I am excited to introduce you to a series of new Bible Helps articles on the Beatitudes. Studying these words of Jesus has helped me see the Beatitudes in a new light. They give us many practical applications for today.
In the first beatitude, Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). The Bible gives examples of those who were not poor in spirit, but rather proud in spirit. They exalted themselves instead of God.
- The builders of the Tower of Babel boasted that they were going to build a tower to Heaven and make a name for themselves (Genesis 11:4). What did they plan to do when they got to Heaven? Worship God, or dethrone Him?
- In a city devoted to the god Marduk, King Nebuchadnezzar boasted, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built?” He put the emphasis on I. He claimed to have built Babylon by his mighty power and for his majestic glory (Daniel 4:30).
- The Antichrist will exalt himself and magnify himself above every god and speak presumptuous things against the one true God (Daniel 11:36; 2 Thessalonians 2:4).
In Ephesians 2:1-9, Paul teaches that salvation is a gift from God. God freely sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for us and redeem us. We are saved from our sins by grace, “not of works, lest any man should boast.” There is a tendency in the human heart to boast. Boasting gives credit to personal ability for accomplishments rather than to God’s enabling grace.
Jesus calls His followers to be poor in spirit. The new article entitled “Poor in Spirit” considers what it means to possess this quality.
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