In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
Devotional Thoughts
By David Wilkerson
What are the "days" God is talking about here? He's speaking of the time when the vision would be fulfilled. And what is the "righteous branch" he mentions? It is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ!
Beloved, God has fulfilled this vision, through the death and resurrection of his son, Jesus Christ. He has established his church, and its name is neither Baptist, nor Pentecostal, nor any other name but simply "The Lord...our righteousness" (verse 16).
Yet here is the most wonderful news of all. God said this church "... shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honor before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it [make for them]" (verse 9).
The literal meaning of this last phrase is, "They shall quiver and be startled, full of the awe and fear of God." God was saying, "I'm going to do something so amazing, so clearly full of my abundant peace and truth, people will tremble with fear!"
Yet, what would cause this fear and trembling? Would it be a harsh message of judgment? The preaching of the law? An expression of God's wrath? No! All fear and trembling would come through a revelation of God's goodness! It would come from an expression of his unmerited blessing, providing his people with an abundance of peace and rest.
We'll tremble when we realize his Spirit lives and works in us, undeserving as we are, to prepare us as Christ's bride. We'll cry, "What? The Lord is at work in me, with all my problems, failures and quirks? He's causing me to do his will making me holy, blameless, his shining light to the world?" We'll be humbled with a holy fear!