I Think I know This One

"Anikonov thirst" by Эдуард Аниконов - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

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

To understand this one we have to learn what righteousness is. We already know it is not self-righteousness – no one wants that and it’s too easily recognized from the outside, no matter how we look at ourselves. A little later in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew tells us Jesus referred to a specific righteousness:

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)

David went a bit further in Psalm 24:

A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. (Psalms 24:1-5)

Let me assure you, I know I am not worthy to stand in His Holy Place. I’m also positive you know that, too. Yet – this is an important concept in the Bible because “righteous” or “righteousness” is used in 500 verses. God repeats important things so we can “get” them.

It’s not used before Noah, but God called him a righteous man in a generation that held no other, according to Genesis 7:1. Then there is the back-and-forth between God and Abraham over how many righteous men there were in Sodom. Ten righteous men were not to be found. Do you know ten people (not just men) that you would deem righteous before God? Before your family?

I can name ten that do hunger and thirst after God’s righteousness. They could speak to you about this verse:

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (1 Corinthians 1:30)

I don’t even mind being called foolish for believing God created the heaven and the earth. I know others laugh at those of us who believe Jesus is the promised Jewish Messiah, that He died and was resurrected. Paul ran into that same problem:

For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1 Corinthians 1:22-25)

One of the “Roman Road" verses tells each one of us where we fit as to righteousness:

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (Romans 3:10)

Romans 3:10 tells us nothing more than Psalm 14:1-7 and surely is tied to Psalm 36:1:

The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes. (Psalms 36:1)

The Psalmist also wrote:

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. (Psalms 111:10)

Which Solomon must have learned early:

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)

Learned enough about the importance to repeat:

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)

That’s where we really hunger and thirst – to understand that God provides the righteousness because we know, fear and love Him..