The Beatitudes Part IV

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The Beatitudes Part IV

Happy are the mourners for they shall be comforted. (Mt. 5:4) Who are these mourners? Why are they mourning? We must remember that this statement in the poetic parallelism is parallel to the "poor in spirit". The "poor in spirit" therefore are the same people as the "mourners" only they are being described in another way. Just as "the poor in spirit" (Mt. 5:3) was a reference to Isaiah 66:2 (and 57:15); "mourners... shall be comforted" is a clear reference to Is. 66:10, 13 and Is. 61:2. (in fact as we continue in this study we will begin to see that the "beatitudes" are largely a commentary on Is. 66). Lets look at these: Rejoice you with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all you that mourn for her.... As one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you; and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. (Is. 66:10, 13) To proclaim the acceptable year of YHWH, the day of vengence of our Elohim; to comfort all who mourn; (Is. 61:2 (see 61:1-3)) The Hebrew word for mourn (both in Is. 66:10, 61:2-3 and Mt. 5:4) is AVELIM which the Aramaic translator of Mt. 5:4 renders AWELEH. These words invoke images of those who wail and cry and sigh at a funeral. The Jewish custom of mourning includes the act of renting ones clothing, the wearing of sackcloth and with ashes on their head. When the world killed the Messiah YHWH rent his garment (the Temple veil) in mourning. The AVELIM or AWELEH mourn with Him.

They mourn the death of Messiah, the wail and cry because of the injustices of this world. And they mourn because of the abominations committed against YHWH on the earth. Among these mourners will be the two witnesses who witness wearing sackcloth (Rev. 11:3). These AVELIM also appear in Ezekiel 9:4 where we read of men who "sigh and cry" because of the "abominations" (these "abominations" are pagan customs mentioned throughout Ezekiel 8 each being labled an "abomination"). These men receive a mark (TAV) upon their foreheads. They are also mentioned in Rev 7 & 14 as the 144,000 with the seal of God (Rev. 7:2-3). This seal or mark parallels another passage Exodus 13:9, 16 which tells us that the Torah in general and the Passover in specific is to be "a memorial between your eyes". That is to say that the Torah is to serve as our guiding principle and should be ever present in our minds. The AVELIM (mourners) sigh and cry because of the abomination against YHWH and man. Among their ranks are the 144,000. The Torah is everpresent on their mind as their guiding principle. They are the same as the humble of pride in the previous verse. But how will they be comforted? who will comfort them? To be continued……