Matthew 5.4 [Blessed are Those Who Mourn...]

R&R Devotional Bible Study
Matthew 5.4
'Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted...'

Blessed are those who mourn

To mourn:
To feel or show deep sorrow, grief, or regret

We are spiritually well off [spiritually fortunate] when we mourn

This statement here only makes sense when we understand the previous statement of 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' This is due to the fact that true Godly mourning [or grieving] only flows from our acceptance of our fallen state.

We do, however, have to be careful here. The mourning/grieving that The Lord Christ Jesus is talking about here is not a self-centered and self-focused pity. Rather, it is a mourning over the fact that we have sinned against Yahweh alone.

The problem:

If we just look at this in a flippant manner, we can make it seem as if this applies to anyone who has ever been sad. In fact we may have the tendency to hear people suggest just that...that those who are sad and mourning are blessed and that God will comfort them in [insert whatever sad scenario here, and you will be comforted because you are grieving].

As we have been discussing concerning 'the Beatitudes' [these statements of blessing], blessing itself is to be spiritually fortunate or spiritually well off, which does not mean this would necessarily translate into the physical. Thus showing here that we are not necessarily talking about a physical situation. Here on earth, one might be in a constant state of sorrow in his or her condition, and not be consoled here on earth.

Realistically, this is the kind of sorrow the Judas showed. In fact, this is the only kind of sorrow that anyone can show in our natural state, on our own accord.

True Godly sorrow:

We are spiritually well off when we lament/mourn because, first and foremost, it is Yahweh who is at work in us. We lament and mourn the fact that we have transgressed the agape of Yahweh, but it is not a self focused lament or mourning.

True Godly sorrow is not self focused, and really does not pity ones self. Whilst true Godly sorrow does look at self and see self in light of how Yahweh sees us, true Godly mourning focuses on how we have transgressed the perfect and holy agape of Yahweh, and we affirm that we have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of Yahweh.

Lament over the fact that we have sinned against Yahweh; that we have abandoned our created purpose, and that we have angered and grieved Yahweh, and we have profaned the Name of Yahweh.

Lament over the fact that the whole of mankind is fallen:

This actually ties in with the next Beatitude, 'blessed are the lowly [or humble].

C.H. Spurgeon said something to the effect of:
'If you do not desire to see people saved, you yourself are not saved. Of that you can be sure.'

If we are truly of Yahweh, we understand our spiritual condition, the fact that we are 'poor in spirit' [that we are spiritually dead, spiritually bankrupt] in and of ourselves. We should also then understand the fact that it is not only us who are spiritually dead, but that the whole of mankind is in the same boat, which should lead us to mourning/grieving over the fact that the whole of humanity has abandoned our created purpose which is to glorify Yahweh in every single thing that we do. Mankind, the whole of, are in fact image bearers [imago dei] of Yahweh; created in the image of Yahweh [...Let Us make mankind in Our image].

...For they shall be comforted

Here on earth:
A primary way in which those who are truly of Yahweh are comforted is that they no longer focus on themselves, they now focus on Yahweh through The Lord Christ Jesus [as we are told in Hebrews: set aside all encumbrance of sin and fix our eyes upon The Lord Christ Jesus Who is the Author and Perfecter of faith].

The main issue with our fallenness is that mankind, in our natural state on our own accord, focuses solely and exclusively on self: we do not believe Yahweh, we do not honor Yahweh as God, we do not give thanks, we suppress the truth of Yahweh, and regard the truth of Yahweh as foolishness. Or as we are told in Genesis 6.5: Every single intent of the thought of the heart is only evil continually. Basically put: We only focus on ourselves all the time, which is a breaking of the summation of the command of Yahweh [which is to agape Yahweh with every fiber of our being].

Thus, the primary showance of comfort is that we no longer look at ourselves, or fellow man. Rather, we are now focused upon The Creator and finally start to agape Yahweh, and to show this agape in how we interact with our fellow man.

This ties in further with hungering and thirsting for righteousness, the merciful, and the peacemakers

In eternity future:
Once we are shed of this mortal coil [if we are granted entrance into heaven], ultimately the comfort will be that there will be no remembrance of things here, and we will be forever with Yahweh in heaven, and we will be able to function in the manner in which we were created, which is to worship and glorify Yahweh forever and ever.

There will be no thought of self in heaven. Every preconceived notion we might have here on earth concerning heaven will not matter in light of actually being in the presence of Yahweh in heaven, and there will no longer be any evil intent of the thoughts of the heart because there will be no self focus. Our focus will be fixed upon God.

2025 Research & Reference Devotional © All Rights Reserved