Righteous (2118)(euthutes from euthus = straight, immediate) is only here in NT and which means rectitude (the quality or state of being straight, moral integrity or righteousness, the quality or state of being correct in judgment or procedure), straightness, uprightness, evenness. In other words the Messiah rules in absolute honesty and integrity and is opposed to wickedness, unevenness and injustice. Messiah's government will be right, upright, just, equal, and impartial. Dear believer, does this glorious truth not make you yearn for His soon return or as Paul puts it love "His appearing" (see note 2 Timothy 4:8)? This passage parallels many passages in the Old Testament that predict the Messiah’s righteous rule (e.g., Isa 9:7; 11:4 ; Isaiah 58-66 ). Although this is the only NT use of euthutes, this noun is found some 20 times in the in the non-apocryphal Septuagint (LXX) (Jos. 24:14; 1 Ki. 3:6; 9:4; Ps. 9:8; 11:7; 17:2; 26:12; 37:37; 45:6; 67:4; 75:1; 96:10; 98:9; 99:4; 111:8; 119:7; Eccl. 12:10; Cant. 1:4; 7:9; Dan. 6:22). Here are some examples of uses of euthutes... Joshua 24:14 "Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity (Hebrew = tamiym = speaks of integrity; Lxx = euthutes) and truth (what does such fear and service look like? It is very practical - read on); and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 1 Kings 3:6 Then Solomon said, "Thou hast shown great lovingkindness to Thy servant David my father, according as he walked before Thee in truth and righteousness and uprightness (Heb = yishrah from yasar = to be straight, upright, pleasing, ethically blameless; Lxx = euthutes) of heart toward Thee; and Thou hast reserved for him this great lovingkindness, that Thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. Psalm 9:8 And He (Jehovah/Jesus) will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity (Heb = meyshar also related to yasar [see above] = uprightness; Lxx = euthutes). (Spurgeon's note) Psalm 11:7 For the LORD (Jehovah/Jesus) is righteous; He loves righteousness (Heb = tsedaqah = blameless conduct, right attitudes and actions; Lxx = euthutes); The upright will behold His face. (Spurgeon's note) Psalm 17:2 Let my judgment come forth from Thy presence; Let Thine eyes look with equity (Heb = meyshar also related to yasar [see above] = uprightness; Lxx = euthutes). (Spurgeon's note) Psalm 26:12 My foot stands on a level (Heb = miysor = speaks of evenness, straight as opposed to crooked; Lxx = euthutes - so here is used literally which helps us understand the predominantly figurative uses) place; In the congregations I shall bless the LORD. (Spurgeon's note) Psalm 37:37 Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright (yasar = straight, just, right; Lxx = euthutes); For the man of peace will have a posterity. (Spurgeon's note) Psalm 67:4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; For Thou wilt judge the peoples with uprightness (mishor = a level place; uprightness; Lxx = euthutes), And guide the nations on the earth. Selah. (Spurgeon's note) Psalm 96:10 Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity (mesar = evenness, uprightness; Lxx = euthutes)." (Spurgeon's note) Psalm 98:9 Before the LORD; for He is coming to judge the earth; He will judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with equity (mesar = evenness, uprightness; Lxx = euthutes). (Spurgeon's note) Psalm 99:4 And the strength of the King loves justice; Thou hast established (or prepared) equity (mesar = evenness, uprightness; Lxx = euthutes); Thou hast executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. (Spurgeon's note) Psalm 111:8 They (The works of His hands are truth and justice; All His precepts are sure) are upheld forever and ever; They are performed in truth and uprightness (yasar = straight, just, right; Lxx = euthutes). (Spurgeon's note) Psalm 119:7 I shall give thanks to Thee with uprightness (Heb = yosher = straightness often speaks of 2 paths of life and warns to stay on the "straight" path, Pr 2:13; Lxx = euthutes) of heart, when I learn Thy righteous judgments. (Spurgeon's note) Kingdom (932) (basileia from basileus = a sovereign, king, monarch) denotes sovereignty, royal power, dominion and refers therefore to the territory or people over whom a king rules. The Kingdom of Heaven/God is the sphere in which God is acknowledged as King (In hearts giving Him obedience). In this sense the Kingdom has a spiritual aspect, a present physical aspect, and a future eternal aspect (beginning with the millennium, cf Mt 25:31,34 - see Dr Walvoord's article The Future Work of Christ — Part IV: The Millennial Kingdom and the Eternal State), all of course depending on the context of the passage in which basileia is found. Paul is careful to remind us that the Kingdom of Heaven/God is not in observance of ordinances, external and material, but in the deeper matters of the heart, which are spiritual and essential for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (see note Romans 14:17) Click here to study over 100 uses of the "Kingdom" most of which refer to the Kingdom of Heaven/God. See also related discussion on the Kingdom of Heaven Hebrews 1:9 "YOU HAVE LOVED (2SAAI) RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED (2SAAI) LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE * GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED (3SAAI) YOU WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS." (NASB: Lockman) Greek: egaphesas (2SAAI) dikaiosunen kai emisesas (2SAAI) anomian; dia touto echrisen (3SAAI) se o theos o theos sou, elaion agalliaseos para tous metochous sou; Amplified: You have loved righteousness [You have delighted in integrity, virtue, and uprightness in purpose, thought, and action] and You have hated lawlessness (injustice and iniquity). Therefore God, [even] Your God (Godhead), has anointed You with the oil of exultant joy and gladness above and beyond Your companions (Amplified Bible - Lockman) KJV: Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Phillips: You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness more than your companions' . (Phillips: Touchstone) Wuest: You loved righteousness and hated lawlessness. On this account there has anointed you, God, your God, with the oil of exultant joy above your associates. (Eerdmans) Young's Literal: thou didst love righteousness, and didst hate lawlessness; because of this did He anoint thee -- God, thy God -- with oil of gladness above thy partners;' THOU HAST LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS: egaphesas (2SAAI) dikaiosunen kai emisesas (2SAAI) anomian: (Heb 7:26; Ps 11:5; 33:5; 37:28; 40:8; 45:7; Isa 61:8) (Ps 119:104; 128 Pr 8:13; Amos 5:15; Zech 8:17; Ro 12:9; Rev 2:6, 2:7, 2:15) The writer is quoting from Psalm 45:7 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness; Therefore God, Thy God, has anointed Thee With the oil of joy above Thy fellows. C H Spurgeon (in Treasury of David) writes the following thoughts on Psalm 45... Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever. To whom can this be spoken but our Lord? The psalmist cannot restrain his adoration. His enlightened eye sees in the royal Husband of the church, God, God to be adored, God reigning, God reigning everlastingly. Blessed sight! Blind are the eyes that cannot see God in Christ Jesus! We never appreciate the tender condescension of our King in becoming one flesh with His church, and placing her at His right hand, until we have fully rejoiced in His essential glory and deity. What a mercy for us that our Saviour is God, for who but a God could execute the work of salvation? What a glad thing it is that He reigns on a throne which will never pass away, for we need both sovereign grace and eternal love to secure our happiness. Could Jesus cease to reign we should cease to be blessed, and were He not God, and therefore eternal, this must be the case. No throne can endure for ever, but that on which God Himself sitteth. The sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. He is the lawful monarch of all things that be. His rule is founded in right, its law is right, its result is right. Our King is no usurper and no oppressor. Even when He shall break His enemies with a rod of iron, He will do no man wrong; His vengeance and His grace are both in conformity with justice. Hence we trust Him without suspicion; He cannot err; no affliction is too severe, for He sends it; no judgment too harsh, for He ordains it. O blessed hands of Jesus! the reigning power is safe with you. All the just rejoice in the government of the King Who reigns in righteousness. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness. Christ Jesus is not neutral in the great contest between right and wrong: as warmly as He loves the one He abhors the other. What qualifications for a sovereign! what grounds of confidence for a people! The whole of our Lord's life on earth proved the truth of these words; His death to put away sin and bring in the reign of righteousness, sealed the fact beyond all question; His providence by which He rules from His mediatorial throne, when rightly understood, reveals the same; and His final assize will proclaim it before all worlds. We should imitate Him both in His love and hate; they are both needful to complete a righteous character. Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Jesus as Mediator owned God as His God, to Whom, being found in fashion as a man, He became obedient. On account of our Lord's perfect life He is now rewarded with superior joy. Others there are to whom grace has given a sacred fellowship with Him, but by their universal consent and His own merit, He is prince among them, the gladdest of all because the cause of all their gladness. At Oriental feasts oil was poured on the heads of distinguished and very welcome guests; God Himself anoints the man Christ Jesus, as He sits at the heavenly feasts, anoints Him as a reward for His work, with higher and fuller joy than any else can know; thus is the Son of man honoured and rewarded for all His pains. Observe the indisputable testimony to Messiah's Deity in verse six, and to His manhood in the present verse. Of Whom could this be written but of Jesus of Nazareth? Our Christ is our Elohim. Jesus is God with us. Phillips outlines these verses as follows... 1. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF CHRIST "thy throne" 2. THE DEITY OF CHRIST "O God" 3. THE DYNASTY OF CHRIST "for ever and ever" 4. THE AUTHORITY OF CHRIST "the sceptre" 5. THE INTEGRITY OF CHRIST "righteousness" 6. THE SPIRITUALITY OF CHRIST "God . . . hath anointed" 7. THE VIVACITY OF CHRIST "the oil of gladness" -- Phillips Sermon Outlines Psalms 89:14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Thy throne; Lovingkindness and truth go before Thee. Spurgeon writes: They are the basis of the divine government, the sphere within which His sovereignty moves. God as a sovereign is never unjust or unwise. He is too holy to be unrighteous, too wise to be mistaken; this is constant matter for joy to the upright in heart. Hast loved...and hated - note the past tense here, the Father commending His Son for the moral perfection He had manifested upon earth in the days of His humiliation. But these attitudes remain true of Him still, for He changeth not. The writer of Hebrews again alludes to Jesus' love of righteousness and hatred for sin writing (of Jesus) that... it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens (see note Hebrews 7:26) Andrew Murray writes... Christ is a righteous King: He is Melchizedek, the King of Righteousness. In His kingdom all is righteousness and holiness. There "grace reigns through righteousness." It is the kingdom of heaven: in it the will of God is done on earth as in heaven. And when it is farther said, Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity, we are reminded that the righteousness is not only His as a divine attribute, but His too as the fruit of His life on earth. There He was tested, and tried, and perfected, and found worthy as man to sit upon the throne of God. The throne which belonged to Him, as Son of God and heir of all things, He had as Son of Man to win. And now He reigns over His people, teaching them by His own example, enabling them by His own Spirit to fulfil all righteousness. As the King of Righteousness He rules over a righteous people. (Ibid) "Copy and paste the address below into your web browser in order to go to the original page which will allow you to access live links related to the material on this page - these links include Scriptures (which can be read in context), Scripture pop-ups on mouse over, and a variety of related resources such as Bible dictionary articles, commentaries, sermon notes and theological journal articles related to the topic under discussion." http://www.preceptaustin.org/hebrews_18-14.htm#righteous