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The Sermon on the Mount (8)

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The Sermon on the Mount (8)

7 minuten leestijd Arcering uitzetten

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

The citizens of God’s kingdom grieve about their unfruitfulness and the many corruptions they still find within themselves. They long for perfection, never to sin anymore but to truly love and worship Him. This hunger and thirst will not be in vain, for they will be satisfied. God gives the desire of those that fear Him. “Thou hast given him his heart’s desire” (Psalm 21:2a).

What a blessing it is if we can say with the poet of Psalm 38:9, “Lord, all my desire is before Thee; and my groaning is not hid from Thee.” Asaph testified in Psalm 73:25, “Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee.” The Samaritan woman drank of the bitter waters of sin, but she could be satisfied only by what Christ offered unto her in John 4:10, “And He would have given thee living water.” The Lord Jesus said in verse 13, “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again” and in verse 14, “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.”

Then the woman answered, “Sir, give me this water” although she did not understand what He meant by living water, and she did not desire it. In a way of uncovering her sinful existence and placing before her the requirements for true worship, she was made thirsty for that of which He had spoken. She said, “I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when He is come, He will tell us all things.” That was the moment that the Lord Jesus revealed Himself unto her and said, “I that speak unto thee am He.” She was given to drink of the living water and was satisfied. That is also spoken of in this beatitude.

A precious promise

“They shall be filled,” the Lord Jesus said. That means to have plenty, to become fully satisfied. This promise is not for those who just feel certain shortcomings and admit that something is not right with them but for those who truly hunger and thirst. The object of this hunger and thirst is, as has been mentioned already, the righteousness imputed and imparted by God. This must be the object of intense desire, earnest yearning, and pursuit. We read in Psalm 42:1, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God.” We also read of it in the proclamation of the riches in Christ in Isaiah 55:1, “Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters.” The Lord Jesus promised in John 6:35, “He that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst.” When Jesus was at the feast of tabernacles, He said in John 7:37, “If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink.” When the apostle speaks of the heavenly glory of the new paradise, he says in Revelation 22:17, “And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

What rich promises are given in Scripture to those who, poor and needy in themselves, cannot find any righteousness in themselves but who hunger and thirst for it. They shall be filled as the Lord promises in Psalm 132:15, “I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread.” What God promises, He will certainly give.

How they are satisfied

The need of those hungry and thirsty ones is that their sins might be forgiven, that their lives may be renewed, and that they might be delivered from sin and be able to perfectly worship the Lord. We could also say they need justification which is forgiveness, sanctification which is a process, and glorification which they will experience when they receive their heart’s desire to be with Him who has spoken this precious beatitude. God is the fountain of life. He will fill His people with His tender compassion out of His bowels of mercy. The righteousness of Christ merited by His passive and active obedience will be applied to them. They may be clothed with the robe of His righteousness, but He will also by His Spirit dwell in their heart. He will renew them after His image and make them a temple of the Holy Ghost. This will be visible when they walk in the fear of His precious name, following Him in obedience, denying self, and taking up their cross daily after Him.


In Christ is everything which those hungry and thirsty ones need. Christ received the Spirit without measure that He may pour water on dry ground and enable barren ones to bear fruit. He was filled with wisdom that He might teach those who are blind and ignorant …


The poet also speaks in Psalm 107:9 of how the Spirit fills them, “For He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.” The prophet speaks of it in Jeremiah 31:14, “And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and My people shall be satisfied with My goodness, saith the LORD.” It is true that while living in perilous times one may wonder what the future will bring for the church, for our youth, and families; however, we read in Isaiah 44:3, “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour My Spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring.” They will be satisfied when the Lord fulfills their desires in due time. The word of the Lord shall be made milk, honey, bread, and marrow to them. A well of living water shall spring up within them from the Holy Spirit.

The riches of Christ

In Christ is everything which those hungry and thirsty ones need. Christ received the Spirit without measure that He may pour water on dry ground and enable barren ones to bear fruit. He was filled with wisdom that He might teach those who are blind and ignorant as He taught the two men on the way to Emmaus when He opened the Scriptures unto them. He also taught the other disciples and the women. What a blessing it is that we may come with empty vessels to the fullness that there is in Christ Jesus. The invitation is there. Come with desire, and you shall go away with comfort and joy.

We often speak about darkness and quietness in the church and the fact that sometimes God’s children have few exercises of faith or visits or benefits from the Lord; however, this is not because of any lack in Him. The storehouses of the greater Joseph are still full for hungry and needy sinners. The cause of the poor condition of the church is not due to a lack of provision; in fact, it is to be feared that some have too much. Also those who are no stranger of the life of grace are too easily content with what they have received, perhaps long ago, and rest too much upon their experiences. Therefore, there is so much need of continuing uncovering work of the Holy Spirit that the Church may know and hear not only what they have but also what they are missing. This would bring them on their knees pleading with the Lord for His instruction and provision. Blessed are they who may often take refuge unto Him. May the Lord bless His Church with more hunger and thirst after His righteousness, for this would be very profitable.

(To be continued)

Rev. C. Vogelaar, Clifton, NJ

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