A Prayer
of Jesus
I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will.
Edition No. 11      Click here for a brief preview of this site     June 1, 2002
WE ARE HERE TO LISTEN TO
The Voice of Jesus
"This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!"
The Testimony of the Father (Luke 9:35)
MISUNDERSTANDING JESUS #1
Jesus says: Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. .  .  . He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God. John 8:43-47 (NKJV)
Christians read, talk, and praise Jesus without understanding him.  Key sayings they misunderstand.  We consider some of them in this series, beginning in this edition with Matthew 5:5.
Defining The Error

#1-Inheriting the Earth
Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek,  For they shall inherit the earth. (NKJV)

 They err by thinking "earth" is the planet.  It even becomes the translation in the following versions: The world will belong to them.(WE) the whole earth will belong to them. (NLT) This turns off the Light of Truth. It confirms them in many false doctrines such as that they will inherit the planet earth and reign over it in a future coming of God's kingdom.  Thus they are blind to the Truth - that the only coming to earth of the kingdom is long past.  This also leads them to err in all the Beatitudes, thinking that the blessings are earthly when the truth is that all point only to heaven. They pervert the gospel because they cannot hear the Truth.  Jesus explains what ails them in John 8:47.
Exposing the Error

 If they could hear Jesus, they would listen and understand:
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV)
If their hearts were in heaven, they would not desire to inherit the earth. Neither will the Lord return bringing our treasure from heaven. They have laid up their treasure on the earth. Listen:
I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.John 14:2,3 (NKJV)
He comes to take us back to the Father, not to bring our treasure back to us. 
Declaring the Truth

Inherit the earth means that a little flock will inherit or possess a land and kingdom, which is of and in heaven. It is "the Promised Land" of the old song.  Jesus took the phrase from Psalm 37. It was originally a promise, to Israel, of the land of Canaan. It did not mean the planet. They did not know "planet."  Therefore, if Jesus had meant the planet, they could not have understood him.  Things changed when the Jews failed to qualify for the promise:
Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.Matt.21:43
Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.Luke 12:32 
Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: Matt.25:34(NKJV) Read more.