darkness of the night, so the light of Jesus changes the darkness we encounter in life.
“There it was–the true Light [was then] coming into the world [the genuine, perfect, steadfast Light] that illumines every person. [Isa. 49:6.]” (John 1:9 AMPC)
Jesus is righteous Himself. We obtained His righteousness during the great exchange that took place on the cross. Jesus, who had no sin, took our sins and He gave us His righteousness before God (2 Corinthians 5:21). Through Jesus we are justified and made holy to be His ambassadors to this world.
We receive God’s mercy through the works of Jesus. Our right standing before God today is because of His grace displayed through Jesus.
Malachi 4:2 speaks of “worshipfully fear My name”. The fear we have for God is a reverent worshipping fear—a position of awe for the greatness and power of His Grace. Jesus goes even further and promises us that He shall bring healing to those who find their protection under His wings. He took upon Him all sickness and disease on the cross so that we can walk in His divine health. (Isaiah 53:3-5)
No sickness we read about in the Bible could stand against His presence. Healing sprung forth and sickness ran off every time He arrived. He is our great physician. He is our medicine.
Rest in your Sun of Righteousness who already obtained your right standing with God on your behalf. He is the One who brings the light across your life and Who is the Light of your life. Seek Him for everything you need, your guidance, your healing, your protection or whatever it may be. Let Him be your reason to get up every day and let His light shine through you as you walk into a room, let Him light it up for His glory.
Maretha Retief
Illustration by Jeanne de Villiers