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Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. ~ Matthew 5:5
Today, we return to our study of the Beatitudes which describe the process involved in the changing of the human heart with reference to God. This process renders in us true happy joy despite our circumstances. This concept of "blessed" or "true happy joy" is referenced 56 times in the Bible. The way to true happiness comes from giving host to the holiness of God. It is that set apart for God condition that produces this settled peaceful disposition that concludes all is well in my soul. In order to describe this state of being the Lord Jesus used the word "blessed" which is the inward, spiritually, prosperous, joyful, contented state of those who are in and being defined by the Kingdom of God.
As we go further into the beatitudes, it is becoming more and more obvious that the kingdom of the Lord Jesus is not of this world. In the previous verses, the Lord Jesus noted the poor in spirit, those who have come to the realization that they cannot earn the favor of God in any way. He also pointed out that for those who embrace poverty of spirit, theirs is the kingdom of heaven. That means those who come to the end of themselves and are utterly hopeless, these are positioned best to know the rule of God in their lives. From this the Lord Jesus taught that poverty of spirit leads to mourning which in turn will attract the comfort of God which primarily comes from knowing that He has forgiven our sin through His Son's cross.
In today's verse the Lord Jesus points us to the characteristic of meekness, a characteristic that most do not expect out of a king and his kingdom. The word "meek" actually describes strength under His control. When we remember that He was speaking to Israel under the law, it helps us in understanding what the Lord Jesus was actually getting at here. The promise to Abraham was that of the land of Israel. In fact, the Jews to this day look for their own possession in the land of Israel, all 300,000 square miles of it. And this is what will be portioned out to them in the millennium. Thus, the word "land," rather than the commonly translated "earth," appears to make much more sense.
The Lord Jesus came to reveal the utter uselessness of self-sufficiency which is self-righteousness, the idea that I do not need God's help. This is why the Lord Jesus highlighted meekness which is not weakness. Meekness is the disposition of the person who has yielded up control to God. All the strength is there, all the power is there, it’s just not self-asserted. Wherever we possess a broken heart, wherever we have a sense of spiritual bankruptcy, wherever we have a sense of mourning over our sinfulness, we will naturally give safe haven to submission to God.
A horse under control is a great example of this. The powerful horse can be harnessed and controlled by a 100 pound boy. It is this power under control that is essentially the best description of meekness which is one of the fruits of the Spirit. Meekness, as indicated here is the product of the process which is found in the soil of spiritual poverty and mourning ver sin. On the one hand, we see our own utter ruin, our own unworthiness and misery. But, on the other, we contemplate the kindness of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. The internal characteristic is a disposition of heart which through the keen perception of its own misery and the abounding mercy of God, has become so pliable that no traces of its original ruggedness, of its wild and untamed, independent nature remains.
Meekness is the absence of confidence in the self. It is from that posture that we are enabled to see the utter strength and goodness of God. When we get to the place where we know only God can do something we have arrived at meekness. In Philippians 3:3, we discover, we cannot trust our flesh. Yet, in Philippians 4:13 we learn, we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us. This is meekness, a total lack of confidence in oneself to accomplish anything eternal and a total confidence in God to accomplish everything.
Interestingly, the word "inherit" means to receive that which is apportioned or allotted. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." So, if anyone wants an allotted place in the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, that person will embrace the process of the change that only God can bring about. This process leads to brokenness which is necessary for any of us to realize our utter wickedness. Most want to blame God for the discomfort that comes into their lives and when they do this, they miss out on the process that renders so much happy joy. For those who embrace this expression of the flesh, they eliminate the possibility of the necessary brokenness. But, for those who allow their pain to drive them to the Lord, He will in no way turn them away.
