This Beatitude is a reiteration of Psalm 37:11(CJB): “But the meek will inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.” The Jews who originally heard this Beatitude immediately would have thought of the message of the entire Psalm, a contrast between the wicked and the faithful. The continually repeated message in this Psalm is that the faithful will be cared for by God and inherit the land but the wicked will perish. God provides for the needs of the faithful and deals with the evil doers. Those who enter the kingdom as spiritual paupers who mourn their sin will trust in God's provision; because of this trust, they will be meek in their dealings with others.
Other definitions for the Greek word translated as meek are gentle and humble. The first three Beatitudes all stress the importance of humility in those who repent. Humble people are gentle people, not aggressive or arrogant. God wants us to be gentle and humble in our interactions with others, regardless of their attitudes toward us. Psalm 37:1-2, 7-9 (NIV) can help us to understand meekness:
Psalm 37 focuses on the wicked who prosper because of their evil deeds. Meekness means not being angry, envious or worried about their wickedness or its consequences. This doesn't mean that they can't take a stand against evil, but that they don't take revenge or commit any other sin against others because of it. In the Kingdom, God's people trust God and are satisfied with his provision. In the Kingdom, God's people allow God to deal with the wicked. In the Kingdom, God's people are patient, meek, gentle, humble.
Psalm 37:3-4, 18-19, 28-29 (NIV) helps us to understand the blessings of the meek who inherit the land.
The Jews reflecting on these verses would remember that receiving the Promised Land was the biggest event in their history and a gift from God. It involved a process of being freed from Egyptian slavery and being trained and tested in desert wandering for 40 years. Only then were they prepared to enter their new home, trusting God as they fought to take the land that had been promised centuries ago to Abraham.
God gave them the land. The land was the life-giving source of sustenance and shelter. It was a place where God could nurture their spiritual life and advance his kingdom on earth. It was here that the Israelites were to learn that if they would delight in the Lord, they would receive the desires of their hearts because their hearts would be aligned with God's heart. It would be a safe and peaceful place.
God's perfect kingdom will never be realized in this life. Like the Israelite's roaming the desert, we are all in training for a Promised Land that lies beyond this life. We must fight spiritual battles as we take possession. Like the Israelites, we must trust God to help us fight these battles and listen for his directions on how to fight each one. If we accept God's righteousness and remain obedient and repentant, we will inherit this land and dwell in it forever. Our focus needs to be, not on the prosperity of the wicked, but on contentment and gratitude for the provision God gives us now as we look forward to living in our eternal heavenly home. The wicked will perish, but the meek will inherit the land and delight in abundant peace.
What does meekness look like in the world today? The answer is the same for us as for the Israelites. Are you willing to let God deal with the wicked? In your dealings with other people, are you gentle, humble and patient? Are you satisfied with God's provision for your needs? Do you follow God's direction to you in your spiritual battles? Do you remember this world is not your inheritance and look forward to inheriting the land, your heavenly home, one day?
Scripture quotations marked (CJB) are taken from the Complete Jewish Bible by David H. Stern. Copyright © 1998. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Messianic Jewish Publishers, 6120 Day Long Lane, Clarksville, MD 21029. www.messianicjewish.net.
Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
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