Bragging Rights
This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. – (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
“This is what the Lord says.” What a way to begin a sentence! This should get our attention. We often quote people when we write or speak. In this case, Jeremiah is quoting God. He does not use the name Adonai or El; both are common names for God. No. In this verse, he uses the name, Yahweh. This is God’s covenant name, a name so holy that scribes would bathe and change writing instruments before inscribing His name on parchment or papyri. God gives us latitude to exercise our bragging rights. Notice that we are not to boast in ourselves but about the one Who is worthy of our praise. The idea in Hebrew is to express words of excellence, with a focus on the confidence one has in the object or person. We can boast in God because we have confidence in God, knowing He is capable and faithful. Understanding and knowing God leads to a developed confidence in Him. God delights in our desire and quest to know and understand Him. To know someone means that you have a relationship with them and spend time with them. He wants us to know Him and know about Him. Knowing and understanding are not the same, but they are related.
Jesus is the key to knowing and understanding God. Jesus told Thomas, “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father” (John 14:7). If you know the Son, you know the Father. To have a relationship with the Son is to have a relationship with the Father. To understand the Son is to understand the Father. John writes, “No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him” (John 1:18). God is delighted when we understand that He is kind, just, and righteous. The thought here is of “unfailing kindness, devotion, i.e., a love or affection that is steadfast based on a prior relationship.” Justice speaks of God, who will decide our case. Paul concluded, “If God is for us, who is against us?” (Romans 8:31). His justice and mercy are found in Jesus, Who received God’s justice on the cross so that we might receive His mercy at the cross.
God delights in us knowing that He alone is righteous. God is the standard for what is good and right. He is delighted when we understand and live according to His righteous judgments. It is overwhelming to think that God makes Himself known and understood through His Son. We do indeed have something, rather, someone, to boast about. When we brag, let’s brag about the Son, and the Father who sent Him. God is delighted when we do!
Boasting about Jesus, Pastor Scott