Inheriting The Earth

Inheriting the Earth

By Pastor Jim May

Last week we said that the Sunday night services would be considered as a time of teaching for a while and that we would answer questions from any of you who had questions that you didn’t quite understand in scripture or that you would like to hear explained from the Word of God. Questions could also be submitted concerning any area of life. Of course all questions will be screened for merit as well as their appropriateness before the congregation. Any questions that cannot, or should not be answered openly, will be considered as private and you will be notified. Private questions can be answered but not in an open service.

Quite often we take for granted that people know more than they really do. I believe it’s vitally important for you to know what you believe and why, and that what you believe must be founded only upon one thing – what God’s Word says.

Last week’s question was concerning the dinosaurs. Some probably thought that it was a bit frivolous to ask where the dinosaurs fit into the Bible, but in the end, no question is frivolous when it comes to God’s Word for there is nothing that we cannot learn from His Word. The real question in that message was not just where the dinosaurs fit in, but what do we rely on for truth; Man’s wisdom and science, along with its suppositions, theories and self-proclaimed standards, or upon the unchangeable, eternal Word of God. What it came down to in the final analysis is whether we believe in Evolution of Millions of years or whether we believe in a literal 6 days of Creation as described in Genesis. You can’t have it both ways.

Now tonight we are going to plunge into a different question altogether and its one that may well be upon the minds of many of us. It deals with both the here and now, and with Bible prophecy and so we will try to answer it as thoroughly as I can.

The question, simply stated, is this: The Bible says that the meek shall inherit the earth, yet we read that the earth will be destroyed by fire. How can we inherit the earth when there will be no earth to inherit after it is destroyed and we are no longer living to inherit it?

First, let’s establish what we mean when we say meek. What does it mean to be Meek? - Showing patience and humility; gentle and easily imposed on; submissive. humble in spirit or manner, humble and not likely to complain, argue, react strongly etc. But these aren’t exactly what is meant by the Word even though these characteristics should be part of our lives too. Meekness means much more to a Christian.

Meekness means that we have become acutely aware of our sinful condition through the preaching of the Gospel and the convicting power of the Holy Ghost. We have come to realize that we sinners, in need of a Savior, and that even as Born Again Saints of God, we know that we are not sufficient within ourselves. We have come to realize that we must depend upon God for everything.

We have come to realize that our righteousness is nothing more than filthy rags in the eyes of God and that we must fully trust in Him for all things. We recognize that all blessings, and even life itself, are gifts only by the grace of God and nothing we can do will earn them.

Since we have taken on these beliefs and we live by them, we are willing to submit our will to God’s will, even when it is inconvenient and costly to do so. We choose to lead a life of sacrifice and dependence upon God alone.

Meekness means that we realize that we are poor and destitute in ourselves and have no power to overcome outside of Christ. Therefore, we humble ourselves under his hand and live by His will that we may obtain the promises of God.

The world looks at a Christian as a weak and ignorant creature, but we know, as God’s Children, that we have an inner strength through Jesus that the world can’t understand. We know that if we humble ourselves under God’s hand, that He will exalt us in due time. And we accept the fact that though we may not obtain many of the rewards that this world has to offer, we have a greater reward waiting for us in Heaven.

The problem is that most people associate meekness with weakness. They believe that if we are to be called “meek” that we must act like a wet dishcloth and allow every to step all over us. But that not what scriptural meekness is at all.