If we would live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens, we must live in the heavenly nature of the kingdom people. Matthew 5:1-12 depicts this nature under nine blessings. Those who live in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens are poor in spirit, they mourn for the present situation, they are meek in suffering opposition, they hunger and thirst for righteousness, they are merciful toward others, they are pure in heart, they make peace with all men, they suffer persecution for righteousness, and they are reproached and evil spoken of.
Matthew 5:3 says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens.” The spirit here refers not to the Spirit of God but to our human spirit, the deepest part of our being, the organ for us to contact God and realize spiritual things. To be poor in spirit is not only to be humble but also to be emptied in our spirit, in the depth of our being, not holding on to the old things but unloaded to receive the new things, the things of the kingdom of the heavens. We need to be poor, emptied, unloaded, in this part of our being so that we may realize and possess the kingdom of the heavens. If we are poor in spirit, the kingdom of the heavens is ours. We are in its reality now in the church age, and we shall share in its manifestation in the coming age.
In verse 4 the Lord Jesus says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” The entire situation of the world is negative toward God’s economy. Satan, sin, self, darkness, and worldliness predominate among all people on earth. God’s glory is insulted, Christ is rejected, the Holy Spirit is frustrated, the church is desolated, self is corrupted, and the whole world is evil. Hence, God wants us to mourn over such a situation. If we mourn according to God and His economy, we shall be comforted by being rewarded with the kingdom of the heavens. We shall see God’s heavenly ruling over all the negative situation.
Matthew 5:5 says, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Those who are poor in spirit in verse 3 and who mourn in verse 4 are now the meek in verse 5. To be meek does not simply mean to be gentle, humble, and submissive. To be meek means to not resist the world’s opposition but to suffer it willingly. To be meek means not to fight or to resist. If we are meek, willing to suffer the world’s opposition in this age, we shall inherit the earth in the coming age, as revealed in Hebrews 2:5-8 and Luke 19:17, 19.
In verse 6 the Lord says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Righteousness here is to be right in our behavior. We need to hunger and thirst for this righteousness, to seek after such a righteousness, that we may enter into the kingdom of the heavens (vv. 10, 20).
This righteousness is related to what we are inwardly. This is indicated by the fact that we are told to hunger and thirst for righteousness so that we may be satisfied. If we hunger and thirst for righteousness, God will grant us to be satisfied with the very righteousness we seek.
Matthew 5:7 continues, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” To be righteous is to give one what he deserves, whereas to be merciful is to give someone better than he deserves. For the kingdom of the heavens we need to be not only righteous but also merciful. To receive mercy is to get better than we deserve. If we are merciful to others, the Lord will grant us mercy (2 Tim. 1:16, 18), especially at His judgment seat (James 2:12-13).
The promise for us in verse 7 is that those who are merciful will receive mercy. If we judge our brother without mercy today, we shall not receive mercy at the judgment seat of Christ. Because we judge others unmercifully, Christ will judge us unmercifully. But if we have mercy on our brother, the Lord will have mercy on us at His judgment seat. Therefore, we should be strict in dealing with ourselves but very merciful in dealing with others. This also is a matter related to our inward being.
Home | First | Prev | Next