Twenty-Five PromisesMatthew 5:3-12 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. 10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11″Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
The Beatitudes, coming at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, are promises of blessing, completeness or deep fulfillment for those whose heart attitudes are right before God and man. While not exhausting their meaning (or comfort), it is clear that the first few beatitudes describe a spiritual journey:
Blessed are the poor in spirit – those who recognize they are in need of God’s help.
Theirs is the kingdom of heaven – A right relationship to the king belongs to those who confess their spiritual bankruptcy.
Blessed are those who mourn – those who recognize that their own sin separates them from God.
They will be comforted – to these broken sinners, God gives the comfort of his own presence.
Blessed are the meek – The meek are the “gentle,” those who do not assert themselves over others in order to further their own agendas in their own strength. The heart attitude that God blesses is the one that turns both from sin and from self!
They will inherit the earth – that which appears to belong to the proud will ultimately belong to those who have given up on self and trusted only in God.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness – they recognize that God is the ultimate source of real righteousness, and that they desperately need what only he can supply.
They will be filled – by God; only he can supply what bankrupt, mourning, giving-up-on-self sinners long for – the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
Clear – Blessed are You
