For the first three Beatitudes, we see attitudes and states of being that go against human nature. They are, however, a natural spiritual progression. They are designed by God to create a space and a need in our lives for something from the outside to fulfill. Becoming poor allows the Lord to make us rich. Mourning allows the Lord to comfort. Our being meek allows the Lord to give us an inheritance. The same is with the next installment in the Beatitudes:
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." Matthew 5:6 (NKJV)
It is interesting that the Lord uses two descriptions of human need. We do not need to be rich to survive, we do not need comfort to survive, we do not need and inheritance to survive. We need, however, to eat and drink to survive. What is it about the righteousness of God that He would liken it to a need for survival?
To subdue hunger, we ingest; to quench thirst, we ingest. So to is the Word of God. 56 times in the Bible the word honey is used. Out of those 56 times, twice it is in direct reference to the Word of God. Ezekiel 3:3, "And He said to me, 'Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you.' So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness." Revelation 10:9, 10, "And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter."
The idea of eating is to assimilate that very thing. It forever becomes a part of you. It nourishes the entire body. So those who hunger and thirst after the righteousness of God will be filled. This is a promise.
David wrote, "For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness." (Psalm 107:9, NKJV)
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