Blessed are they…

Matthew 5:4

It should be noted that verse 3 speaks of the poor receiving the kingdom of heaven.  Receiving the kingdom of heaven isn’t noted again until verse 10.  Verse 10-13 go together as describing what persecution is.  Verse 4-9 speak of various ways the righteous will be bless in this present world.  The beatitudes open and close with the kingdom of heaven.  In between are items that reflect spiritual sincerity and spiritual blessings.

The blessings of the “beatitudes” are the result of spiritual truths.  They are produced by God upon true spiritual conviction.  False conviction will not produce the true spiritual results.

Verse 4:

Mourn - grieve over their present sins and sinful condition.  Because these sins are against God, not against people, or even themselves.  This is not mourning because of the pressures of life, death, disappointment of lack of promotion.  It is not just mourning over committed sin.  It involves the whole of seeing and understanding the lack of pleasing God.  If there is no realization of being poor in spirit, there will be no mourning as verse 4 declares.  Verse 3 states the fact of being poor, verse 4 states the emotional response to the intelligence of verse 3.

1.      Sinful nature.

2.      personal sins.

3.      private sins.

4.      offending others.

5.      A general unhappiness because of sinfulness, wickedness; everywhere, not only in themselves, but in others.

Comforted - in this present life.

1.      The Holy Spirit is given as a comforter.

a.      John 14:16 - Jesus will pray for another comforter.

b.      John 14:26 - The comforter is the Holy Ghost and will teach all things, and bring all things into our remembrance.

2.      Comforted in the world to come.

a.      Rev. 7:17 - God shall wipe away all tears.

b.      Rev. 21:4 - God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

Verse 5:  Compare to Psalms 37:11 - The meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

Meek means gentle, humble, or mild.  I like to say a meek person is “teachable.”  Not to the person who is “naturally” meek, but who has made himself meek by a study of God’s Holy Word.  The meek person will humbly bear injuries and not fight back.  Sometimes the English word “meek” and the English word “poor” in the Old Testament comes from the same Hebrew word.  This shows how closely aligned “poor in spirit” is with “meekness”.

1.      Numbers 12:3 - The man Moses was more meek than all men on the face of the earth.

2.      Psalms 25:9 - God will guide the meek in judgment and will teach His ways.  (The meek will follow and will listen!)

Inherit the earth.  Not the land of Canaan, but the entire earth.  He shall rule and reign with Christ during the millennium reign and finally will rule with Christ in eternity.

Verse 6:

Hunger and Thirst  not after the wealth and riches of this world, but of that world which is to come.  I Kings 4:29 - Like Solomon praying for wisdom, and God added riches, wealth, and fame to him.

1.      A hunger and thirst for righteousness, not for justice or vengeance or even equity.

2.      Not for a legal righteousness, which comes from a fulfilling or external obedience to the letter of the law, but an internal obedience out of a heart full of love.

3.      To hunger and thirst for righteousness means you don’t have this kind of righteousness.

They shall be filled

1.      with the kind of spiritual righteousness they are longing for.

2.      They shall also be filled with the fruits of righteousness, being led by the Holy Spirit of God into joy, peace, love, Gal. 5:22.

3.      Filled, not half-filled, or just given a small taste, but they shall forever have enough and plenty of the righteousness of God.

Verse 7:  Mercy is giving someone that good thing they don’t deserve.  Matthew 23:23 - Christ told the Pharisees and Scribes they should not only keep the little parts of the law, but should also keep the weightier matters of the law, such as judgment, mercy, and faith.

Merciful

1.      Forgiving those that offend them.

2.      Instructing those that need instructing.

3.      Reproving those that need reproving of sin.

4.      Giving counsel to those that need it.

5.      Praying for others.

Shall Obtain Mercy

1.      From men - maybe not all religious men, but certainly from practical men who see and know righteousness.

2.      From God - who gives mercy to all.  Matthew 18:23-35 - The parable of the unmerciful servant.  Christ forgave them an enormous debt, yet that same fellow wouldn’t forgive his fellowservant a very small debt.

Verse 8 -

Pure in heart

1.      Not in head.  The intellect can be correct, yet the heart be wrong.

2.      Not in emotions.  The emotions can be correct, yet the reason for the emotions be wrong.

3.      Not in actions.  The actions can be right, but if they are not from the heart, they are unacceptable.

4.      Not in outwardness.  If they are not from the inner man, they are wasted.

5.      Man cannot clean his heart.

a.      Jeremiah 17:9 - The heart is desperately wicked above all things, who can know it.

b.      The righteousness of God can be in every heart when it is washed with the water of the Word of God.

They shall see God.

1.      In this life.  Worshipping God in spirit and in truth, and in pure fellowship with other believers.

2.      In the life to come.  When they shall see Him face to face.

Verse 9 - Peacemakers - Romans 14:19 - Let us follow after the things of peace.