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Scripture Reading: Matt. 5:1-12
Bible readers acknowledge that the kingdom of the heavens is a major item in the Bible. God’s greatest desire in the universe is to bring the kingdom of the heavens to the earth. While the Lord was on the earth, He worked to manifest His kingship and to establish His kingdom on the earth. Those who care for God’s will must pay attention to the Lord’s intention regarding the kingdom of the heavens.
In order to know the kingdom of the heavens, we must pay attention to the Gospel of Matthew, because Matthew specifically concerns the kingdom of the heavens. In the Gospel of Matthew the Lord gave three important teachings regarding three lines related to the kingdom of the heavens. The first line, in chapters 5 through 7, concerns the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. The second line, in chapter 13, concerns the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens. The third line, in chapters 24 and 25, concerns the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens. In this book we will concentrate on the reality of the kingdom of the heavens.
Before considering the main subject, we must pay attention to some relevant points. Matthew 5 through 7 concerns the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. Among Christians these chapters are commonly known as the Sermon on the Mount, because it was given on a mountain. Chapter 13 is on the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens, and this chapter is commonly known as the Seaside Parables, because it was given by the seaside. Chapters 24 and 25 are concerning the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens, and these chapters are commonly known as the Olivet Prophecy, because this speaking was given on the Mount of Olives. The location from which the Lord gave these three teachings is significant. The teachings concerning the reality and the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens were given on a mountain. This means that we must go up the mountain and come forward to the Lord in order to hear and partake of them. Going up a mountain requires effort, and coming forward to the Lord is to draw near to the Lord. This indicates that those who pay the price and fellowship with the Lord can know the reality of the kingdom of the heavens and enter into the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens in the future. The word concerning the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens was given beside the sea. The sea signifies the world, which is corrupted and occupied by Satan. This means that although those in the world can hear the teaching concerning the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens, they cannot know the reality of the kingdom of the heavens or its manifestation.
If we read the Gospel of Matthew carefully, we will find other general teachings. Before the Lord spoke of the reality of the kingdom of the heavens, He taught in the synagogues (4:23). His teaching in the synagogues was more general and was spoken to more people. In contrast, the words related to the reality of the kingdom of the heavens were spoken on a mountain to only a few people. Before the Lord spoke concerning the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens, He taught in the temple (21:23), and in this teaching He spoke of woes (23:13-29). However, those who followed the Lord to the Mount of Olives heard the Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful slave...Enter into the joy of your master” (25:21).
When the Lord spoke by the seaside concerning the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens, He did not give an interpretation (13:10-12). The speaking concerning the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens was given by the seaside, but the interpretation of the mystery of the kingdom of the heavens was given inside the house (vv. 36-43). The mystery of the kingdom of the heavens is hidden. The people by the seaside can know only the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens. In order to know the mystery of the kingdom of the heavens, a person has to leave the seaside and enter into the house in order to be with the Lord in a hidden way. These three contrasting teachings involve lower and higher elements.
The sequence of these three teachings is also significant. First, there is the reality of the kingdom of the heavens, then the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens, and lastly the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens. The sequence reveals that unless a person lives in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens, he cannot know the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens or the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens. Those who do not live in Matthew 5 through 7 cannot know chapter 13 or chapters 24 and 25. The reality of the kingdom of the heavens is very important. We must first live in this reality before we can know the parables by the seaside and the prophecy given on the Mount of Olives.
The Lord’s teaching in Matthew 5 through 7 is on the reality of the kingdom of the heavens, that is, the living and principles of the people of the kingdom of the heavens. In seven sections the Lord explained the kingdom of the heavens. In particular, He explained the kind of living that the people of the kingdom of the heavens should have and the principles that they should keep. Therefore, the general subject of Matthew 5 through 7 is the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. This is the living and the principles of the kingdom people.
The first section of the Lord’s teaching in Matthew 5 through 7 concerns nine blessings that the people of the kingdom of the heavens possess. Most Christians speak of the eight Beatitudes when they come to this section, but there are in fact nine blessings.
Although the Lord began this teaching with nine blessings, He was not merely emphasizing blessings. Rather, He was emphasizing the kind of people who are in the kingdom of the heavens. These nine blessings describe the people in the kingdom of the heavens and their nature. Whoever has these nine blessings is blessed, because these blessings prove that he is living in the kingdom of the heavens. We need to ask ourselves whether we have these blessings.
In this section the Lord presented two aspects of the nature of the people of the kingdom of the heavens. The first six blessings speak of the inward aspect of the kingdom people, and the last three blessings speak of their outward aspect. The inward aspect refers to the condition of their heart, and the outward aspect refers to the condition of their living.
The first aspect of the nature of the kingdom people is in Matthew 5:3: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens.” Being poor in spirit refers to having a deep, inward feeling of dissatisfaction. When a believer feels dissatisfied deep within his being, he is poor in spirit.
Being poor in spirit is affected by our outward environment, but it is not related to our environment. For example, a brother may be very rich and have all the enjoyments of human life, but he still feels inwardly dissatisfied. Such a person is poor in spirit. Another brother may not be wealthy, but he does not feel inwardly dissatisfied. Such a person is not poor in spirit.
The first condition of the heart is to be poor in spirit. A person living in the kingdom of the heavens and partaking of the reality of the kingdom of the heavens must be poor in spirit. Someone who is poor in spirit, who is inwardly dissatisfied, is not seeking the material possessions of the present age; rather, he is seeking God, who is Spirit. A person seeks what he lacks. Many people want to be rich, because they think that they lack money, that they are not wealthy. People also seek knowledge, promotions, and entertainment. People seek what they lack, that is, the things in which they are poor.
A person who is poor in spirit is not satisfied with the material possessions of this age. He needs God to be his satisfaction, and he sees that only God can meet the need in his spirit and satisfy him deep within. Hence, he desires God and seeks God.
The Lord said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens” (v. 3). People who are poor in spirit and seek God are blessed, because the kingdom of the heavens is theirs. The material enjoyment, the material world, causes man to indulge his flesh and not be restricted by God. When man is not satisfied with the material possessions of this age and is willing to forsake the seen things in order to seek God, he will come under God’s dominion and will be ruled by the kingdom of the heavens. Such persons possess the kingdom of the heavens. Being poor in spirit is the first condition of the heart of those who live in the kingdom of the heavens.
The second condition of the nature of the kingdom people is mourning. Verse 4 says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Someone who is poor in spirit and who desires and seeks God will be enlightened to see his evil, corrupt, and rebellious nature. He will also be enlightened to see that he resists God. As a result, he will mourn.
Furthermore, when he gains God, he will sense that many Christians do not want God, are not ruled by God, and do not give God the ground within them. This will also cause him to mourn. On a larger scope, a person who is poor in spirit and seeks God will mourn because his surroundings, the present generation, and the people in the world do not want God, resist God, and rebel against God.
From the context of Matthew 5 through 7, mourning is not related to disasters or illness but to the fact that people do not want God and do not submit to God. Such mourning may seem unpleasant, but it is sweet. The people of the world mourn often because they are in sin and have sicknesses and tribulations. However, this kind of mourning is ugly, low, and worthless. Only mourning on behalf of God is beautiful, precious, glorious, and of eternal value. The Lord promised that those who mourn on behalf of God will be comforted.
Comforting includes the satisfaction of having the Lord in us today and the comfort that we will have in the coming kingdom and in the new heaven and new earth. When the overcomers enter into the coming kingdom, their enjoyment and condition will free them from the grief of this age; hence, they will be satisfied and comforted. In the New Jerusalem in eternity future the portion that they receive will comfort them further. In the New Jerusalem God will be everything to man, and man will be fully under God’s rule. Our grieving heart is comforted by gaining God and by coming under His authority; our heart is also comforted when we see our fellow seekers desiring God and being under His rule. However, our comfort will be greater and richer in the coming kingdom and in eternity future.
A person who lives in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens often mourns. He does not mourn over the tribulations that he suffers but over not gaining God. The object of such mourning is God and His dominion, and the reason for such mourning is the loss of God and the loss of His dominion. Such mourning is noble and holy. Those who mourn will be comforted by God.
Revelation 21 says that when the New Jerusalem descends from heaven, God will tabernacle with men (v. 3), and “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (v. 4). This refers to the nations, but verse 17 of chapter 7 also speaks of the Lamb wiping away every tear from those who stand before the throne of God. Surely, the kingdom people who mourn will be comforted in the New Jerusalem; they will have no reason to mourn.
A person who is poor in spirit, who hungers and thirsts for God, and who mourns is also meek. Someone who is complacent in spirit and does not mourn is not meek. A hot temper and resistance are the opposite of meekness. In Matthew 5:5 the Lord said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Meekness means not being resistant and not being hot-tempered. It is easy to be hot-tempered and resistant when someone strikes us. A person can be both hot-tempered and resistant, but resistance does not necessarily include a hot temper. In contrast, a person who is not resistant will not be hot-tempered. In Matthew 5 through 7 the Lord does not want us to be resistant. If someone slaps us on our right cheek, we should turn to him the other cheek; if someone wishes to take our tunic, we should yield our cloak to him also; and if someone compels us to go one mile, we should go two miles with him (5:39-41).
The Lord promised that the meek will inherit the earth. After the fall of man, people must contend with one another in order to inherit the physical earth. Those who are stronger and better at contending gain more of the earth. A person who lives under the rule of the heavens and who does not contend or resist will not inherit the earth today. Others will take even what he has. However, the Lord said that those who live under the rule of the heavens neither contend nor resist but will inherit the earth. This inheriting must refer to the reward in the coming kingdom.
According to Hebrews 2, God in His ordination did not subject the coming world to angels but to man (vv. 5-7). Those who inherit the earth in the coming kingdom will not be the ones who are contending for earthly things today, nor will they be resistant; instead, they will be meek. They will not gain by contending but by inheriting.
The words the earth in Matthew 5:5 do not refer to the world with its material enjoyment. People do not seek the kingdom of the heavens today, because they are occupied by the world. Someone who is poor in spirit and seeks God mourns because he has not gained enough God and because he is not under God’s rule. As a result, he regards the earth in this age as dung. He does not contend with or resist the people of the world, because he does not want the world. The Lord’s promise in this verse shows that in order to inherit the coming earth, we must forsake the present world. In other words, those who want to receive the kingdom must forsake the world.
Being poor in spirit, mourning, and being meek are three general conditions of the heart of the kingdom people. These general conditions belong to one group. The following three conditions are specific and speak of the attitude that the kingdom people should have toward themselves, toward others, and toward God.
The first specific condition of the heart is to hunger and thirst for righteousness. Matthew 5:6 says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” This verse speaks of the attitude that one who lives in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens should have toward himself. He should be righteous and desire righteousness. He should hunger and thirst for righteousness. He should not do anything that would let others down, nor should he be indebted to others in anything.
People in the world are unrighteous and indebted to others because they do not seek the rule of the heavens by hungering and thirsting for righteousness. For example, in buying and selling, a buyer wants the price of something to be as low as possible, and the seller wants it to be as high as possible. Both want to take advantage of the other. They are prepared to use any means necessary, including lying and cheating, in order to take advantage of the other and make a profit. This is to take advantage of others, not to seek righteousness. When people hunger and thirst for profit, they set aside righteousness.
Regrettably, many Christians also take advantage of others. Brothers in the church in Corinth went to court with one another because they both sought to take advantage of the other (1 Cor. 6:6); they did not seek righteousness. Two brothers might be neighbors or colleagues, but both may try to get the upper hand. It is grievous for Christians to seek to take advantage of others.
A person who lets the heavens rule does not seek to take advantage of others. He would rather that others be indebted to him rather than that he be indebted to others. He earnestly hungers and thirsts for righteousness. Others may be satisfied with a gain, but he is not satisfied when he is unrighteous, because he hungers and thirsts for righteousness. Such hunger and thirst force him to desire and seek righteousness, just as being poor in spirit forces someone to seek God.
Someone who is poor in spirit takes God as the object, but one who is hungry and thirsty in his heart takes God’s righteousness as the goal. We are poor in spirit because we seek God, but we hunger and thirst in our heart because we desire righteousness. God is our inward satisfaction, and righteousness is our outward living. When we are poor in spirit, we gain God. When our heart hungers and thirsts, we gain righteousness.
We should not think that it is sufficient to be poor in spirit and seek God. If we are genuinely poor in spirit and seek God, we will eventually hunger and thirst in our heart for righteousness. Although God is man’s satisfaction, we will not be satisfied if we seek God but do not seek righteousness. We must have God within and righteousness without. Then we will have true satisfaction. Therefore, the Lord said, “Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness...shall be satisfied” (Matt. 5:6).
Many saints seek the Lord and serve God zealously. However, they are unrighteous in their living. Furthermore, they have no feeling about their unrighteousness and do not deal with it. This is to deviate, and it is wrong. The Lord wants us to seek God and to be strict with ourselves. Righteousness is an important aspect of the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. No unrighteous person can partake of the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. Only those who seek God and also seek righteousness can partake of the kingdom of the heavens and be satisfied.
The second specific condition of the heart is to be merciful. Verse 7 says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy.” To hunger and thirst for righteousness is toward one’s self. Being merciful is our attitude toward others. When most people learn to restrict themselves righteously, they inevitably make the same, if not more stringent, demands on others. However, the Lord said that a person living in the kingdom of the heavens is full of mercy toward others while being righteous toward himself.
Mercy accommodates people more than grace. A person’s situation may be so low that he is not worthy of grace. He needs mercy to accommodate him. For example, to give money to a friend is grace, but to give money to a beggar is mercy, because a beggar is totally unworthy of the grace that we would give him.
Someone who lets the heavens rule is gracious to those who are proper and worthy of grace and also shows mercy to those who are improper and unworthy of grace. He is lenient toward others and makes no demands or requirements of them. To be righteous is to make demands and to be strict, but to be merciful is the opposite.
The result of being merciful toward others is that God shows mercy to us. This corresponds to verse 12 in chapter 7: “All that you wish men would do to you, so also you do to them.” God treats us according to how we treat others. If we have mercy on others, God will have mercy on us.
The third specific condition of the heart is to be pure in heart. Verse 8 of chapter 5 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” This condition of the heart is toward God, because it results in seeing God. Believers under the rule of the heavens are righteous toward themselves, merciful toward others, and pure toward God. Thus, these three specific conditions of the heart form one group.
To be pure in heart is to have a pure and single heart that loves, seeks, and hopes in nothing other than God. Such a heart is focused on God; it is not halfhearted. Such a heart is focused on only one person and has only one goal. When a heart has only God as its goal and is pure, single, and focused, it is a pure heart. Someone who has a pure heart is single toward God and wants only God; hence, his blessing is to see God. In the Bible to see is to enter in, which is to gain. Regarding any spiritual matter or experience, to see it is to enter into it and gain it. Therefore, in this verse to see God is to enter into God and to gain God.
To desire God is the first condition of the heart that a person living in the kingdom of the heavens should have, and seeing and gaining God are the issue of the sixth condition of his heart. Being pure in heart is the last condition in this section, because it brings a believer to the ultimate goal of his desire and pursuit.
However, the Lord mentioned three more blessings after being pure in heart, because the kingdom people have the inward aspect of their heart and the outward aspect of their living. The inward aspect relates to seeking and gaining God, and the outward aspect relates to walking under God’s rule. Therefore, the Lord gave three outward conditions after the aforementioned six inward conditions of the heart.
The seventh condition of blessing for the kingdom people is being peacemakers. Verse 9 says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.” The kingdom people are poor in spirit, mourn, are meek, hunger and thirst for righteousness, and are merciful. Since this is the condition of their heart, they do not cause problems with others. The kingdom people do not sow seeds of discord. Instead, the kingdom people are peacemakers; they make peace among men.
There is no peace in the present age. People everywhere are scheming and struggling against one another; they are backbiting and devouring one another. There is discord in every group and family. There is discord among people, and there is discord within people. There is much self-blame, self-hatred, indignation, discontentment, restlessness, and uneasiness within man’s heart. Within man there is also the battle between reason and lust, and his conscience is full of condemnation. Man wants to do good, but he cannot stop indulging in sin. As a result, man has no peace in himself.
Furthermore, there is no peace between man and God. Man has gone astray from God and even opposes God. Colossians 1:21 speaks of those who are alienated and enemies in their mind because of their evil works. John 3:36 says that “the wrath of God abides upon him.” Therefore, there is no peace between man and God.
The Lord Jesus came to the earth as the Son of God and brought peace to man. He made peace among men and peace between man and God. He is the Peacemaker. Therefore, someone living in the kingdom of the heavens must also be one who makes peace among men. He can live in peace with all men, and he can give peace to all who contact him. The blessing for the peacemakers is to be called sons of God, because they make peace like the Son of God.
There are strife and discord in the church because the church lacks peacemakers. Many saints sow seeds of discord when they speak. This proves that they do not let the heavens rule. If we do not have peace with others, we cannot have peace with God. We can have peace with God only when we have peace with men. Because the Lord made peace among men and peace between man and God, we must do the same in order to be called sons of God.
Being peacemakers is what we do for others. Being persecuted for the sake of righteousness is what we suffer from others. It is amazing that someone living in the kingdom of the heavens is often persecuted for the sake of righteousness. Normally, a person is punished for doing evil. It does not seem possible that someone would be persecuted for the sake of righteousness. However, this is indeed the case. If we hold fast to righteousness and refuse to partake of evil or corrupt things, we will be persecuted by the world for the sake of righteousness, because the world cannot stand our righteous testimony. This is a common Christian experience.
The Lord said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens” (Matt. 5:10). Those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness are blessed. If we are willing to endure loss and pain for the sake of the kingdom of the heavens, we will inherit the blessings of the kingdom of the heavens.
Verse 11 says, “Blessed are you when they reproach and persecute you, and while speaking lies, say every evil thing against you because of Me.” To be persecuted because of the Lord is higher than to be persecuted for the sake of righteousness. Confessing the Lord’s name on every occasion, testifying that Jesus is the King of the kingdom of the heavens, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom of the heavens for people to repent and come under the rule of the heavens require a believer to endure reproach, evil speaking, and persecution. However, the Lord’s promise to such ones is, “Rejoice and exult, for your reward is great in the heavens” (v. 12).
The Lord spoke concerning nine conditions of the nature of the people of the kingdom of the heavens from the inside to the outside. The walk of every genuine and truthful believer is not merely an outward activity; it involves his inward nature and character. The kind of person he is determines the kind of living he has.
The human spirit is man’s deepest part, followed by his heart. The deepest and most important two parts of man are the spirit and the heart. These parts represent him. Therefore, in Matthew 5 through 7 the Lord began by speaking of the spirit. The first condition is related to the spirit, and the sixth condition is related to the heart. Thus, a person in the kingdom of the heavens needs to deal with his spirit and his heart.
Within man the spirit has the highest ability, because man can contact God with his spirit. This is the highest ability. Seeing with the eyes, hearing with the ears, smelling with the nose, eating and drinking with the mouth, and touching with the hands are all human abilities, but they are low. Only the ability of the spirit is high, because we can contact, touch, and gain God, who is Spirit, with our spirit.
The human heart is an organ with emotions. Man’s likes and inclinations are related to his heart. Man can touch and gain God with his spirit, but if his heart does not love God or is not inclined toward God, his spirit cannot contact God. Conversely, man’s heart may love God and be inclined toward God, but if he is not poor in spirit, he will not be able to contact or gain God. Therefore, living in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens depends on our spirit and our heart. We contact God with our spirit, but our heart enables our spirit to contact God. Our spirit and our heart are indispensable. Hence, when the Lord spoke on the inner condition of the kingdom people, He began with the spirit and then spoke of the heart.
There are six inner conditions of the kingdom people. The first is being poor in spirit (5:3); the sixth is being pure in heart (v. 8). Those who have a normal spirit and heart have a normal relationship with God, because they desire God when they are poor in spirit, and they see God when they are pure in heart. To see is to gain; thus, in the sixth condition man gains God. When someone gains God within, he can live out the kingdom of the heavens; his living becomes noble, extraordinary, and excelling, and because he has gained God, he is filled with God, and he lives like a son of God.
A living in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens is not based on human effort. Such a living is to live God out first by being poor in spirit and pure in heart and then by gaining God and being filled with Him. The last three conditions concern the living of the kingdom people. The first condition in this group says that those who live out the kingdom life are sons of God (v. 9). Only those who live out the life of God the Father can be called sons of God, for only sons can live out the life of their father.
A living in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens does not speak of man’s ability but of God’s ability. Such a life is impossible with man but possible with God (cf. 19:26; Mark 10:27). Such a living is Emmanuel being lived out of man (Matt. 1:21-23). Only by living out the Father’s life can we be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect (5:48). In other words, the living of the kingdom of the heavens is a matter of God being mingled with man. If we accept God’s rule, are under His authority, and live in the reality of the ruling of the kingdom of the heavens, God’s life will mingle freely with us and live out an extraordinary life through us. This is the living of the kingdom people.
What is commonly called the eight Beatitudes by Christians does not touch the spiritual reality of the Lord’s word. This section of the Lord’s teaching begins with the spirit and continues to the heart. The Lord teaches that man’s spirit must be poor and thirsty for God and that man’s heart must be pure and seeking God. When man’s spirit and heart take God as the object, man gains God within and lets God live out an extraordinary life through him. Those with such a living are the kingdom people. This is the living of the kingdom people.
This section of the Lord’s teaching reveals two sides of the living of the kingdom people. One side is our relationship with others, and the other side is our attitude toward ourselves. Our relationship with others is centered on peace. Someone who lives in the kingdom of the heavens makes peace with others; no matter who he is with, there is only peace. We must remember that peace is the highest requirement.
Most believers think that it is quite high to treat others with love. The requirement of love is not as high as the requirement of peace. Someone may not have peace when he treats others with love, but he must have love in order to be at peace with others. In the church it seems as though the more love there is, the more there are strife and opinions. This is because people have love, but their flesh is not broken; they are not under the ruling of the heavens, and there is disharmony among the saints. Some saints quarrel and report it to the responsible brothers; other saints are not on speaking terms. Two sisters might be best friends and love each other very much, but they can disagree over some things and even quarrel. It is not enough to merely have love.
The Lord is very wise. In Matthew 5 He did not teach concerning love but concerning peace, for the demand of making peace with others is higher than that of showing love to others. Love does not require our flesh to be dealt with, but making peace requires our flesh to be dealt with and also requires that we be under the rule of the heavens and restricted by the heavens.
We should not think that the Lord was being overly simple in speaking of the living of the kingdom people. The Lord seemed to speak only of peace, but peace covers many matters. The Lord did not mention other matters, because it was sufficient to mention this one central and crucial matter. If we can take care of peace, every other matter will be taken care of properly. It is not sufficient to merely be humble or loving; we must have peace with others.
The peacemakers shall be called the sons of God because the work that the Lord Jesus as the Son of God manifested on the earth is centered on peace (v. 9). Even His death on the cross is for making peace (Eph. 2:15-16; Col. 1:20). Therefore, the living of the kingdom people should be with peace toward men. This requires dealings related to our self and our flesh. It also requires that our whole being be ruled and restricted by the heavens.
The relationship that others have toward us is centered on persecution and evil speaking. The evil that people can do to us is to persecute us and speak evil of us (Matt. 5:10-11). If we can accept persecution and endure evil speaking, there is nothing more that men can do to us. Moreover, people persecute us because we seek righteousness, not because we are at fault. People speak evilly of us because we preach the gospel and testify of the Lord’s name, not because we have done evil. To stand before persecutions and evil speakings means that no matter how people treat us — well or ill, with understanding or with misunderstanding — there is nothing that we cannot withstand. We are ready to take any treatment from any person.
When the kingdom people are peacemakers and withstand persecution and evil speaking, they are not only blameless in their living but also lack blemishes. Peace is the center and the criterion in their dealing with people, and the kingdom people receive persecution and evil speaking from others because they seek righteousness and testify of the Lord’s name. There is no room to preserve the self and no possibility for the flesh to exist. Their whole being is under the rule of the heavens, and they are in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens.
A living in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens is not cultivated through human effort. Instead, a living in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens is God being lived out from within men. The spirit is for God; thus, to be poor in spirit is to seek God. To be pure in heart is to want God and then to see, gain, and be filled with God. As a result, the kingdom people live out the God whom their spirit desires and their heart seeks. God becomes their appearance, just as He is their content. Their content is the condition of their heart, and their appearance is their outward living. Within them there is no room for the self; there is room only to be filled with God. Outwardly, there is no expression of the flesh; there is only God lived out. Therefore, they are called sons of God, for their living is the same as the living of the Lord Jesus, the Son of God.
In addition, such a living is wholly based on man allowing heaven to rule, because the first blessing says, “Theirs is the kingdom of the heavens” (v. 3). Concerning their living, the Lord again said that theirs is the kingdom of the heavens (v. 10). The kingdom people can endure persecution for the sake of righteousness because theirs is the kingdom of the heavens. This means that they are under the heavenly rule. The kingdom people do not resist persecution, because heaven rules and has dominion over them; they are unable to resist, but this is not because they do not have the flesh. They are ruled by heaven to such an extent that if they feel indignant and disagree with persecution, they are rebuked within and sense that they are overthrowing God’s authority and rebelling against God’s ordination. For this reason they can be meek and accept, not resist, persecution.
We should pay attention to two things. One is to be filled with God and to live God out, and the other is to accept the heavenly rule and to submit to the heavenly dominion. This describes a person living in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. This is also the nature of the kingdom people. When we are filled with God, we can submit to the heavenly rule, and our submitting to the heavenly rule is for living God out. Both being filled with God and submitting to the heavenly rule are indispensable. Those who are filled with God and submit to the heavenly rule are spiritual. God wants to gain such ones in this age.
The Lord said that those who are thus filled with God and ruled by heaven are blessed. In this section the Lord said “blessed” nine times. In the original Greek blessed implies “happy.” Hence, blessed can also be rendered as “blessed and happy.” People in the world seek blessing and happiness, and they want to be blessed and happy. However, earthly things are not the real blessings, nor do they bring happiness. From the Lord’s perspective, those who are filled with God, who let heaven rule, and who live God out are blessed and happy. Only such people have true blessings and genuine happiness.
Some are filled with fear when they hear a message concerning the kingdom of the heavens. They say, “Who can do this? Is it not miserable to live under such conditions?” However, the Lord said that such people are blessed; they are happy. Are human thoughts correct, or are the Lord’s words correct? I hope that we will all have a change in concept to see that living in the reality of the kingdom of the heavens does not require our doing. If the Lord wanted us to exercise our own efforts to live in the kingdom of the heavens, He would have presented the reality of the kingdom of the heavens in Matthew 1. Rather, in chapter 1 He wants us to see that He is Emmanuel in order to save us into glory (vv. 21-23). The reality of the kingdom of the heavens is the goal for which the Lord saves us. He has come to give us life, and He rules in order to save us into the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. This is the blessed and happy condition of a believer.
