Matthew chapters 5 to 7 record what has become known as the Sermon on the Mount, which includes the Beatitudes.
These writings are the foundation on which everything else in the New Testament is built upon.
The teachings of Jesus are the foundation stones that Paul and the other writers of the New Testament used as the basis on which they built and taught.
The Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is a profound exposition of Kingdom requirements.
In other words, if we are to enter Kingdom relationship and Kingdom power, the building of these requirements into our lives as a lifestyle is essential.
The Beatitudes (from the Latin “beautus” meaning blessed). If you want to be truly blessed, these “beautiful attitudes” need to become a part of who you are.
These Kingdom Laws are what the King requires of those who wish to become joint-heirs with Him in the Kingdom.
Unless these qualities of the Kingdom are part of us, we are just as Paul puts it, “sounding brass and a tingling cymbal,” and our so-called Christianity is just a mere phantom of what God intended it to be.
So often the main emphasis in the church today has been on gifts, power, authority, success and the like, while the true foundations have not been laid properly in our lives which ultimately results in barrenness and frustration, and a profound lack of truly knowing God.
The problem we have with our relationship with God is one of incompatibility. We are not like Him, which makes a relationship with Him difficult.
Jesus came not just to redeem us, but to reveal the Father to us.
Jesus, during His time on earth, demonstrated the heart of God, which is revealed in the Sermon on the Mount.
We need a fresh look at our perception of true Christian values.
It is who we are that determines what we do, not the other way round.
The Sermon on the Mount lays out who we are to become. There is a growing realization among many Christians today that our priorities have been somewhat lacking.
In our desire for recognition and self-glory, we have missed the mark completely.
The Sermon on the Mount brings the cross once again into focus; it is about dying to self, and through death and subsequent resurrection we become filled with the qualities required to live in Kingdom reality.
GALATIANS 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
GALATIANS 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. The Beatitudes
MATTHEW 5:5 Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled. 7. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God. 10. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
The Greek word for meek is Praus G4239: mild, humble. It carries with it the meaning of humility.
Humility is an absolutely essential quality if we are to walk with the Lord and inherit the earth, that is, reign with the Lord in the millennium. The Scriptures clearly say that God resists the proud:
JAMES 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
God resists the proud. Pride quickly becomes a part of who we are and is so powerful that it has a way of etching itself onto our countenance.
Humility is one of the highest attributes in the Kingdom of Heaven.
When we are clothed with humility – and it is a power that clothes us and is discernible in the spirit realm as a very plain cloak or mantle – the angels in heaven recognize it and bow to it.
You cannot enter into true Kingdom life unless you are wearing this cloak.
That is why this quality of God is first on the list.
You cannot enter into the remaining five beatitudes without first wearing or becoming Humility.
For instance, if you try to enter into the second beatitude without humility – to hunger and thirst for righteousness – you will be resisted by God; you cannot enter there without humility.
MATTHEW 11:29. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
The picture here is one of non-resistance. We have a picture of being yoked together with the Lord.
The word yoke has the meaning of being harnessed.
When bullocks were used to plow fields, they were yoked by a harness. If they fought the harness and pulled in the opposite direction of where they were being driven, they were dealt with harshly until they submitted to the yoke.
Jesus is saying: Come to Me; learn of Me because I am meek and lowly.
Learn meekness from Me, don’t resist Me, submit to Me, die to your own self and follow Me.
Meekness and humility have no resistance to the Lord nor, to their fellow man.
We see the outworking of this when Jesus said, “If they compel you to go one mile, go with them two.”
To be without resistance to the Lord and our fellow man is a requirement or Kingdom Law, the law of non-resistance.
If you are compelled by another to do evil, then, of course, you resist, but in a spirit of meekness, not a spirit of selfrighteousness.
Humility demonstrates a total dependence upon the Lord.
When we come to the Lord, we come with humility – total dependence upon Him for all things. Without Him, we can do nothing (of worth).
GALATIANS 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
We cannot come to God’s Word without meekness; we cannot understand God’s Word unless He enlightens us. This attitude of meekness is vital to receiving revelation.
JAMES 1:21. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
Blessed are the meek – they shall inherit the earth. The earth was given to Adam, but through sin, he gave it to Lucifer.
Jesus, in coming as a man, won back the earth and His children inherit it again, but only the meek will inherit it.
When this planet again comes into rest and a New Age of a thousand years opens up, only the meek will rule with Him on this earth.
The other five beatitudes are available for us to enter into along with the blessings they bring, but you cannot enter into these next five until you become meek in personality and character:
TITUS 3:2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.
COLOSSIANS 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering: 13. Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
We must Hunger for Righteousness
MATTHEW 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled.
There is Kingdom Law that whatsoever you strongly desire you will attract to yourself.
The Law of Attraction is a powerful law with sobering consequences.
What you focus upon you will eventually connect with; this is a law of the kingdom.
Now, this law has far-reaching consequences because the connection you make in the course of intently focusing upon something is a spiritual connection; you connect with the power behind the object of your focus.
Jesus is saying that if you are to be filled with righteousness, you have to hunger for it.
If you hunger to be like Jesus you will become like Him.
This highlights the following Kingdom Law:
MARK 11:24. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
PSALMS 115:8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
The second passage of Scripture is speaking about those who make idols: their focus determines who and what they became.
PROVERBS 23:7 or as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.
Satan is very aware of this law of attraction with its power to conform one to the object of one’s focus.
Most of the video games today have a frightening content of violence in them. Behind most of these games is a spirit of violence that is just waiting for the player to reach a certain level of absorption in the game.
At that point, this spirit can enter into them and from then on it begins to conform the person to its nature. Whether the player is a Christian or not makes no difference at all.
This law of attraction with its consequences is totally impartial.
The negative side of the Law of Attraction is very apparent in the world of materialism.
Advertising agencies know quite well that if they can get you to focus upon a certain consumer item such as a car, clothes, or a piece of electronic equipment, you will be attracted to them.
If this attraction becomes a strong desire, the spirit realm becomes active in it.
The New Age movement is basically a combination of Witchcraft and Hinduism packaged in such a way that it is attractive to many Westerners.
The New Age movement understands the Law of Attraction better than most Christians.
They use the practice of focusing in to make a connection with the object of their focus quite successfully.
Many courses on achieving one’s goals use this technique.
This often goes by the name of visualization.
The New Age movement lifted this directly from the Bible.
We need to understand the difference between New Age practice and Christian practice. We need to mature in our thinking and concepts regarding the practices of the New Age movement.
Just because the New Age movement practices certain things does not mean that Christians should not practice the same things.
Now, before your blood pressure rises and you condemn me to the ranks of the deceived, let me explain…
The New Age movement practices healing the sick, should we stop doing this because the New Age people do it?
They also practice the casting out of demons, they operate in giving readings or prophetic words, and the list goes on.
You say, “Yes, but they are using the counterfeit!” This is true, but a counterfeit necessitates the existence of the real thing. The difference is clear in what spirit these things are done in.
Visualization is clearly endorsed in the Scriptures.
When God gave to Abraham the promise that his seed would become so numerous that it would be hard to visualize, He gave him a visual reference:
GENESIS 26:4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.
Abraham was given a visual reference that would help incubate his faith into reality.
Every time Abraham went outside of his tent at night he was confronted with a dazzling array of stars and in every star, he saw one of his descendants.
Hebrews 12:2 tells us that we are to look unto Jesus, the author, and the finisher of our faith.
How do we do that?
Well, firstly we must not fall into the most common trap of the enemy by spiritualizing everything we don’t understand.
Looking unto Jesus means Just that – we are to look at Him.
2 CORINTHIANS 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
How do you look at something you can’t see? By using the eyes of your heart.
If I asked you to close your eyes now and visualize the house you live in from the front street, you can do that.
How?
By simply using the eyes of your heart, by visualizing it.
How do you look at Jesus?
Simply by using the eyes of your heart.
Imagination is an incredible gift of God which we use often unconsciously throughout the day:
2 CORINTHIANS 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
If you hunger for righteousness (to be like Jesus) – if your focus is to be like the Lord and this focus becomes a strong desire, the change will occur in you as the law of attraction comes into play and you connect with the object of your desire, triggering an impartation of the Lord.
This impartation causes you to become more like Him – the one who is Righteousness itself.
This process is one of grace which is triggered by a strong desire and clear focus.
True righteousness is the Lord’s righteousness imparted to us by continuous conscious connection with Him; it is not of works.
Remember: you become like whoever you associate with.
ACTS 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
Who have you been with today?
MATTHEW 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled.
MATTHEW 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
The Greek word for merciful is Eleeo.
Eleeo G1653: to compassionate (by word or deed, specifically, by divine grace), have compassion (pity on), have (obtain, receive, show) mercy (on).
This word Eleeo comes from the root word Eleos, which means compassion. To be merciful is to be compassionate.
Blessed are the compassionate for they shall receive compassion.
Mercy describes the act: compassion describes the feeling that accompanies the act.
Showing mercy is not just a legalistic or judicial act; it has to be accompanied by a feeling.
Compassion rises up as a feeling, a yearning to ease the suffering and difficulty that a person has got themselves into.
That feeling, that inner yearning, that compassion is the trigger which releases the power or ability of God to help one another.
MATTHEW 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
MATTHEW 14:14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
MARK 1:41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.
1 JOHN 3:17 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
This feeling is required to release the flow of God’s ability in the gifts of the Spirit.
This inner yearning of compassion for one another releases the flow of God’s Spirit through us and it is the lubricant by which the Holy Spirit flows.
Showing mercy or compassion also implies being without judgment.
Jesus was very emphatic about this. He clearly tells us not to judge one another:
MATTHEW 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Don’t try to water this down. Jesus meant exactly what He said: Don’t do it!
This is a command of Jesus; this command is unconditional. Jesus plainly says, do not judge another.
ROMANS 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
JAMES 4:11Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
Be merciful, you are not clever enough to judge another. When we look at a situation, we judge by looking at the actions of the person.
However, God looks not only at the act; He sees the motive.
God understands the reason we do certain things.
Because we only see the act, we cannot judge righteously and we often end up fulfilling the following scripture:
MATTHEW 12:7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
Jesus said that because we don’t have mercy, we condemn the guiltless. The Scriptures are clear; if you judge, you will be judged.
LUKE 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.
ISAIAH 55:8 God’s thoughts are not like our thoughts, nor His ways like our ways.
When David ate the show-bread, something which was unlawful for him to do, God did not condemn him (1 Sam 21:6).
Remember Rahab – she was a prostitute, but because she lied and hid the spies, God rewarded her greatly
(Josh 2; 6:17, 23-25). God forgave David of his adultery but killed the man who tried to steady the ark.
How would you have judged?
Blessed are the merciful, they shall obtain mercy.
Jesus was laying down the ground rules of the Kingdom, and certain things were forbidden.
He clearly said don’t judge another person – you are not clever enough, and God may look at it quite differently.
A missionary working in Africa was able to bring to the Lord a Chief of a certain tribe. This Chief had ten wives, which, of course, presented a difficult situation for the missionary.
Finally, the missionary came to the conclusion that the chief should give up nine of his wives and live with the one he had married first.
The chief agreed to this and the missionary left to visit other villages. Sometime later, the missionary returned and inquired of the chief if he had complied with what they agreed was right.
The chief, beaming, said, “Yes, I have done what God required of me and put away my nine other wives.”
The missionary asked, “Where are they?” The chief replied, “Oh, I ate them.” How would you judge this situation?
HEBREWS 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
King David knew that God looks at things very differently than man does. When given a choice as to whether he would be handed over to the man or to God for punishment, he quickly chose God.
1 CHRONICLES 21:13 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.
Some would say today, “Let me not fall into the hands of Pentecostal Christians.” The church still has the tendency to shoot their wounded.
This cardinal rule of the Kingdom is very rarely adhered to by Christians and Ministers today. Some will disagree by pointing out that we have to set a standard.
Yes, the standard is God’s word, but we are not talking about standards here; we are talking about your reactions to what you see as a breach of the standards.
Jesus said, “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.” Only he who is without sin is allowed to judge. There are those in the body of Christ today who have set themselves up as Judge, even setting up websites or newsletters to expose those whom they judge to have failed. Great will be their judgment, their pride and arrogance go before them.
COLOSSIANS 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13. Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy
Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.
MATTHEW 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Pure (1): Katharos G2513. This has a root meaning of being free from the mixture.
This essential has to do with motives; it has to do with the reason we do things or act a certain way.
Philippians 4:8 also uses the word pure but it is a different Greek word.
Pure (2): Dikaios G1342. Equitable (in character or act), innocent, holy, just, meet, right, righteous.
Notice the difference in the meaning of these two words. Water and wine may be mixed together and still be pure as in Philippians 4:8 but they can’t be pure as in Matthew 5:8.
PHILIPPIANS 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
The purity of Matthew 5:8 is purity at its essence or core. It deals with the root from which the purity of Philippians 4:8 can spring.
It is important to see the difference. If our heart is pure at the core, all that proceeds from it will be pure according to the purity of Philippians 4:8
PROVERBS 22:11 the one who loves a pure heart and gracious lips-the king is his friend
This Old Testament use of the word pure has the same meaning as Matthew 5:8.
The meaning of the word heart is a difficult word to describe. It has to do with our inner desires and motives. It encompasses the soul – the activities of mind, emotion, and will – as well as conscience. It is the inner motivating source of our lives.
MATTHEW 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
MATTHEW 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
MATTHEW 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
One of the clearest revelations of a person is evident by how that person speaks. The purity of the heart goes to the very core of who we are.
Actions proceed from motives, not the other way around. If our motives are pure we will see God. This brings us back to Who God is, what He is composed of.
Two things describe the essence of God: God is light:
1 JOHN 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
God is light in His substance; there is no darkness (mixture) in Him.
God is Love:
1 JOHN 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Our loved ones in heaven have a body of light, they emanate light, they look young and perfect in every way, but what stands our is the love they emanate.
Right now the House of Saul is coming to an end and the House of David is coming into manifestation.
The restoration of David’s Tabernacle will release a new move of God across the whole world.
The thing that stands out in all heavenly encounters is these two things: Light and Love. Those we encounter emanate light and love.
The Lord is quite able to turn down His glory in order to visit us.
As we become more and more perfected in Love, we emanate more light.
The purity of the heart has to do with our innermost motivations. When our motivations become those of real love, our heart becomes pure. This is a Process. We must pray and ask the Lord to establish us in love, which is the bond of perfection:
1 JOHN 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
We must choose to act in love at all times. As we do, that love pouring through us begins to purify our hearts and fill us with light.
Ask the Lord to fill you with His love and choose to manifest it at all times. This is the road to perfection:
JOHN 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends 14. .Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you (love each other).
If you do the above, then this will happen…
JOHN 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
PROVERBS 22:11 the one who loves a pure heart and gracious lips-the king is his friend.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. This expression see God has a number of meanings.
The prime meaning is to literally see God.
The Greek word is… Optanomai G3700: to gaze (with wide-open eyes, as at something remarkable; and thus differing from G991, which denotes simply voluntary observation; and from G1492, which expresses merely mechanical, passive or casual vision; while G2300, and still more emphatically its intensive G2334, signifies an earnest but more continued inspection; and G4648 a watching from a distance), appear, look, see, show self.
We Christians have a bad habit. When we don’t understand something in the Scriptures, we spiritualize it or say it’s just a metaphor. We have to stop doing that. This locks us out from experiencing truth.
Jesus said, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.” How many of you believe that you can see Jesus? The realm of spirit is accessible to you.
You have been seated in heavenly places. Jesus wants to walk with you as the Lord walked with Adam and Eden. Only on rare occasions does the Lord enter your realm. We have to enter His realm.
Paul said this to Timothy:
2 TIMOTHY 4:22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit.
Jesus wants to become your friend and walk with you in fellowship.
How do you become friends with an invisible Spirit? You have to learn to enter His realm, the realm of spirit.
Scientists talk about parallel universes; that is, us occupying the same space as other worlds. This is true of the spirit realm; it exists alongside in the same space as the physical realm.
We have to enter His realm. As you pray and worship, you enter His gates into His presence where you can see, hear, and walk with the Lord.
As you learn how to be still and wait on the Lord, you will be able to hear his voice. As you learn how to fix your eyes on Jesus, you will begin to see his face in your imagination.
Close your eyes; now picture the place where you live. You can see it in your imagination. This is how we use our imagination concerning spiritual things.
This is a key to stepping beyond the veil, when we are filled with His Spirit we will enter in.
The purer your heart, the clearer your vision of His world becomes.
Love will cause you to live in the realm of the Lord.
1 JOHN 2:8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. 9. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
1 JOHN 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God 8. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
The purity of heart has to do with motive, and the root of that motive is love. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. You will see God in everything; as the cherubim said:
ISAIAH 6:3 The whole earth is full of the glory of God.
MATTHEW 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God.
This Scripture indicates that a peacemaker is a person who has reached a certain level of maturity in God.
The term “son of God” is used in Scripture to describe a person who has become a fully mature son of God.
The Greek word for son here is huios G5207 and means a fully matured son.
When God said of Jesus, “This is My Son,” everyone who heard this knew what it meant. It referred to the Jewish custom of “Placing a Son”.
MATTHEW 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”.
When his male child reached the age of 30, family and friends were called to a ceremony in which the father’s male child would be officially recognized as a huios-son. This ceremony was often called the placing of a son.
When the son had been ‘placed’, his status in the family changed. He was given authority to transact business in his father’s name.
When God said of Jesus, “This is my Son,” He was referring to this ceremony of son-placement and giving Him great authority to transact business in His Father’s Name. This is the kind of person Jesus is talking about in Matthew 5:9. The peacemaker has become a mature son.
If you want to attain this status, one of the requirements is to become a peacemaker.
What is a Peacemaker?
We live in a very troubled world. People are troubled or fearful of so many things.
The society in which we live is everything but conducive to peace and tranquility. Countless millions of tranquilizers are swallowed annually as people try to escape the stress of modern living. If you are to bring peace into troubled lives, it is going to cost you.
In the book of Leviticus, chapter 3:1-5, we have a description of what is called the peace offering. This describes what an Israelite had to do in order to have peace with God. An offering had to be brought to the Lord.
This involved sacrifice on the part of the person bringing this offering. It cost him something:
LEVITICUS 2:16. And the priest shall burn the memorial of it, part of the beaten corn thereof, and part of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
LEVITICUS 3:1 And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer it of the herd; whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD. 2. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about. 3. And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, 4. And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away. 5. And Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering.
Two main ingredients were used in this offering: The Fat of the animal and The Kidneys.
The picture we have here is interesting. The details within the Scriptures are not just there to fill up space; they often have profound meaning.
Fat in symbolic terms in the Word speaks of Strength.
The Kidneys is another story.
The Kidneys are an unusual symbolic picture depicting the controlling element of our lives.
This word Kidneys goes back to the Hebrew concept of the heart.
The Kidneys, from their inaccessible place in the body, were regarded by the early Hebrews as the seat of the emotions, the hidden inner part of man.
The Bible translators had real trouble translating this into a meaningful English word; they finally came up with the English word “reins”.
Substituting the word reins for kidneys, they felt, made the meaning much clearer:
PSALMS 7:9 Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.
The word reins in this verse is the Hebrew word for kidneys.
The translators could not bring themselves to translate it as “The Lord trieth the kidneys,” as it would not convey the real meaning or concept intended by the text.
PSALMS 139:13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. This word is carried on over into the New Testament.
REVELATION 2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
This word kidneys used in the Peace Offering represents human desire and will, the controlling factor in one’s life.
Just as a horse is controlled by the reins, so the controlling part of our lives has to be offered to the Lord. To have peace we have to hand over the reins of our lives to the Lord.
The second ingredient of this peace offering was Fat. As I have said before, fat represents strength.
So the Israelite had to bring a sacrifice, and offer the kidneys (reins) and the fat (strength).
It takes a lot of fat (strength) to hand over the kidneys (reins) of our lives.
One of the main aspects of the Kingdom of God is peace.
ROMANS 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 19, Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
PSALMS 34:14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
We are told to pursue peace, to work at it to make peace who we are. We can only bring or minister to others what we are.
We must become peace before we can bring peace; this becoming peace makes us peacemakers and “Sons of God”.
As we die to ourselves, handing over the reins of our lives to God, we begin to enter into peace.
When we are no longer our own, we are in the hands of God, and it doesn’t matter what happens to us.
Coming to this place in God brings tremendous freedom and peace.
Once you enter this place in God, everything changes. Your whole outlook on life is transformed; it’s no longer you that lives (Gal 2:20).
The enemy does not know how to handle a person who has entered into this place because nothing can affect them.
They are no longer their own and it matters not what happens to them.
This brings fantastic release and qualifies the person as a truly matured “Son of God”.
Everywhere these people go they bring peace; it emanates from them as a power. So much of the so-called conflict management in the church today is based on humanism and psychology.
To truly resolve a conflict requires that at least one of the involved parties has to die.
PROVERBS 13:10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.
When two parties are in contention, one party had to submit (die) if the situation is to be resolved.
That does not mean we have to submit to evil; submission is primarily an attitude.
Those who have walked this road and have handed over the reins of their lives know how to bring peace; they know what it takes to achieve peace and have the power to impart the understanding of what is required: namely, the absolute surrender of our rights to the Lord.
The Gospel of the Kingdom is not one of receiving what is rightfully mine; it is giving up your rights that you may receive His life, passing through death and awakening through resurrection into a new and living way.
This, then, brings peace into every situation.
If you want to enter the realm of heaven in your daily walk with the Lord, a realm of peace that passes understanding where nothing can disturb your poise and godly stature, you must bring the peace offering to the Lord, accepting His yoke or control of your life.
Only then will Matthew 11:29 be realized in your life:
MATTHEW 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
In acceptance of His will – there lieth rest.
MATTHEW 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
What is it about persecution and suffering that is good for us?
2 TIMOTHY 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him:
There is a connection between suffering and qualifying to reign with the Lord.
ROMANS 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 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.
These scriptures show us that persecution and suffering if responded to rightly, have a way of preparing us for great things in God.
It is not so much the suffering in itself, so much as our response to it.
It has been said that suffering and trouble will either make you “bitter or better”.
The Bible tells the story of a man (Job) God wished to bless; however, God could only bring him into a larger place through suffering.
This story was put into the Bible as an example of how God uses suffering in order to bless us.
Job went through great suffering.
Through this suffering, God was able to bring him to a place where he qualified for advancement in the Kingdom of God.
Like the experience of Isaiah who found himself in the manifest presence of God and, as a result, saw his own sinfulness which, in turn, resulted in a new level of cleansing and commissioning (Isa 6), even so, Job saw his own sinful nature and through repentance entered into a new place in God:
JOB 42:5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. 6. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
Entering higher levels in God requires deeper repentance:
JOB 42:10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
His attitude to the friends who had tormented him now has changed. And Job now enters into a new place in God:
JOB 42:12 So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. 13. He had also seven sons and three daughters. 14. And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch. 15. And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. 16. After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations. 17. So Job died, being old and full of days.
This story was placed by God in the Bible in order to show us how we proceed to greater levels in God.
There can be no resurrection without first experiencing death.
Suffering has a way of transforming our view of life – it has a way of setting the priorities in our lives in the right order. Suffering cuts away at the materialism in our lives and brings us to a place where only God and His will matter.
This cutting away of the clutter and wrong priorities in our lives is preparatory to advancement in His kingdom.
PSALMS 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.
Don’t waste your troubles – make them stepping stones to greater glory.
Pain tempers the soul, making it pliable and receptive to greater levels in God.
You may say, “But it is not God’s will for me to be in pain; Jesus bore our pain so that we could be free.”
That is true; however, sometimes pain is the only way that God can condition us to receive greater blessing.
God does not afflict us, but He can and does, when necessary, allow the enemy to afflict us in order to bring us to a place where we hear what God is saying to us and what He wants of us.
This is the story of Job.
JOB 33:14 For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. 15. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed 16. Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, 17. That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. 18. He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword. 19. He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain: 20. So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat. 21. His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out. 22. Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers. 23. If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to show unto man his uprightness: 24. Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom. 25. His flesh shall be fresher than a child’s: he shall return to the days of his youth: 26. He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness.
When the work of suffering has finished, great healing comes and a new place in God is achieved.
ROMANS 8:18 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.
There are many kinds of suffering of which physical pain is just one. Whatever God allows you to go through, use it as a stepping stone to glory.
Jesus suffers seeing mankind so far away from him.
PHILIPPIANS 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
COLOSSIANS 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:
JAMES 5:10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
MATTHEW 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
The Greek word for mourn is pentheo G3996: to grieve. This word is nearly always used in connection with death or mourning over the death of a loved one.
For instance, in Matthew 9:15 this is clearly brought out:
MATTHEW 9:15 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them (through death), and then shall they fast (or mourn).
This verse puts the word mourn into its right context. While Jesus was with His disciples, there was no need to mourn (his death), but when he was taken away by death, then they would mourn.
The word fast in this verse is used because fasting was considered to be a way of mourning. In fact, when a person died, it was expected of the relatives to fast as a sign of mourning.
Most Bible scholars believe that in this Beatitude in Matthew 5:4 Jesus was referring to mourning for the death of a loved one.
When Jesus referred to His own death in Matthew 9:15, He was speaking of them mourning over His death. However, their mourning would be turned into Joy when they would be reunited again.
As the days ahead grow darker and darker, we will see more and more death around us.
As nature’s convulsions become more violent, we will see death happening in ever increasing magnitude. Wars will increase, causing much greater devastation and death.
MATTHEW 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8. ll these are the beginning of sorrows.
LUKE 21:11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
In the days that lie ahead, death will be all around us.
As the world becomes more and more desensitized to death, a lack of regard for human worth will increase, causing even more killing without conscience.
These are the days we will be living in.
It is so easy to become desensitized to death; we see it all the time on TV, and we get used to it very quickly.
As Christians, we must resist becoming desensitized to death.
As we see millions die around us, there must be within our hearts a sense of mourning for the loss of life.
Satan is going to take as many as he can with him before the end and death is on his agenda for this generation.
Satan knows his time is short and his plan is to kill as many as he can before the end.
Abortion, war, abominable plagues and disease are all a part of this.
Jesus said, “When you see these things, look up for your redemption draws near”:
LUKE 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
In the midst of all of this death, we will see the greatest revival the church has ever known.
Countless millions will be swept into the Kingdom of God and join the redeemed of all ages.
At a time when gross darkness covers the earth, God will arise in great power and glory.
ISAIAH 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 2. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
The best wine has been reserved for us in these end times.
As the book “The Tale of Two Cities” opens with, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” even so, this will be reflected in the days that lie ahead.
Gross darkness will cover the earth at the time as the glory of the Lord will appear over His Church.
MATTHEW 13:38The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39. The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
47. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 48. Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 49. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just.
These are going to be the most glorious times and the most treacherous times.
As both good and evil mature, the clash between light and darkness will be like nothing was ever seen before.
Just as all the seed sown since the beginning of time will come to maturity in these days, the ultimate seed, that of martyrdom, will be one of God’s secret weapons.
The more Satan kills, the more the harvest will be multiplied; he cannot win.
In his attempt to kill as many as he can before the end, he only increases the harvest of souls for God’s Kingdom
REVELATION 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
REVELATION 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
There is no doubt that there will be multitudes of martyrs in the last days.
Our sons and daughters are facing a period in history when martyrdom will become exceedingly common.
Many will lose their lives for the testimony of Jesus. They will overcome by their testimony.
REVELATION 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
MATTHEW 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
There will be mourning, but not as those who don’t know the Lord.
Mothers and fathers who mourn because of the death of their children will be comforted and blessed, entering into the reward of those who have nurtured them as parents.
1 THESSALONIANS 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are dead, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 15. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which have. 16. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
MATTHEW 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
In Matthew 7 Jesus is talking about the importance of foundations.
This analogy Jesus used on building on sand vs. rock is related to the end times.
When the storms come, will your house stand?
MATTHEW 7:21 Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.