In the Fulness of Time/Part 9

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Campaign Pledges and the Promises of Jesus

The very fact that you are reading this article brings several facts to mind. First, the Lord did not return on January 1, 2000 to receive the Christian to Himself, as many be­lieved He would. If He had returned, then all those people connected with harborlighthouse.com would not be here. Second, the web site itself would not be in opera­tion, and third, those of you who are reading this article who know the Lord Jesus as your Savior would also be in heaven at this time. To the rest of you, a fourth very significant fact is, that since the Lord has not yet returned for His own, the door of opportunity is still open for you to accept the gift of salvation by trusting in the completed sacrifice for sin which He provided by His death and resurrection: “Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

While we do not know when Jesus will return in the clouds for His own, we do know that seven years after that event He will return to set up His Kingdom of Heaven on earth and will incorporate in that kingdom the prophecies of the Beatitudes of Matthew 5 which we began to consider in last month’s article. We now continue with the fourth Beatitude:

Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.”

What is the “righteousness” mentioned by Jesus in this verse? Is it an invitation to become righteous, or is it a declaration that the true disciple (who already possesses righ­teousness) will see it visibly fulfilled in this kingdom Jesus is offering? To put it another way, since words “hunger” and “thirst” are present participles, “hungering “ and “thirsting” is this an indication of a condition already personally realized, with the deep desire for public righteousness; or is it a yearning by interested inquirers to be saved and possess such righteousness?

We have stated our view that Jesus speaks to various groups in this proclamation, and that this section, 5:3-12, expounds the blessings of true discipleship. Therefore, it would logically follow that the hunger and thirst is in the hearts of true disciples who are already righteous, but will have their hunger sated and their thirst slaked when Jesus begins His rod of iron rule in His kingdom; again, not something way off in the future, but something He is offering then and there as He is received as their King.

But someone will say that verse ten speaks of being persecuted for righteousness’ sake. True, but at that point the King has not been accepted by Israel and thus, could not put into force His righteous rule. As He speaks, He presents an expectation of opposition to the righteous, but eventually theirs is the kingdom of heaven in which righteousness rules!

Still, others may point to verse twenty where Jesus appeals to some who are depend­ing upon Pharisaic righteousness and warns that they must have a better righteousness in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. However, this is not being spoken to the “blessed” ones, since they are already possessors of the kingdom of heaven (v. 10). Verse 20 is a warning to another group in His audience who do not have the true righteousness of God.

There is no need to confuse this passage with those belonging to the church, empha­sizing our righteousness in Christ, such as II Corinthians 5:21. We should all realize that true righteousness has always come by faith, even as Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness (Romans 4:3). But personal righteousness makes the true believer hunger and thirst for the day when this will be universally displayed when Christ returns and reigns as Jehovah Tsidkenu, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (Jeremiah 23:5-6). There are other Old Testament Scriptures which mention this:

Isaiah 45:8 “Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righ­teousness; let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.”

Isaiah 61:10-62:2 “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness to spring forth before all the nations. For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.”

How can anyone read these words of the Kingdom of Messiah and not believe that it is prophesied to be as spiritual as it is physical? Had the Jews accepted the offer when Jesus made it, surely those who hungered and thirsted after righteousness would have indeed been filled!

Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”

As with any of the other subjects mentioned in these beatitudes, so here, a lot could be said about mercy. As W.E.Vine wrote, mercy “assumes need on the part of him who receives it, and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows it” (Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Vol. 3, p. 60). So, when I have a need I go to God Who has the resources, and the need is met. Too many writers have used the old cliché that mercy is God not giving us what we deserve, while grace is God giving us what we do not deserve. This makes mercy negative, a kind of withholding on the part of God. Certainly this is not the biblical view. Mercy from God is given in the regeneration of the one who believes (Titus 3:5); His mercies and compassions are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23); He has made a covenant with David which includes sure mercies (Isaiah 55:3 cf. Acts 13:34) and we are promised that we may obtain mercy from His throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). These are all positive concepts of mercy received to meet our needs, yet, none of these directly fit our verse under consideration, since it is the fifth beatitude in the sequence describing the characteristics of the “blessed” ones who are offered the kingdom of Messiah Himself. They are assured that they shall obtain mercy in that kingdom.

Once again we can point out Old Testament references which clearly demonstrate God’s mercy as promised in the kingdom of Messiah. The entire book of Hosea is the classic example of God’s mercy to Israel in that promised kingdom. Hosea 1:6: “Call her name Lo-ruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel.” But then in 2:23: “And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy.” In Hosea 3:5 the summary promise is given: “Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David, their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.” In Isaiah 54:7-8: “For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.” Isaiah 60:10: “And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee; for in my wrath I smote thee. but in my favor have I had mercy on thee.” Finally, in Zechariah 10:6: “And I will strengthen the house of Judah,… and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them, and they shall be as though I had not cast them off; for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them.”

Just think of all that Jesus was offering to Israel! He did not come to destroy the Law or the prophets, but to fulfill them! That there will be those who obtain mercy will surely be fulfilled “in the fulness of time.”

Read Part 10