The scripture that I would bring
to your attention this morning is found in Jeremiah chapter
51 and the 10th verse. Jeremiah 51 verse 10. The Lord
hath brought forth our righteousness. Come and let us declare in Zion
the work of the Lord our God. The Lord has brought forth our
righteousness. Come and let us declare in Zion
the work of the Lord our God. Now this chapter, Jeremiah 51,
is part of a long prophecy regarding the destruction of ancient Babylon. The prophecy actually commences
at the beginning of chapter 50 and it runs through to verse
58 of this chapter 51 and then from verse 59 to the end of the
chapter there is a further prophecy regarding the destruction of
Babylon and then in chapter 52 we have the historical record
there is a history of the destruction of Babylon, sorry, of the walls
of Jerusalem, and the spoiling of the temple, and the carrying
away captive of the Jews into Babylon. Now here is a remarkable
thing. The destruction of Babylon was
prophesied even before the Jews were taken into Babylon, into
captivity. and of course Jeremiah also prophesied
of the destruction of the temple and of the Babylonian captivity
of the Jews because of their sins but he also prophesied of
the destruction of Babylon And that, even before the Jews were
taken into captivity. So before the Jews were taken
into captivity, Jeremiah prophesied of the destruction of Babylon. And all that the Lord had spoken
by the prophet Jeremiah came to pass. All that Jeremiah wrote
beforehand came to pass. It has been fulfilled, and this
has been attested to, it has been confirmed by secular historians
and by archaeological findings. Now, for many years, so-called
scholars in the 19th century believed that the book of Daniel
was a work of fiction. because Daniel speaks of Belshazzar
as being the last king of Babylon everyone knew that Nabonidus
was the last king of Babylon Belshazzar was unheard of even
the Greek historian Herodotus who wrote a history of Babylon
in 450 BC he never mentioned Belshazzar so the book of Daniel
was regarded as a myth by many. That is, until the late 1800s,
the late 19th century. Then the cylinder inscription
of Nabonidus was discovered which speaks of Nabonidus' son, Belshazzar. Another tablet, the Nabonidus
Chronicle, describes how King Nabonidus spent 10 years in the
city of Tima and he left his son Belshazzar in charge at Babylon. And it also records the fall
of the city of Babylon. Now, these artefacts can be seen
in the British Museum in London. And they confirm the historical
accuracy of the Holy Scriptures. And of course it is not the only
time that opponents of the Bible have been confounded. For many
years the Hittites were regarded as myth, a product of Bible writers'
imagination. And then, lo and behold, archaeological
discoveries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries showed
that in fact the Hittites had been a great empire they were
a great civilization and examples of their art can now be seen
in the British Museum well, well, well how true are the words of
the hymn writer against no scripture ever strive but tremble at his
word revere the sacred page to injure any part betrays with
blind and feeble rage a hard and haughty heart. If aught there
dark appear, bewild thy want of sight. No imperfection can
be there, for all God's words are right." We know that the
Bible is the Word of God. and we can say with the psalmist
thy word is true from the beginning every one of thy righteous judgments
endureth forever and we know that what God says he will do
he does so Isaiah says in Isaiah 46 and
verse 9 he says remember the former things of old for I am
God and there is none else I am God and there is none like me
declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things
that are not yet done saying my counsel shall stand and I
will do all my pleasure calling a ravenous bird from the east
the man that executed my counsel from a far country Yea, I have
spoken it, I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it,
I will also do it. That which Jeremiah prophesied
assuredly came to pass. As we come to the words of our
text this morning we shall consider firstly the historical application
of these words and then secondly the spiritual and gospel application
of these words for of course the scriptures testify of Christ
the Lord Jesus Christ is to be found in all the scriptures and
he is to be found here in Jeremiah but first of all let us consider
the historical application of these words. The Lord has brought
forth our righteousness. Come and let us declare in Zion
the work of the Lord our God. Now the context is the destruction
of Babylon. As we have said, chapters 50
and 51 speak of the destruction of that ancient empire which
took the Jews captive and kept them captive for 70 years. Babylon
was as it were an instrument in God's hand for the chastisement
of the children of Judah the children of Judah were to be
chastised for their sins and they were to be chastised by
the means of the Babylonian rod but the rod after it had served
its purpose was to be destroyed it was a wicked instrument in
the hands of a good master. Now see how this wicked instrument
relished its role. Verse 11 of chapter 50. Because ye were glad, because
ye rejoiced, O ye destroyers of mine heritage, because he
are grown fat as the heifer at grass and bellow as bulls Babylon
had behaved like a greedy animal and devoured the land of Judah
and the city of Jerusalem verse 17 Israel is a scattered sheep
the lions have driven him away first the king of Assyria have
devoured him and last this Nebuchadrezza king of Babylon have broken his
bones therefore thus saith the Lord
of hosts the God of Israel behold I will punish the king of Babylon
and his land as I have punished the king of Assyria all the wicked
Babylonians they thought that they could do anything against
the Lord's people verse 7 of chapter 50, all that found them
have devoured them and their adversaries said we offend not
because they have sinned against the Lord the habitation of justice
even the Lord the hope of their fathers in other words, we can
do what we like with them because they have offended against God
their God now any nation that strives against
God's people is striving against the Lord himself and so God says
to Babylon there in chapter 50 verse 24, thou hast striven against
the Lord this instrument had become proud against the one
who wielded it verse 29 of chapter 50, call together the archers against Babylon, all ye that
bend the bow, camp against it round about, let none thereof
escape, recompense her according to her work, according to all
that she hath done to unto her, for she hath been proud against
the Lord, against the Holy One of Israel. Babylon rose up against God and
He raises up against Babylon a terrible wind of judgment thus
saith the Lord behold I will rise up against Babylon and against
them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against
me a destroying wind Now, see how the Lord, by the
mouth of the prophet Jeremiah, declares the guilt of Babylon.
Now this is key to understanding the historical application of
the words of our text. See how the Lord declares the
guilt of Babylon, for she hath sinned against the Lord. chapter 50 verse 14, she is as
guilty of the sin of idolatry as the children of Judah had
been now the children of Judah were being punished for or chastised
for their sin of idolatry but Babylon was every bit as guilty
of the sin of idolatry as the children of Judah had been verse
38 of chapter 50 a drought is upon her waters and they shall
be dried up for it is the land of graven images and they are
mad upon their idols and chapter 51 verse 47 therefore behold
the days come that I will do judgment upon the graven images
of Babylon and her whole land shall be confounded and all her
slain shall fall in the midst of her and not only was it just
Babylon that was infected with this disease of idolatry she
had also infected other nations and so other nations were mad
also upon their idols again in chapter 51 verse 7 Babylon had
been a golden cup in the Lord's hand that made all the earth
drunken the nations have drunken of her wine therefore the nations
are mad Babylon is guilty and she is
to be destroyed the Lord will avenge the destruction of his
temple three times we have it in these two chapters chapter
50 verse 28 the voice of them that flee and
escape out of the land of Babylon to declare in Zion the vengeance
of the Lord our God the vengeance of His temple and in chapter
51 verse 11 make bright the arrows, gather the shields the Lord hath
raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes for his device is
against Babylon to destroy it because it is the vengeance of
the Lord the vengeance of his temple and again verse 51 We are confounded because we
have heard reproach, shame hath covered our faces, for strangers
are coming to the sanctuaries of the Lord's house. Wherefore,
behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will do judgment
upon her graven images, and through all her land the wounded shall
groan." It is the vengeance of the Lord's
house. Now, this These scriptures were fulfilled that very night
when Belshazzar was feasting and drinking wine. You remember
how he called for the golden and silver vessels that had been
taken from the temple at Jerusalem and he and all his princes, all
those who were with him, they drunk from those vessels. We read of these things in Daniel
chapter 5. Then they brought the golden
vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God
which is at Jerusalem. And the king and his princes,
his wives and his concubines drank in them. They drank wine
and praised the gods of gold and of silver, of brass, of iron,
of wood and of stone. But then what do we read at the
end of that chapter? In verse 30, in that night was
Belshazzar the king of the Chordaeans slain and Darius the Median took
the kingdom being about 3 score and 2 years old and so was fulfilled even to
the letter the prophecy of Jeremiah 51 verse 57 and I will make drunk her princes
and her wise men her captains and her rulers and her mighty
men and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake saith the
king whose name is the Lord of hosts now see here that the punishment
of Babylon for her sins is just for it is the vengeance of the
Lord take vengeance upon her as she hath done do unto her God will deal with Babylon in
a way of justice in a way of most perfect justice recompense
her according to her work according to all that she hath done do
unto her for she hath been proud against the Lord against the
Holy One of Israel this was to be a time of recompense Babylon
was to be paid for all her work she is to receive her wages for this is the time of the Lord's
vengeance He will render unto her a recompense that is a deserved
payment, retribution verse 56, for the Lord God of recompenses
shall surely require it God is a God of infinite justice and
Babylon's punishment is infinitely just verse 24 of chapter 51 and I will render unto Babylon
and to all the inhabitants of Chordia all their evil have done
in Zion in your sight, saith the Lord." Have they thrown down
the walls of Jerusalem and destroyed the temple of the Lord? her foundations
are fallen, her walls are thrown down for it is the vengeance
of the Lord take vengeance upon her as she had done due unto
her the punishment is just and it is final and they shall not
take of thee a stone for a corner nor a stone for foundations but
thou shalt be desolate forever saith the Lord who God is a God concerning Judah however the
Lord says that they are not forsaken verse 5 of this 51st chapter
for Israel had not been forsaken nor Judah of his God of the Lord
of hosts though their land was filled with sin against the Holy
One of Israel though they were such a sinful people yet they
are not forsaken their sins are pardoned verse 20 of chapter
50, in those days and in that time saith the Lord the iniquity
of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none and the
sins of Judah and they shall not be found for I will pardon
them whom I reserve the Lord says that he will plead
the cause of his covenant people, verse 34, their Redeemer is strong
the Lord of hosts is his name he shall through thee plead their
cause that he may give rest to the land and disquiet the inhabitants
of Babylon again in verse 36 of chapter
51 therefore thus saith the Lord
behold I will plead thy cause and take vengeance for thee and
I will dry up her sea and make her springs dry Now, in the words
of our text, here in verse 10 of chapter 51, the children of
Judah acknowledge that the Lord has pleaded their cause. The
Lord has brought forth our righteousness in destroying Babylon. The Lord has vindicated the cause
of his people. He has avenged the wrongs that
were done to his people. Indeed, he has declared himself
to be their God. and he has declared their religion
to be the true religion every man is brutish by his knowledge
every founder is confounded by the graven image for his molten
image is falsehood and there is no bread in them They are
vanity, the work of errors. In the time of their visitation
they shall perish. The portion of Jacob is not like
them, for he is the former of all things, and Israel is the
rod of his inheritance. The Lord of hosts is his name. Yes, the Lord has acted in a
way of judgement and justice. The Lord has brought forth our
righteousness. He has vindicated our righteous
cause. He has pleaded our cause and
taken vengeance for us. This is how David uses the phrase
in Psalm 37 at verse 6 and he shall bring forth thy
righteousness as the light and thy judgment as the noonday he
will plead your cause, he will appear for you these words then speak of the
judgment which God has given on behalf of his people the Lord
hath brought forth our righteousness and then there is a call to the
people to leave Babylon and to return to their own land and
to give thanks in Jerusalem for all that the Lord had done for
them come and let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord
our God and this return of the Jews to their own land was also
prophesied throughout these two chapters we see for example in
verse 6 flee out of the midst of Babylon and deliver every
man his soul be not cut off in her iniquity for this is the
time of the Lord's vengeance he will render unto her a recompense
and then in the verse immediately before the words of our text
verse 9 we would have healed Babylon but she is not healed
forsake her and let us go everyone to his own country for her judgment
reacheth unto heaven and is lifted up even to the skies the Lord
hath brought forth our righteousness come and let us declare in Zion
the work of the Lord our God all the people of God would have
healed Babylon they sought the spiritual welfare of the city
they prayed for her and so they were directed to do by the prophet
back in chapter 29 in verse 7 and seek the peace of
the city whither I have caused you to be carried away Capsis
and pray unto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall
ye have peace so they would have healed her, they prayed for her
but she would not be healed she is to be destroyed and the
people of God must forsake her come and let us declare in Zion
the work of the Lord our God well this part of the verse is
also prophetic and it had a historical accomplishment in the return
of the Jews to their own land and the rebuilding of the temple
and so the Jews did declare in Zion the work of the Lord their
God they did declare in Zion the vengeance of the Lord our
God and the vengeance of his temple Well, this is the historical
application of the words of our text. The Lord hath brought forth
our righteousness, come and let us declare in Zion the work of
the Lord our God. Let us consider, secondly, and
more importantly, the spiritual and gospel application of these
words. Now, we have warrants in the
New Testament to apply these words to the gospel church. The Apostle John, writing under
the direct inspiration of the Spirit of God, as was Jeremiah,
uses very similar language in the Revelation when he speaks
of the mystical Babylon. Revelation 17 verse 4 We read
there of the mystical Babylon and the woman was arrayed in
purple and scarlet colour and decked with gold and precious
stones and pearls having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations
and filthiness of her fornication and upon her forehead was her
name written Mystery Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots
and abominations on the earth. And just as Babylon of old infected
the nations with her idolatry and made them mad with their
idols so the mystical Babylon of the New Testament infects
the world with her idolatry verse 2 of Revelation 17 with whom
the kings of the earth have committed fornication and the inhabitants
of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication and just as Babylon of old persecuted
the people of God so the mystical Babylon persecutes the people
of God and I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints
and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus all the reformers would have
healed her that's why Martin Luther posted his 95 theses to
the door of the castle church in Wittenberg it was not so much
a protest, they were issues to be debated because there were
abuses crept into the church and he would have healed her but she would not be healed and
the reformers had to leave the church of Rome and so it was
written in the Revelation chapter 18 verse 4 and I heard another
voice from heaven saying come out of her my people that she
be not partakers of her sins and that she receive not of her
plagues judgment is pronounced against the mystical Babylon
and a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and cast
it into the sea saying thus with violence shall that great city
Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no more at all When we see God dealing with
the Babylonian whore, as he did in 1870, when the Pope lost his
temporal power, or when the ten horns of the beast burn her with
fire, then we will be able to say in the words of our text,
the Lord has brought forth our righteousness. Come and let us
declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God. or as it is written
in the book of the Revelation Rejoice over her thou heaven
and ye holy apostles and prophets for God has avenged you on her and again there in Revelation
after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven
saying Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and honor
and power unto the Lord our God for true and righteous are his
judgments for he hath judged the great whore which did corrupt
the earth with her fornication and have avenged the blood of
his servants at her hand and again they said hallelujah and
her smoke rose up forever and ever there is then in this there is
then this spiritual application of these words to the church
of the New Testament the Lord has brought forth our righteousness
come let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God but
surely there is a deeper significance in these words you see all the elect of God
in their first birth are born in the land of captivity They
are the servants of sin and Satan. The Lord Jesus Christ said, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, whosoever committeth sin is the servant
of sin. Paul says in Romans, know ye
not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants
ye are, to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience
unto righteousness. But God be thanked that ye were
the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form
of doctrine which was delivered you." Oh, they were the servants of
sin! The elect of God as they were born into this world, are
in the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his
will and in this they are no different from the Babylonians
they were by nature the children of wrath even as others the Jews in Babylon were really
no different to the Babylonians you know but Babylonians were
idolaters so were the Jews That's why they were brought
to Babylon. Because of their sin of idolatry. So the elect
of God all sinned in Adam. In this they are no different
from the rest of the human race. The Jews had no righteousness
of their own to boast of. And neither has anyone of the
elect. But we are all as an unclean thing. and all our righteousnesses
are as filthy rags and we all do fade as a leaf and our iniquities
like the wind have taken us away just like the Jews were taken
away into captivity we have been taken away into captivity when the head of the race fell
when Adam sinned we were taken into captivity and as there is a set time to
favour Zion there was a set time to favour Zion and the Jews were
released from their captivity so there is a set time to favour
every redeemed vessel of mercy just as Israel had not been forsaken,
nor Judah of his God, of the Lord of hosts, though their land
was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel. So none of
the elect of God are forsaken of God, though their hearts were
full of sin against the Holy One of Israel. In the Gospel there is revealed
the pardon of all their sins through the Redeemer's blood. in those days and in that time
saith the Lord the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and
there shall be none and the sins of Judah and they shall not be
found for I will pardon them whom I reserve the elect of God
have their sins pardoned and it is through the Redeemer's
precious blood in the gospel their righteousness is revealed
the Lord hath brought forth our righteousness here it is! it
is not a righteousness of themselves for it is the Lord who has brought
it forth it is a righteousness which is of God Isaiah says,
no weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper and every
tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment shall bow and
condemn this is the heritage of the Lord of hosts and their
righteousness is of me, saith the Lord." Their righteousness
is of me, saith the Lord. Here is a righteousness which
will answer all the accusations of the devil. Here is a righteousness
that will answer all the reproaches of men, all the condemnation
of the law, and all the alarms of conscience this is the righteousness that
Paul trusted in not having mine own righteousness which is of
the law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness
which is of God by faith and this righteousness is a gift
it's not earned it's not deserved it's given and so Paul speaks
of the gift of righteousness for if by one man's offense death
reigned by one, that is by Adam, much more they which receive
abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign
in life by one Jesus Christ. Now this gift of righteousness
is sovereignly bestowed and it is given in and by the person
of the only begotten Son of God. Indeed, He is our righteousness.
as Isaiah previously declares in chapter 23 when he prophesies
of the Lord Jesus Christ Jeremiah 23 verse 5 Behold, the days come,
saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous branch,
and a king shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and
justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved,
and Israel shall dwell safely. And this is his name, whereby
he shall be called the Lord our righteousness. Jehovah to Kenya
Christ is our righteousness He is that righteous branch Zechariah
prophesied of Him for behold I will bring forth my servant
the branch as the only begotten of the Father He was brought forth in eternity
There was never a time when the son was not. The father is eternal
and the son is eternal. When the son is eternally begotten
of the father, he was eternally brought forth. It is beyond our
comprehension. And from everlasting, that is
from eternity, he was set up as the covenant head of his people. And so we read in Proverbs, I
was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, whatever
the earth was, when there were no depths, I was brought forth. When there were no fountains
abounding with water, before the mountains were settled, before
the hills, was I brought forth. And our righteousness was brought
forth as it were in time, at the incarnation of the Son of
God. But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth
His Son, made of a woman, made under the law. He was made under
the law. He willingly came in the likeness
of sinful flesh and He put Himself under the law of God that He
might fulfill all righteousness, that He might keep that holy
law of God in thought and word and deed. It was that He might
work a perfect righteousness in our nature. That's why the
Word was made flesh and dwells among us. This is why He was
made of a woman, made under the Law. The purpose was, as Daniel
says, to bring in everlasting righteousness. This is why He
was made under the Law. The Lord Jesus Christ has fulfilled
the Law on behalf of the chosen people of God. We see it in the
Incarnation and we see it in the perfect law-keeping of our
Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord had brought forth our
righteousness. Our righteousness was brought
forth at the Incarnation and our righteousness was brought
forth at the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ. For it was
there at the cross that all the sins of all the elect were forever
put away. They were dealt with. For He
had made Him to be sin for us. do you know, sin, that we might
be made the righteousness of God in Him? For the Lord hath brought forth
our righteousness at the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ sin
is atoned for and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son cleanseth
us from all sin our righteousness was brought forth at the resurrection
of Christ He was raised again for our justification, Paul says. Raised again that we might be
declared righteous. That's the meaning of the word.
That we might be declared righteous. The Lord had brought forth our
righteousness. Our righteousness was brought
forth at Christ's ascension into heaven. Thou hast ascended on
high, Thou hast led captivity captive, Thou hast received gifts
for men, yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might
dwell among them. Oh, captivity is led captive! The Lord hath brought forth our
righteousness and our righteousness is brought forth to our hearts
and to our consciences by the Holy Ghost for it is the Spirit
of God who applies the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ
to the hearts of his elect people. And this he does in regeneration,
in the new birth. It is in the new birth that the
Son of Righteousness arises with healing in his wings. Before the dawn of the day the
darkness is seen and felt. The convinced sinner is made
to know and to feel the plague of his own heart he mourns on
account of his sins he hungers and he thirsts for righteousness
he cannot look to himself for he is a sinner and all he does is sin all that
proceeds from my fallen wicked heart is sin all that is not
of faith is sin all that proceeds from a sinner is sin the convinced sinner then cannot
look to himself for he finds nothing but sin and he cannot
look to any other of his fellow creatures for all have sinned and come
short of the glory of God all but there is revealed in the
gospel one who is righteous one who has never sinned, Jehovah
said can you the Lord our righteousness and the righteousness of the
Lord Jesus Christ is imputed to every sinner that looks to
him that is, it is put upon every sinner that believes on him that's
why Paul speaks of the righteousness of faith the righteousness of
faith. Faith looks to Christ and righteousness
is imputed it is put upon everyone that looks to Him that looks
to be saved by Him the Lord hath brought forth our
righteousness there it is, it's in heaven Bunyan was convinced
of his sin wasn't he until he saw his righteousness in heaven
he saw his righteousness there at the right hand of God Christ
is his righteousness, Christ is my righteousness see it in the parable of the
prodigal son in Luke 15 we have a perfect picture of a repenting
sinner you see the prodigal son there he sees that there is a
provision for his needy soul in his father's house." Oh, but
he feels his unworthiness. How unworthy he feels. Will he
be received? Will he be received? He knows
he's not worthy to be received. But nevertheless, he ventures.
Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and
am no more worthy to be called thy son. Then what do we read? But the Father said to His servants,
bring forth the best robe and put it on him. Bring forth the
best robe and put it on him. What is that best robe? It is
the righteousness of Christ. The Lord hath brought forth the
best robe The Lord has brought forth the righteousness of Christ
and He has put it upon us so that His righteousness is our
righteousness. The Lord has brought forth our
righteousness. Oh, the wonder of it! We can
now stand unashamed before a holy God. We are clothed in Christ's
righteousness and in His righteousness we are accepted. we are accepted
in the beloved Paul says now let me deal with the rest
of the verse by way of conclusion come and let us declare in Zion
the work of the Lord our God those who are redeemed by blood
and clothed in the righteousness of Christ are called they are
called come come just as the Jews were called out of Babylon
so the elect are called out of false religion and irreligion
they are called out of the world and out of spiritual death and
out of the grave of sin they are called out of darkness into
His marvelous light and it is that they should show forth the
praises of Him who have called them and where is it that God's
praises are shown forth? and are shown forth in Zion.
Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Zion, says the Psalmist. And so we
read here, Come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord
our God. It is in the Gospel Church that
God is truly praised. You see, in a gospel church it
is the work of the Lord our God which is declared, not our works
for we preach not ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord this is
the blessed subject of the songs of Zion as the psalmist again
says, they shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness
and shall sing of thy righteousness of thy righteousness, for how
it behoves all those who have known the work of God in their
souls, who are trusting in Christ's righteousness, and in His finished
work, how it behoves all such to come and to declare in Zion
the work of the Lord our God. We sang it in the Metropole Psalm,
Psalm 107, verse 2, let the redeemed of the Lord say so. whom he hath
redeemed from the hand of the enemy. May the Lord bless to
us his own word of truth for our eternal benefit and for
his eternal glory. The Lord hath brought forth our
righteousness. Come and let us declare in Zion
the work of the Lord our God. Amen.