Gwendolyn Harmon's Blog: Learning Ladyhood, page 27

“Is There Not a Cause?” David’s Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness

When I think of a person in Scripture who exemplified this idea of hungering and thirsting after righteousness, I think of David. Although he was not at all perfect, he nevertheless displayed a heart that longed to do things right: that was willing to fight for righteousness, literally and figuratively, and that mourned when he failed to live out the righteousness he knew God expected of him.

There are several moments throughout David’s life where his hunger and thirst for righteousness are clearly displayed. The first is his reaction to Goliath’s challenge and the Israelite army’s blatant fear. In 1 Samuel 17, David asks,

“who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (v.26)

And when taunted by his elder brother, he responds,

“What have I now done? Is there not a cause?” (v.29)  

David’s confidence in the God of Israel was in sharp contrast to the cringing cowardice of King Saul and his army, and yet David’s heart in going to fight Goliath was not to gain fame for himself or showcase his own might or bravery: it was for the purpose of showing forth God’s might and God’s defense of His people. As David said of his defeat of Goliath, it was

“That all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword or spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.” (1 Samuel 17:46-47)

Later on, when David was on the run from the jealous rage of King Saul, he again showed that hunger and thirst for righteousness in his treatment of the very king who had attempted to murder him on multiple occasions and was now hunting him down like a criminal.

When David found himself in the perfect position to kill the man who considered himself David’s worst enemy, he would not. Despite the urgings of the group of men he was leading, he would not kill the man God had chosen to be king –even though God had already chosen David to succeed him. All David would do is cut off a small piece of David’s robe, so he could prove he had been that close to the king, but his conscience was grieved even at that small act. (1 Samuel 24)

This firm commitment to do right is seen throughout David’s life, and yet, he was not without fault. In the matter of Bathsheba he sinned grievously, and as he tried to cover up his sin with more sin, his wrongdoing snowballed on and on, until Nathan came and gave the Lord’s rebuke and declaration of judgement.

I don’t know of a passage that speaks more to hungering and thirsting after righteousness than Psalm 51. It was written by David after Nathan’s confrontation of his sin. Notice the emphasis on confession and restoration to righteousness.

“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

Against Thee, and Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight: that Thou mightiest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear when Thou judgest.

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Behold, Thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part Thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which Thou hast broken may rejoice.

Hide Thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and uphold me with Thy free spirit.

Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways; and sinner shall be converted unto Thee.

Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy righteousness.

O Lord, open Thou my lips: and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise.

For Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou delightest not in burnt offering.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.

Do good in Thy good pleasure unto Zion: build Thou the walls of Jerusalem.

Then shalt Thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon Thine altar.”

Psalm 51

This psalm is an important part of our understanding of David’s hunger and thirst after righteousness. It shows us that we do not have to begin in the place of righteousness. Part of hunger and thirst is feeling our need, being fully convinced of our urgent need, and our inability to survive unless it is met.

As David faced the reality of his sin, he humbled himself to accept God’s view of the matter, he mourned over his sin, and he yearned to be made right with God: he longed to be righteous and felt the urgency of having his relationship with God restored.

Too often, we skim over the confession of our sins, asking for forgiveness almost flippantly, with no sense of urgency.

A heart that hungers and thirsts for righteousness, especially when it has failed, is a heart that will be filled: its cravings fully satisfied with the righteousness of God.

 

“O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee: my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.”

(Psalm 63:1)

Hungering and Thirsting for Righteousness

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”

(Matthew 5:6)

Hunger and Thirst

We all know what it is to experience hunger or thirst, though perhaps not as much as those who gathered on the hillside to hear Jesus speak these words that day. For many of them, hunger and thirst were very serious dangers, indeed. We acknowledge that hunger and thirst are both recurring sensations that clamor to be filled, but our idea of hungering and thirsting after righteousness often stops short of the idea conveyed here by Jesus.

The Greek word Jesus chose to use has the idea of pinching toil to satisfy a need. It can mean to pine, to famish, or to crave. The idea is that of hunger so serious, so demanding, it must be satisfied immediately.

The word for thirst here simply means to thirst, but it is nevertheless a powerful picture, especially when we bear in mind that this beatitude was first spoken to those who lived in a place where water was precious and thirst an all-too often deadly danger.

As D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones puts it,

“To hunger and thirst really means to be desperate, to be starving, to feel life is ebbing out, to realize my urgent need of help.”*

This is a particularly strong sense of urgency, indeed, which Jesus uses to describe the Christian’s relationship to righteousness. I wonder… when was the last time you and I felt that kind of urgency to be ever increasing in righteousness?

“But,” you may ask, “What is righteousness?” The word translated righteousness means equity of character or act, specifically justification. It has an implication of holiness, innocence, justice; of being right in the sight of God.

To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to urgently desire to be free from sin, to be right with God: it is to chase after Christlikeness, not willing to settle for the passive absence of unconfessed sin, but to strive to be positively holy, purposely and intentionally working to live out the righteousness of Christ, leaving no room for apathy.

 

They Shall Be Filled

Notice the contrast between our deep, urgent, constant need and God’s ever sufficient abundance. When we hunger and thirst for righteousness, we are blessed, or happy, because there is the certainty that we shall be filled.

The Greek word used here for filled has an association with the feeding of livestock. The idea is that of providing an animal with an abundant supply of fodder. Jesus is saying here that even our most desperate craving for righteousness can and will be fulfilled! There are several aspects to this:

Positional Righteousness

This is what the Bible calls justification. It is what happens the moment of salvation when God the Father accepts the blood of Christ as payment for our sins, forgiving our sins and declaring us righteous. The book of Romans deals with this concept of justification. Romans 3:23-26 describes it:

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of Him which believeth in Jesus.”

Notice, it is the righteousness of God that accomplishes and enables our justification. No righteousness of our own could ever have justified us in the eyes of an all-holy God, but as 1 Corinthians 5:21 explains,

“He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”

It was Christ’s very righteousness that qualified Him to bear our sin, and which now enables the sinner to stand righteous in the sight of God.

 

Practical Righteousness

While we may be positionally righteous before God now, we still live with our own sin nature and the temptations of living in a sin-filled word. Scripture is clear that salvation frees us from the power of sin and fills us with the Holy Spirit, which gives us God’s power to live in His righteousness. This makes practical holiness a choice between serving sin and serving God.

“But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” (Romans 6:22)

That choice can be a struggle, however, and Scripture makes equally clear that it is possible for those made righteous through the blood of Christ to fail to live out practically the righteousness that is ours positionally. When this occurs, we must go back to God for forgiveness and restoration of our relationship with Him.

Of course, this doesn’t mean we need to be “re-saved,” for salvation is dependent upon the work of Christ on our behalf, not on whether or not we can be “good enough.” Salvation brings us into a new relationship with God: that of children. (Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:15) Sin necessarily strains that relationship with our holy Father, but though that relationship can be strained, it can never be dissolved. (John 10:28)

To restore the relationship, we need to confess our sin (agreeing with God that it was sin) and ask forgiveness, just like we would with a family member we have wronged.

1 John 1:9 tells us that,

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Because we have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, the power to say no to sin is always there; we just have to choose to yield to God and access it, for,

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

This practical righteousness is, I think, what Christ had in mind (if indeed He did not mean all three applications to be made.) As His statement implies, the more we hunger and thirst after righteousness, the more we will be filled, and then hunger for more righteousness, only to be filled with even more! This craving and being satisfied can go on and on, for in our earthy bodies, the struggle to conquer self and sin is constant.

 

Promised Righteousness

Of course, this promise that hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled is to be fully and finally manifested upon our entrance into the presence of God, whether at the moment of death or the rapture. Then, we will be given glorified bodies with no sin nature to battle. Our hunger and thirst for righteousness will be completely and eternally satisfied.

It is no accident that the Greek word used for hunger in Matthew 5:6 is repeated in Revelation 7:16, saying of the great multitude worshipping before the throne of God:

“They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”

Revelation 21-22 gives another glimpse of what it will be like for us with God throughout eternity.

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”(21:4)

“It is done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.” (20:6)

“And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” (20:27)

“And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him: and they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no more night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.” (21:3-5)

In that bright and blessed eternity, they that hunger and thirst for righteousness shall be perpetually and perfectly filled. –That will be happiness, indeed!

 

 

 

 

*D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount 81

 

The Meekest Man and the Strongest Defender

Apart from the example of Jesus Himself, the best example in Scripture of meekness is seen in the book of Numbers, where Moses is described as,

“very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.” (12:3)

This remarkable statement is sandwiched between two events which put Moses’ meekness on display. In Numbers 11, the Israelites complained about the food God had provided. Moses becomes frustrated with the people’s grumbling, and himself begins to complain to God about the heavy burden the people had become.

God mercifully tells Moses to appoint 70 men who could serve with him. They were to gather around the tabernacle, where God would give them His Spirit.

When the men gathered, however, two were missing. For whatever reason, they had stayed in camp instead of joining the others at the tabernacle. When God put His Spirit on the rest of the men, they began to prophesy –as did the two who had stayed behind.

When Joshua heard about this, he was concerned, and said to Moses, “My lord Moses, forbid them.” (v. 28) I love Moses’ response:

“Enviest thou for my sake? Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put His spirit upon them!” (v. 29)

You see, part of meekness is being satisfied with the position, place, or type of service God has given you. It also means staying close to God in trusting contentment when He allows others to encroach upon the areas of ministry or ability which we view as “our territory.”

You and I might have been tempted to side with Joshua if we had been there that day, for the natural reaction of our flesh is to become jealous or defensive when others are promoted or made much of at our expense or the expense of those we love. Moses, however, freely supported these upon whom God had put His Spirit.

But while Moses took this sharing of authority as from the Lord, Aaron and Miriam chose instead to take offense. In chapter 12, they lash out at Moses. Their initial complaint was a personal attack, ostensibly because of his choice of wife, but notice what their argument against him really was:

“Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? Hath He not spoken also by us?” (12:2)

Note the attempt to claim a position of equal authority and importance with Moses. Perhaps they were jealous that they had not been given a position among the new influx of leadership, perhaps they were offended by the fact that God had Moses choose the 70, or perhaps it was a simple grownup case of sibling rivalry: whatever their reasons may have been, what God took note of was their disrespect and presumption.

“And the Lord heard it.” (12:2)

This is the point at which we are given the parenthetical statement about Moses being the meekest man on earth.

I think God wanted us to sit up and take notice of what He was going to do on Moses’ behalf. By inserting the statement, He takes the readers out of the narrative for a moment, which prompts us to read on with renewed focus. It also brings to our attention the particular quality God wants us to notice about Moses in this account.

But before we go on to look at what God does in defense of Moses, I want to point out that simple statement, “And the Lord heard it.”

Whatever false accusations, gossip, rumors, or spiteful words may be spoken against us, we can be sure that God hears them all. Not only is He omniscient, He is omnipresent, and there is nothing which escapes His notice.

We have no record of Moses speaking even a word in his own defense. Matthew Henry points out,

“When God’s honour was concerned, as in the case of the golden calf, no man more zealous than Moses; but, when his own honour was touched, no man more meek: as bold as a lion in the cause of God, but as mild as a lamb in his own cause.”*

As the two were taking Moses to task, God steps in:

“And the Lord spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out. And the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth. And He said, Hear now My words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make Myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all Mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?” (vv.4-8)

God Himself defends Moses far more successfully than any attempt to defend himself would have been.

In asserting both Moses’ importance and authority, God confirms also his worthiness for his position, declaring that Moses “is faithful in all Mine house.”

God also highlights the difference in His relationship with Moses, removing the last possible objection they might have regarding Moses’ position as leader of Israel.

Upon this declaration in Moses’ defense, the cloud departs, and Miriam is left leprous.

Characteristically, Aaron rushes to apologize and ask Moses to intercede on Miriam’s behalf. And Moses does, without a shadow of malice or bitterness towards the siblings who had been railing against him just minutes before.  

From this account we can glean a vital truth about God: He calls us to meekness fully intending to defend us Himself.

Meekness means letting go of the feelings of anger and offended pride which make us strong in the world’s eyes. But this fleshly strength is merely the façade of pride: mere bluster, without any real strength or power behind it.

When we are meek, we display true strength of character: the Christlike character that can bear insults and injustices patiently and silently, trusting God to act in our defense.  Matthew Henry sums this up well:

“The more silent we are in our own cause the more is God engaged to plead it. The accused innocent needs to say little if he knows the judge Himself will be his advocate.”*

The Christlike response to spiteful words or false accusations is to run to God, trusting that He will not lead us where He will not also defend us.

“Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” (1 Peter 4:19)

 

*Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Bible 153