THE BEATITUDES:
Blessed Are Those Who Hunger And Thirst
Having discussed the attitudes necessary for one to come to obedient faith in Christ (poor in Spirit, mourn for sin, meek), the Lord then proceeds to speak about the need for the spiritual newborn to grow. He declares,
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. (Matthew 5:6)
Physical hunger and thirst are natural functions, essential for the well-being of our body. If we did not experience the "empty" feeling in the pit of our stomach, we'd not be prompted to eat food, and in turn, would fail to provide the nutrients needed for our body to sustain life. Likewise, if not for the dry sensation in our throat, we may not perceive the need to have something to drink. Our bodies very capably tell us when food or drink is required.
But Jesus is not talking about eating food or drinking water. He speaks of a spiritual hunger and thirst. Just as it is necessary for the physical body to be nourished, sustenance must be sought for the soul.
Moses taught the people of Israel,
...He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD. (Deuteronomy 8:3)
God used the time of wandering in the wilderness to teach the people of Israel the need for them to rely upon Him. Manna fed the Israelites' bodies, but the greater lesson was for them to be dependent upon God; not just for food, but in all things.
After a forty day fast, Jesus was tempted by the devil to turn stones to bread. In response, He quoted Moses' statement,
It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' (Matthew 4:4; cf. Luke 4:4)
May we learn to rely upon God in all things. May the hunger and thirst for His word be cultivated and increased in our lives.
In John 6, those whom Jesus had fed the day before returned to Him, asking that He perform a sign, that they might believe. In doing so, they referenced the manna which their fathers ate (John 6:30-31). Quite simply, they wanted another free meal; their bodies were hungering, but their souls were not. The Lord identified Himself as the "true bread from heaven" (John 6:32-33; cf. 35, 41, 48-51). Hear how He concludes His case:
As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven - not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever. (John 6:57-58)
“...as it is necessary for the physical body to be nourished, sustenance must be sought for the soul.”
May we hunger and thirst for the Lord and His word. The apostle Peter encouraged those who are young in the faith, that they, "...as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby..." (1 Peter 2:2) But from there, we must grow, eventually to feast upon the meat of the word. The Hebrew writer expressed his concern for some, saying,
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. (Hebrews 5:12-13)
Paul likewise expressed his concern for the saints at Corinth, who were not growing as they ought.
And I brethren could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you are still not able to receive it; and even now you are not able; for you are still carnal. (1 Corinthians 3:1-3a)
Jesus promised that those who have a genuine spiritual hunger and thirst "...shall be filled." I say genuine, because we must actually seek good, wholesome spiritual food. Just as we cannot expect to be healthy physically if our diet is junk, neither can we be spiritually healthy if we are not eating the pure milk and pure meat of God's word. This demands that our focus be upon the doctrine of God, not the doctrines of men. We must be concerned with what the Bible says, not with what men say about the Bible. We must put into practice what God commands of us, not what we might pick and choose of His commandments.
Friend, are you feasting on the bread of life today? Do you thirst for righteousness? The Lord invites all to come:
Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. (Isaiah 55:1-2)
Article Navigation:
Answering The Atheist
Complaint:
Should we fear or not? Jesus said we should not in Luke 12:32, but Solomon said that we should fear God in Ecclesiastes 12:13. Is there a contradiction?
Response:
Solomon is certainly not the only one to reveal that man should fear God. There are several occasions in the Bible men are commanded to fear God. Joseph identified himself as one who feared the Lord (Genesis 42:18), Moses revealed in the Old Testament law that man ought to fear God (Deuteronomy 6:2; 10:12), Joshua charged the people of Israel to fear God (Joshua 24:14), as did Samuel (1 Samuel 12:14).
In fact, Jesus Himself, earlier in the context of Luke 12 revealed that man should fear God. Hear His words:
And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more than they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes I say to you, fear Him! (Luke 12:4-5)
If Solomon, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, and even Jesus tell us that we should fear God, why does the Lord then say, "Do not fear?"
The question is, "do not fear" what? Is He saying do not fear God? No. Beginning at Luke 12:22, and going through to Luke 12:40, Jesus taught that we should not be filled with fear about the concerns and issues of this life; He distinguishes the temporal from the eternal (just as He did in Luke 12:4-7). It is not God whom He says do not fear, but rather the people or circumstances of life which may bring harm to us. God is watchful, and it is God's intent to give us the eternal kingdom, if we will fear Him and keep His commandments.
There is no contradiction.
This article is in response to a visitor submission.