Why do the Meek Inherit the Earth?

[Dale]

Believers in a pre-trib Rapture say that Jesus will fly over and snatch Christians out of this world and take them to heaven. Most say this is before the Tribulation starts. In this picture, Christians don't come back to Earth when the Tribulation is over, or at the Second Coming, they stay in heaven.


In addition, Dispensationalists deny that there is a Church during the Tribulation, although they admit that there are individual Christians. To me this is incomprehensible.


Question: If Christ removes Christians, and the church, in a worldwide Rapture, and they never come back, why did Jesus say that the meek inherit the earth?


Take a look at Psalm 37, a Psalm of David. This Psalm promises that God's people will “inherit the land” no less than five times. Some Psalms of David are prophetic, such as Psalm 22.


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]9For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]11 But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy peace and prosperity.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]22 those the Lord blesses will inherit the land,
but those he curses will be destroyed.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]29 The righteous will inherit the land
and dwell in it forever.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]34 Hope in the Lord
and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif](NIV)[/FONT]




[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Jesus may have been quoting or rephrasing Psalm 37:11 when he said that the meek will inherit the earth in the Beatitudes. Since Jesus reaffirms it in the New Testament, it isn't only an Old Testament prophecy and doesn't apply solely to the Jews.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]--Matthew 5:5 NIV[/FONT]




[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Dispensationalist promise that Christians will be removed or Raptured off the earth doesn't fit with Christ's promise that the meek have a bright future as owners of the earth.[/FONT]


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[Jerico Miles]

Question: If Christ removes Christians, and the church, in a worldwide Rapture, and they never come back, why did Jesus say that the meek inherit the earth?

Who told you Christians will never come back to earth after the rapture?

The length of the earth will not be only 7 years during the Tribulation. At the end, the meek will inherit the earth.....for all everlasting.

 

[tranquil]

@ OP

Bingo.

When people correctly understand that the 'rapture' means being gathered in the wilderness, everything makes sense - the meek are the people who are in the wilderness when the fall of Babylon occurs. Babylonians get killed off.

People don't get magically whisked away. I worry that when people see the "cosmic vacuum cleaner rapture" on their TV (which will be Satanic propaganda) that they will see it and think that God has rejected them, which will not be true - God is waiting for them in "the wilderness". Or imagine this scenario - Satanists create a false news feed of the "rapture" of only serial killers from prisons. God would be falsely painted as loving criminals over "normal/ decent people" (not that God necessarily cares about that). What would Christians be thought of then?

But really, who knows why this "whisking away" idea is promoted so much. Time will tell.

 

[Dale]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]There is still another mention of “inheritance” in Psalm 37:[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]18 The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care,
and their inheritance will endure forever.
19 In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]20 But the wicked will perish:
Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,
they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]There is also mention of peace:[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
a future awaits those who seek peace.
38 But all sinners will be destroyed;
there will be no future for the wicked.[/FONT]




[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]There is no notion of God removing His people from the world. Instead, we are told that He will protect them where they are.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]As it says in Psalm 37:34:[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Those who follow God will still be on earth to see the destruction of the wicked.[/FONT]


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[Dale]

Who told you Christians will never come back to earth after the rapture?

The length of the earth will not be only 7 years during the Tribulation. At the end, the meek will inherit the earth.....for all everlasting.

Everyone who believes in a pre-trib Rapture has their own theology.
You'll have to explain your to me.

By the way, where did the seven year Tribulation come from?
There is no verse in the Bible that says there will be a seven year Tribulation.

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[mark kennedy]

Question: If Christ removes Christians, and the church, in a worldwide Rapture, and they never come back, why did Jesus say that the meek inherit the earth?

When did Dispensationalists ever teach that 'they never come back'?

 

[mark kennedy]

People don't get magically whisked away. I worry that when people see the "cosmic vacuum cleaner rapture" on their TV (which will be Satanic propaganda) that they will see it and think that God has rejected them, which will not be true - God is waiting for them in "the wilderness". Or imagine this scenario - Satanists create a false news feed of the "rapture" of only serial killers from prisons. God would be falsely painted as loving criminals over "normal/ decent people" (not that God necessarily cares about that). What would Christians be thought of then?

But really, who knows why this "whisking away" idea is promoted so much. Time will tell.

The Rapture while a word that can be loosely 'wisked away' or more literally, 'snatched up', there is no question about whether or not it will happen.

You do know that the 'Rapture' is just another word for the resurrection right?

 

[mark kennedy]

Everyone who believes in a pre-trib Rapture has their own theology.
You'll have to explain your to me.

It's called Dispensationalism, it's pretty much derived from the traditional view of the Church regarding end time events with one new twist, the resurrection of the church proceeding, or perhaps coinciding with, the rise of the Antichrist.

By the way, where did the seven year Tribulation come from?
There is no verse in the Bible that says there will be a seven year Tribulation.

No actually there is an assortment of proof texts, the Seven Year Tribulation is a profoundly Biblical exposition of the Revelation and requisite supporting texts found elsewhere in Scripture.

 

[Jerico Miles]

Everyone who believes in a pre-trib Rapture has their own theology.
You'll have to explain your to me.

By the way, where did the seven year Tribulation come from?
There is no verse in the Bible that says there will be a seven year Tribulation.

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My answer is the same as everyone else's that believes in a pre-trib rapture, and it's all documented in the bible. You just have to believe what you read in the bible.

I would explain it but from looking at all the other threads you've create against a pre-trib rapture, what can I tell you that everyone else has that would change your mind? My answer will be the same as everyone else's --- verses and words documented in the bible.

So if you already made up your mind against it, why do you want to hear another person's explanation of what you already heard?

And the answer to a seven year tribulation is also written in the bible. That's a basic information and one of the easiest to understand. So how is it that you're so intelligent enough to know for certainty there is no rapture, yet you couldn't figure out the tribulation is 7 years?

Not being sarcastic but a better question is why do you have such a hard time understanding it compared to everyone else?

 

[Dale]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Mark Kennedy and Jericho Miles,[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]I cited Scripture. I cited the Psalms and the Sermon on the Mount.[/FONT]
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[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]I have seen no Scripture from anyone else in this thread and no sign that you looked at the Scripture that I cited. Do you admit that the Psalms can contain prophecy? Do you admit that the Sermon on the Mount could contain prophecy? Why are you so certain that these aren't relevant?[/FONT]


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[Dale]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Mark Kennedy in post #7:[/FONT] “[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It's called Dispensationalism, it's pretty much derived from the traditional view of the Church regarding end time events with one new twist, the resurrection of the church proceeding, or perhaps coinciding with, the rise of the Antichrist.”[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Traditional???[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Roman Catholics do not believe in a Rapture.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Eastern Orthodox do not believe in a Rapture.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Episcopalians do not believe in a Rapture.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Lutherans do not believe in a Rapture.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Presbyterians do not believe in a Rapture.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Methodists do not believe in a Rapture.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Baptists do not believe in a Rapture.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The United Church of Christ does not believe in a Rapture.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The more conservative Church of Christ does not believe in a Rapture.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]I use the term “Rapture” here in the sense of pre-trib Rapture, or a Rapture separate from the Second Coming.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]How could anyone say that Dispensationalism or Rapture belief is traditional?[/FONT]
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[Dale]

“[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The fact is that not one single biblical passage lays out the dispensationalists' overarching chronology of Rapture followed by seven years of Tribulation followed by Jesus' return to earth. They have to piece this narrative together ...”[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]p. 186*[/FONT]


“[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]But if Chapter 11 of Revelation supposedly spells out the seven years of tribulation, it is striking that not one of the three crucial words-'seven,' 'years,' or 'tribulation' – is found in Revelation 11.”[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]p. 37*[/FONT]


“[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]But nowhere do the creeds or the Bible describe Jesus as returning twice, or in 'two distinct stages' separated by a period of seven years, as dispensationalists claim.”[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]p.32*[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]These quotes are from Barbara Rossing, a Lutheran minister, Doctor of Divinity and theology professor.[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]* Barbara Rossing, The Rapture Exposed[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]NY: Basic Books, 2004[/FONT]


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[com7fy8]

I understand that the "Rapture" is the resurrection of the righteous.

Jesus talks about what will happen "immediately after" the greatest tribulation ever > Matthew 24:20-35.

He does not directly say the Rapture-resurrection will be immediately before the greatest of all tribulations.

But ones doubt our Father's ability to keep us through any tribulation, at all; so they demand that they be resurrected before the greatest of all tribulations. Yet, ones believe that unbelievers will survive for some time in the worst situation ever. Plus, ones believe there will be newborn Christians in the great trib, but they do not desire to be here to help these newborns of Jesus! Philippians 1:23-24

This greatest of all tribulations will be on this earth. But please do note that Jesus says this earth will pass away, in the scripture I have offered, above.

So, then will come the new earth where Christians will dwell, as I find supported by Revelation 21:1-2, which says the "New Jerusalem" will come down to the new earth, and this New Jerusalem is "adorned as a bride adorned for her husband".

Now . . . then . . . how are we the bride of Jesus to be "adorned for" our "husband"? Jesus does say, "be ready" (Matthew 24:44). How do we need to be ready?

I consider 1 Peter 3:4 > "rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." (1 Peter 3:4) To be "gentle and quiet" in love is what I consider Jesus means by being "meek" so we inherit the . . . new . . . earth

 

[ebedmelech]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Mark Kennedy in post #7:[/FONT] “[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It's called Dispensationalism, it's pretty much derived from the traditional view of the Church regarding end time events with one new twist, the resurrection of the church proceeding, or perhaps coinciding with, the rise of the Antichrist.”[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Traditional???[/FONT]



[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Baptists do not believe in a Rapture.[/FONT]

Wrong! I have attended Baptist churches (primarily Independent and Southern Baptist), since God saved me. I can tell you first hand Baptist believe in a pre-tribulation rapture. They also are overwhelmingly dispensational in their eschatology.

I do not believe in a pre-tribulation rapture, I still attend a Baptist church. The pre-tribulational rapture is not in the Southern Baptist statement of faith though...nor should it be.

 

[NannaNae]

you might want to understand the old meaning of meek.. not the current meaning of meek.

a war horse chomping the bit ..
prancing nearly hopping in place ,,, to get into the fray, but not moving until the rider gives that tiny subtle repositioning of the riders seat then a squeeze in the knees . then the horse knows he can go !
that was a meek war horse.'
power under total submission..
not mousy!

 

[NannaNae]

as far as raptures there was one already the day Jesus rose others rose from the dead the too. was theirs not a real enough rapture?
Death gave up the living , isn't that real enough ?
no we don't understand it..

 

[ebedmelech]

as far as raptures there was one already the day Jesus rose others rose from the dead the too. was theirs not a real enough rapture?
Death gave up the living , isn't that real enough ?
no we don't understand it..

I think many do. Matthew 27:50-53 makes it very clear as I read it, the the OT saints were raised:
50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.
51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.
52 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.

One huge problem many have with this passage is they don't realize Jerusalem is NOT "the holy city"...the holy city is heaven.

When Jesus gave up His Spirit, the veil of the temple was torn in half, and that ended God's dwelling in the Jerusalem temple anymore. The temple of God would be the church from that point on. On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came to indwell all believers.

We are the "living stones" built on the apostles and prophets, with Jesus as the Cornerstone.

Ephesians 2:17-22
17 And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near;
18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,
21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,
22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

1 Peter 2:4-6
4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,
5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”

The huge discrepancy is that many are not seeing the "Spiritual" as the reality, and therefore, they keep looking for a literal temple.

 

[Dale]

Wrong! I have attended Baptist churches (primarily Independent and Southern Baptist), since God saved me. I can tell you first hand Baptist believe in a pre-tribulation rapture. They also are overwhelmingly dispensational in their eschatology.

I do not believe in a pre-tribulation rapture, I still attend a Baptist church. The pre-tribulational rapture is not in the Southern Baptist statement of faith though...nor should it be.

Thanks for your contribution.

I was raised as a Southern Baptist. I can assure you that the people in my church had never heard of a (pre-trib) Rapture until Hal Lindsay's The Late Great Planet Earth became popular in 1970. Lindsay, in turn, put forward an extremely weak argument for this very radical new idea. He tried to tell us that Christians already believed this. Huh?

I have checked, and the Southern Baptist Convention's Statement of Faith contains no mention of Rapture. Likewise, the American Baptist Convention's Statement of Faith contains no mention of Rapture.

Quoting from memory, the SBC's Statement of Faith says, on the end times, "God will bring the world to an end in an appropriate way."

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[Almighty's humble servant]

Wrong! I have attended Baptist churches (primarily Independent and Southern Baptist), since God saved me. I can tell you first hand Baptist believe in a pre-tribulation rapture. They also are overwhelmingly dispensational in their eschatology.

I do not believe in a pre-tribulation rapture, I still attend a Baptist church. The pre-tribulational rapture is not in the Southern Baptist statement of faith though...nor should it be.

I think it depends on the individual brother Ebedmelech.

Ive been attending a Baptist Church for nearly 3 yrs, and Ive never heard my Pastor discuss pretrib theology. MOF....he has on several occasions discussed his views on endtimes, always asserting that we are living in the end days, but refusing to commit to a doctrine irt rapture.

Now, while I personally identify as post trib, I will not make claim to know the day or the hour. God's Will is His own. I can only act as He allows or make me so. If He chooses to whisk away pretribbers and leave me behind, I will act as shepherd in His stay. It's what we're all called to do anyways.

 

[com7fy8]

God's Will is His own. I can only act as He allows or make me so. If He chooses to whisk away pretribbers and leave me behind, I will act as shepherd in His stay. It's what we're all called to do anyways.

Amen We want to be here for Christians who will be in the trib. If we are meek, we know our Father is able to take care of us in any situation. No evil is greater than God. "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21) By being submissive to God in His peace, we are in His own power almighty to keep us and guarantee we succeed in whatsoever He has us doing, in any situation. So, being meek includes being in God's almighty power to protect us and guarantee us

"To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily." (Colossians 1:29) So, Paul was meek by always seeking to submit to God (James 4:7) in the flow of "His working" in Paul. "for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13) And Paul's focus was to "present every man perfect in Christ Jesus," he says in the previous verse, Colossians 1:28. So, in being meek our focus is on presenting one another "perfect in Christ Jesus"; in meekness we are not only trying to control people of this world > "nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:3) We are not into being in control, but meekly seek how our Father has all in control and we flow with Him, "according to His working which works in me mightily."

And Paul says, "For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you." (Philippians 1:23-24) So, Paul was not interested in just being whooshed away to be with Jesus, though that would be "far better". Because Paul understood he was needed here . . . to be here for us. And so, because of love, Paul was pleased to stay here to help us.

So, it is not scriptural to be into escapism of wanting to be raptured instead of being here to help people in need.

Paul went through all that tribulation that he suffered, in order to be here for us.

So, it is scriptural for you to be willing to stay here to help ones who will be in such need. And I know of scripture which shows that there will be Christians here on earth during the great tribulation > right now, I think of Revelation 7, which includes how God's servants will be "sealed" so they are not hurt by God's wrath judgments. And if we have newborn children of God who get started during the trib, surely we desire to be here with these new brothers and sisters, so we can bless and help each other

So, we pray that You, Father, will make us ready, how You are able, "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

And we will be safe, like David in Psalms shows us > Psalm 91. People may fall to our left and our right, but His wrath judgments will not touch or hurt us. Because our Father has control; He is not like some alcoholic, abusive father who hurts his well-behaved children along with the naughty ones.

So, if we are meek, we magnify how God is able, instead of magnifying and even boasting what evil threatens to do to us!