Pt 4 The Hungered

Blessed Are The Hungered

Matthew 5:6

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

The Appetite Of The Blessed

The Malnourishment Of The Blessed

The Longing Of The Blessed

The Satisfaction Of The Blessed

The passage before us today has with it an assumption that is expected to be completely understood by those here referred to as “the blessed”, and that is that they naturally HUNGER AND THIRST after Righteousness. 

They have a deep longing, an appetite, for that which is not yet satisfied, not yet filled within them.

But more than this; there is no expectation that this longing, this appetite, shall be satisfied this side of eternity.

 Christ made this claim almost two thousand years ago, and no man yet testified to it being fulfilled in his lifetime. NO, the satisfaction, the hungering and thirsting, shall be FILLED in heaven and we awake to the likeness of Christ. 

John wrote of this;

1 John 3:2

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

King David testified to this longing

Psalm 17:15

15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

What is also noted is that this passage does not refer to those who do not belong to the Lord.

The reason this is so, is due to the object of the longing of the blessed.

“Righteousness” is not that which the lost of the world seek after, this is not their longing nor is it their appetite. BUT it is the longing of those whose hearts have been changed by Christ.

Before we were saved, we would sooner have filled our “bellies with the husks that the swine do eat” than we would have sought after “righteousness”.

Our desire, before we fell on our knees to God, was the forbidden fruit of the garden, we desired and continued to chase after the “lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 Jn 2:16), certainly not hungering and thirsting after “righteousness”.

Therefore this is an EXCLUSIVE promise, it singles out the blessed in no uncertain terms.

Perhaps it was possible for the lost of this world to associate themselves with those who feel “poor in spirit of v 3, or even “they that mourn” in verse 4. Perhaps they may also vainly consider themselves as inheriting that which is set aside for the “meek” of verse 5. 

But there is not a chance they could convince even themselves that they  “hunger and thirst after righteousness”, at least not while “their god is their belly…who mind earthly things” (Phil 3:19).

As we go through this study today it will not be difficult to see that this verse truly is exclusive to only one body of people, they whose desires can only be found in “the blessed” of The Beatitudes.

These are The Hungered!

Amen

Pray.

The Appetite Of The Hungered

Matthew 5:6

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Genesis 3:6–7

6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

It is a matter of interest that the world has not changed in almost six thousand years. So long has the world had appetite only for the things of the world and not after God.

It was the apostle John who admonished his church, as many in his own day had strayed from the bread of life and turned to the vanity of the world, and so he writes;

1 John 2:15–17

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Some 4000 years after the fall, and man had not changed.

“The lust of the flesh”… “She saw that the tree was good for food”… “the lust of the eyes”… “that it was pleasant to the eyes”…. “And the pride of life”…. “And a tree to be desired to make one wise”.

Nothing has changed 6000 years after the fall.

Clearly John was drawing the distinction of appetites; those who love the world are OF the world, “If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him”. 

Those who have there affection here, only have an appetite for the fruit of this world, however, they that have their affections on things above only have an appetite for that which is above.

And so Jesus affirmed;

Matthew 6:21

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Natural Hunger

When you first came to Christ there was joy, there was blessing, there was a zeal for the things of God and you sought after them, even hurriedly. YOU wanted to know everything there was to know of the Lord and you could not get enough of it.

Peter describes this state;

1 Peter 2:2–3

2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

This is the natural state of all who are “Born Anew”. 

When each one of us were literally new born we had an inclination for the necessary nourishment of God.

The LINK Peter draws to the milk of New Born babes is perfectly inspired of God, for in that “Natural milk” are all the vitamins and protections necessary for the babe to both grow and fight off illness. 

All this is inherited from the mother.

Yes, even the enhancement of her immune system that she had built up over the years are passed on to her baby.

SO IT IS with the Word of God! BOTH the hunger AND the benefit.

As to the “hunger”; this is exclusively the hungering and thirsting of the blessed, it is not the desire of the world…it was not YOUR desire prior to being saved by the Lord.

This is a NATURAL HUNGER, it is not something that a man or woman can “cultivate” as many are being taught today. 

The deep groaning of our bellies when it comes to physical nourishment is that which is spoken of in this text, it is not some superficial idea that we are to cultivate in our lives, it comes NATURALLY because we “hunger and thirst after righteousness”.

Jesus made this clear to the woman at the well in John 4.

John 4:13–15

13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst;but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. 15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not,neither come hither to draw.

She desired the water of the well to quench her temporal thirst, Jesus offered to her “living water” that would spring to everlasting life.

Interestingly, THIS IS WHAT THE WORLD SEEKS AFTER BUT DO NOT KNOW IT!

But she was not the only one questioning the temporal appetite, while Christ promised eternal fulfilment.

Turn forward to John 6

John 6:31–35

31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. 32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Beloved, the appetite of those who belong to Christ is after righteousness. This side of eternity, it is Jesus and Jesus alone that can fill your hunger and thirst.

This book is known as the bread of life…read it, devour it, be nourished and strengthened through it.

It alone can build up your “Immune system” against everything this world would cast at you.

The Malnourishment Of The Hungered

Matthew 5:6

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Turn to Amos 

Amos 8:11–12

11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: 12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.

Tragically there is a level of malnourishment among the sheep of Gods pasture, and such a malnourishment that many of the flock of the Lord are even themselves completely unaware of how emaciated they are.

There comes a time during the hunger of a people that becomes the beginning of the end of their lives where starvation takes its toll, they lose their desire for food. In other words, they lose the natural hunger and craving the body tells us of, to survive.

It is what is known as ‘The Final Stage of Starvation’, also known as ‘Inanition”^[1] , where the body’s energy reserves are depleted and the individual loses his appetite. ^[2]

Tragically, this is the state of many Christians today. 

Yes beloved, some of it is certainly self inflicted, for there is absolutely no reason for Christians in the west to be so as malnourished as they are, when they have the “Bread of life” in their own hands (the Bible).

Yet never has so many people had a copy (or multiple copies) of the Bible in their homes, and at the same time be the most Biblically illiterate generation since the time of the dark ages of Roman Catholicism.

So, yes, we need to take personal responsibility for our own part.

But another, is the charge given to Pastors who have neglected to feed the flock of God.

Turn to John 21

John 21:15–17

15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

This is the responsibility. 

When Paul called the Ephesian elders to tell them he was leaving them, never to see them this side of heaven, he testified first in Acts 20, of his responsibility as being accomplished; Turn there with me.

Acts 20:26–27

26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

Then goes on to say;

Acts 20:28–31

28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 

29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Paul making it clear that it is ONLY through the feeding of the church, which he purchased with his own blood, that the “grievous wolves” entering in, can be protected.

Tragically however, it is the negligence of modern day shepherds, the dereliction of pastoral duty, that the state of Christianity today is going to lead to the famine of Amos 8.

Turn to

Ezekiel 34:2

2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

Jeremiah also testified against them;

Jeremiah 23:1–4

1 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. 2 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD. 3 And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. 4 And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD.

IT IS interesting to note that BOTH come together to “feed” one off the other.

Todays pastors are often afraid to preach the truth of God’s words for fear of losing their jobs. 

As such the scriptures also come true in these last days before The Famine, “thay shall not endure sound doctrine but heap to themselves teachers having itching ears”. 2 Tim 4:3. What we tragically have before us in these last days is a self perpetuating cycle that will fulfil Amos 8.

Only YOU can break that cycle for you and your family.

This is THE MALNOURISHMENT OF THE HUNGERED, both self inflicted AND by shoddy shepherds feeding their own desires and nourishing their own nests.

Beloved, you have the word of God in your hands, take responsibility for yourself and be fed of the Lord through his word. It is a FEAST, BE NOURISHED BY IT.

The Longing Of The Hungered

Matthew 5:6

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Turn to Psalm 42

Psalm 42:1–5

1  As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? 4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday. 5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

This is the Longing of the HUNGERED!

This is that deep and evident emotional state of the heart that longs deeply for the Lord. 

That hungers and thirsts after righteousness, that sees within this world a famine for the things of the Lord, and people thereby perish.

THE WORLD

In the lust of this world, it is as if there is a feast within a mirage, a continual belief that the promises of this world can be fulfilled, that the lusts of this world can be attained and contentment can be found. 

The idea that peace and comfort, joy and happiness are completely attainable chasing after the promises this world offers.

Each step toward that mirage seems to see it all the more clearer, far too often however, it is only in the expiration of our days, when we come to realise, it was a mirage.

During the Gold rush years in Australia’s early history and in California USA, there was a malady that gripped the hearts of men called Gold Fever. . It was a type of madness that drove men to continually dig for Gold that was not there.

The world around them also kept convincing them that they might just be “Three feet from Gold”. It never occurred to the Gold Diggers however that it was mostly those who were convincing the men to keep digging that were making the largest profits. 

It was Mark Twain who wrote, “When everyone is digging for Gold, its good to be in the pick and shovel business”. 

Indeed, this is when Levi Strauss made his fortune selling workwear, the Levi brand still going strong, even though many of the men died in the holes they vainly dug. 

In digging for Gold, they had little idea they were digging their graves.

So it is for far too many in this world, their hearts do not pant after God and so die in their longing, all the while the world profits from their vain pursuit looking for fulfilment in THIS world.

Not so the blessed.

Matthew 5:6

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

The Longing of the Blessed WILL BE FILLED.

They have been given the “earnest of the spirit” (2 Cor 5:5) and as such know of a certainty that its fullness is coming.

In God giving to the believer his Spirit, the believer now has the very present experience of longing for more of the things of God and less of the things of this life.

Sin, strangely, adds to that Longing; that “hunger and thirst after righteousness” is often elevated through the sorrow that we have for our own sin. 

None of us have “yet resisted unto blood striving against sin” (Heb 12:4), and so we groan within ourselves, yearning, longing for the redemption of our bodies (Rom 8:23).

And we are not alone in this.

Turn to Romans 8 as I close this point of The Longing of The Blessed.

Romans 8:18–23

18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

The Satisfaction Of The Hungered

The passage in Romans 8 is a wonderful segue into this final point.

The Satisfaction Of The Blessed.

Matthew 5:6

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

“For they SHALL be filled”.

Not, ‘they might be filled’.

Not, ‘if they do well, they shall be filled’

No, 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

The tic toc vanities of this life will not fill a single soul with hope of the next.

But, “they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled”.

Never are words seen so certain as this from the lips of Christ. 

From the thief on the cross, “to day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Lk 23:43),

To the answer to the Jews on Solomons porch; “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish,…” John 10:27–28

From ages past we have seen this great longing matched together with great confidence of satisfaction to come.

From the time of Job, where we find written;

Job 19:25–27

25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

To David, the man after God’s own heart;

Psalm 17:15

15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

In the letter to the Hebrews, Paul spoke of those gone by, who took great courage in the promises and stood firm on the truth of the Lord, saying;

Hebrews 11:13

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Therefore beloved, please do not think it strange that the world hates you, you stand firm knowing the promises to come, and you have an even greater testimony than they of old time.

Jesus said to his disciples;

Matthew 13:17

17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

They looked for the promise of Christ and did not see him. 

Yet, we stand with even greater joy and blessing, for the disciples of the Lord saw Christ face to face, they died knowing and seeing the Lord, they walked with him on the shores of Galilee and climbed with him on the mountains of Judea, but we are said to have increase in blessing…

John 20:29

29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Beloved, this world dangles trinkets before you, promising peace, peace when there is no peace. (Jer 6:14).

For twenty long years I chased after this worlds good. Fourteen years in unbelief and six years AS A CHRISTIAN. 

Vanity, all is vanity, a chasing after the wind.

It is as useless and idolatrous as prayer flags.

The longing for the Lord however is very different.

The hunger and thirst after righteousness is a source of contentment within itself. For we know that Christ died for our sins, “…delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” Romans 4:25.

The Appetite of the blessed will be satisfied.

The Malnourishment of the blessed, replaced with the promised plenty. 

The Longing of the blessed, received.

The Satisfaction of the blessed, fulfilled.

Matthew 5:6

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

^[1] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inanition

^[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starvation