“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”
The Greek word here for mourn is, “pentheo”. This means to grieve, to lament, to be sorrowful, to wail.
Doesn’t it seem bizarre that it is a Kingdom dynamic to mourn? It would be so easy for the reader to overlook the word mourn and skip to the word comfort because to be comforted is more appealing to our natural disposition. Jesus who is God incarnate and the embodiment of the Word begins His teaching ministry with these divine words, touching earth with heaven, reaching into the depths of our conscience with a hot iron and turns our mindset inside out and back to front by saying, ”Exceedingly happy are those who mourn”. Why is this?
This divine teaching of Jesus is foolishness to the world but it is life to those who God has brought near. This process of mourning that Jesus speaks of is not a type of mourning that is an inward focused mourning for a personal loss alone i.e. when a person mourns for the loss of a loved one or grieves over a tragedy.
This particular mourning process is a God given way of mourning which enables a person to begin to understand the separation that was caused between God and man when Adam and Eve committed the initial sin, and how this disobedience had a catastrophic effect on the world God created;
(read Romans 5)
Alongside this, God reveals a person’s own sinful nature which derives from Adam and now works throughout all of mankind, so in the light of God’s presence a person can begin to understand how unholy, inadequate and unworthy they are in comparison to the purity, splendour and majesty of God. This can only lead to one place; a wholesome birthing of Godly grief, lamentation and sorrow.
This God given mourning also surpasses the diagnosis of mankind’s fallen condition, it also reveals the declension and deterioration of the world God created. This is one of the many beautiful ways God Himself shares His own heart with a person, it is an intimate way of sharing in the sufferings of our great Father. It enables a person to look away from themselves and see mourning in a new light where God is the central focus. For example, David after he commits adultery with Beersheba and murdered Heriah cries. ” Against You, You only have I sinned, and done what is evil in Your sight.” Please, read the outstanding penitent Psalm 51 of David. Isaiah when the LORD revealed Himself in a powerful way cries out. “Woe is me, for I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.” For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” Isaiah 6 v 5. Also lets move onto Jesus who is without sin, He shows us once again His emotions, pain and sorrow as he approached the city of Jerusalem, “ and when he drew near and saw the city he wept over it, saying. Would that you, even you had known on this day the things that make for peace, but now they are hidden from your eyes.” in Luke 19 v 42 and 43. How wonderful it truly is for God to reveal this type of mourning to a person, it could be a instant revelation like Isaiah, a process like King David or a grief over the land expressed as Christ did over the city of Jerusalem.
Could I dare to say then, to mourn in this way is not morbid or foolishness but it is life and wisdom? I believe that this is God working in a person’s life to produce repentance, brokenness and humility, a clear mark that the Potter is shaping His vessel. This gift of mourning is a part of salvation, it connects directly with the poor in spirit, helps a person with the fruits of meekness and leads to hunger and thirsting for righteousness. What an outstanding blessing it is then to mourn in this way. “Exceedingly happy are those who mourn”. Why? Just to reiterate, this is God sharing His feelings, His heart, His grief and sadness but it leads us to the one place a person can find ultimate comfort, faith in the goodness of God through the atoning work of Jesus by the Holy Spirit.
What a supreme privilege that our great Father desires to share with His creation His very own intimate feelings, this in itself is the highest form of comfort a person could know. Jesus said to His disciples. “I will not leave you as orphans but I will send you the Comforter.” John 14 v 16 – 18. One of the manifold works of the Holy Spirit is to reveal to a person the love of God which is stored up in the treasury of Christ. This transcends any manufactured hope of man and echoes in a person’s heart that they have the perfect advocate in Christ who is now seated as the Great High Priest. Not only is Christ seated because His atoning work has been for filled but He prays for His chosen people. What a radiant spectrum of comfort God provides.
A part of God’s love is to touch a person with His comfort, Paul in 2 Corinthians 1 v 3 – 4, prays, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. Who comforts us in all our afflictions, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
So therefore, a person may go through grief and affliction not only for them to enter into the abounding grace of God, but so faith can be built through endurance, and perseverance produces character which leads to hope which does not disappoint. Read Romans chapter 5. Then because a person has experienced this they may be able to comfort, understand, console and advise others who are going through afflictions, grief, trials and who are mourning. “O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are His judgements, and how inscrutable His ways.”
Romans 11 v 33.
Also, one of the many themes found in the book of Romans is death i.e. the death of Christ, death through baptism, sin leading to death etc, but in Romans 7 Paul describes graphically the inner struggle and turmoil he was facing with the extreme battle between his sinful nature and putting it to death. I am sure that this would have produced a Godly grief and mourning within Paul, he cries out. “wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death?” Romans 7 v 24. A little deep and challenging wouldn’t you say? But listen to where Paul’s focus truly was;
“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord, so then I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. there is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” Romans 7 v 25 and 8 v 1 -2.
What an Absolutely awesome Paradox! God comforts a person by revealing sin and separation between God and man, this draws the axe which puts sin to death and then brings forth Godly life. Does God stop there? Absolutely not, He compassionately draws a person towards Himself and reveals the solution which is found in Christ. This opens the spiritual womb which is the comforting bosom of God, and in this secret place His name is exchanged from God to, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8 v 15 and Galatians 4 v 6. Is this not the place where true comfort, restoration, healing, hope and strength among many other gifts are found? What a supreme privilege it is,” Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
Malcolm