Pastor's Pen
January/February 2003

The nine Beatitudes (blesseds)
verses 3-12

An overview of the beatitudes:

As we begin to view these nine beatitudes from a collective view, we realize how diametrically opposed they are to the "world mentality." As the apostle said, "The carnal mind is enmity with God." The carnal mind fights God, and is in direct opposition to everything that God says. (The god of this world has undoubtedly corrupted the mind of this world.) They said of Paul and his company, "These have turned the world upside down" (Acts 17:6). Actually Paul was setting the world aright!

Let us observe the word "blessed." The word "blessed" has the sense of great euphoria and great happiness. It also has the sense of good fortune (success). Furthermore, there is great eternal reward as these beatitudes are worked out in our life

However, as we consider these nine attitudes, we realize that they don’t come without a certain suffering and pain. They simply cannot be etched upon our heart aside from agonizing experiences in our lives. Single any of them out – there is a cost involved to have them developed. Joseph, who wanted to be pure, paid a great price to be pure. When you have suffered for something you hold it very dear!

Solomon was tutored by the very best. He was taught good principles but he never had to suffer for those truths. In the end Solomon became poor (spiritually).

*Note: I am incorporating the nine beatitudes into one text. Some scholars prefer to count them as individual texts.

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The first beatitude – The poor in spirit

(Mat 5:3) Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

It is said of Christ "He became poor" (2 Cor. 8:9). This was true not only in the physical sense, but he divested Himself of all of the honor and glory and majesty that He had in heaven. Though He was the Co-Creator of the world, He made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant (Phil. 2:7).

The word "poor" has the sense of a cringing beggar. Christ was totally dependent upon the Father, and did nothing without Him! (See John 5:19.) This is an attitude that Christ wants to develop in our lives – a healthy appraisal of who we really are. We are nothing because we are nothing. However, when we have a healthy appreciation of this – God can work through our lives – indeed, He can do all things through us.

David said, "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars… what is man that thou art mindful of him." If we are willing to let the Lord work this attribute out in our lives, the Lord will bring us into humbling circumstances that will reveal just how dependant we must be upon God, and how little confidence we can have in our own strength!

Again, David prayed: "LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am" (Psa. 39:4). In this particular psalm, David is at death’s door. Experiences like this help us to keep things in the right perspective.

Some have gone overboard trying to be humble, saying, "I am a worm, etc." During the monastic age, many a monk tried to work humility into his life by some form of self-abasement or self-affliction. That certainly does not work. In fact, it may work a certain pride or hardness into the heart. But if walk in the Spirit, God will lead us into the conditions that will accomplish the work.

This first beatitude may be the prerequisite for having all the others worked out. If we are not poor in spirit, we certainly could not be meek and we certainly could not mourn. When the famed apostle of faith (Smith Wigglesworth) was asked to what he attributed his great power, his response was, "I am a man with a broken heart." …For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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The second beatitude – They who mourn

(Mat 5:4) Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

It has often been said (concerning the kingdom) that "the way up is down." Blessed are they that mourn doesn’t seem like a rational statement. However, great blessing is reserved for those who have wept for others: for those who have wept for the kingdom purposes and for those who have wept for their own wretchedness.

They shall be comforted when they see that their tears were not in vain! Luke’s version of this sermon says, "Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh… Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep" (Luke 6:21, 25). The world seems to be rejoicing, going on their merry way; but the time comes when things turn around. Isaiah said, "Those who mourn in Zion shall be given beauty for ashes… the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness" (Isa. 61:3).

We can thank God for the spiritual parents of yesteryear who wept for the kingdom – Ezra, Nehemiah, Mordecai, and Esther…. The list is endless, because there have always been those who have wept for the sins of God’s people. (See Num. 25:6.) They shall be comforted when they see the reviving of the kingdom, or the reviving of their own house!

May the Lord graciously develop this attitude within our hearts that we might intercede for our own sinful nation, and for those who have erred from the good path!

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The third beatitudes – the meek

(Mat 5:5) Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

King David spoke this verse in Psa. 37:11. Although meekness is generally viewed by the world to mean "weakness," it is the meek who shall inherit the earth. In the end, it is the meek who shall govern the nations with a rod of iron.

* "Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land…" (Isa. 16:1)

Meekness is an attitude of submission. We recognize that authority is God given. We recognize that there are circumstances that God wants us to accept, and we yield to them! Meekness is developed by accepting God’s will or by continually saying "yes" to the Lord. Jesus compares meekness to submitting to a yoke – in so doing, we find a rest! There is a rest as we surrender to God’s will.

A woman once shared an experience she had, while she faced a decision concerning "submission." She struggled in her spirit for a long time – she did not want to give in. Then one day, as she was in prayer, she broke before the Lord and said, "Yes, I surrender; I will submit to this situation." At that moment (as she describes it), her hands were suddenly covered with a sweet smelling ointment. In her own words, she could not explain what had happened, except that she knew that it was divine.

Compare the account in the Song of Solomon 5:5. The seeker, (who finally submits to the entreaty of her Lord) finds her hands saturated with sweet smelling myrrh. In scripture "Myrrh" speaks of meekness – death to self.

The meekest man in the Old Testament was Moses (Num. 12:3). Moses mediated the Old Testament. The meekest man in the New Testament was Christ, and He mediated the New Testament. In truth, these two men were the most powerful men who ever walked the earth.

In true perspective, it takes tremendous strength and discipline to submit to the things that you can easily have the mastery over – for example, an unreasonable boss or a bad marriage. A woman was once mourning her marriage, wanting to escape it (not hard to do today). The man was not abusive or disloyal, just a very hard man to deal with or reason with. But after a long struggle, she meekly accepted her circumstance. Her home was changed. Today they both faithfully serve the Lord.

Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matt. 11:29)