(1)
In this message we come to the decree of the kingdom’s constitution recorded in chapters five, six, and seven. Throughout the years, these three chapters have been either misunderstood or misused by many Christians. In the messages on these chapters we hope that we shall all see the real meaning of this section of the Word.
One of the most difficult things for believers to understand is the kingdom of the heavens. The kingdom of the heavens does not correspond to any natural or religious concept. As we shall see, it refers to something very specific. To understand the kingdom of the heavens, we all must be unloaded of the traditional concepts we received from our background in Christianity. None of the teachings regarding the kingdom of the heavens received in our background was according to the pure Word. We have studied this matter of the kingdom of the heavens again and again for more than fifty years. The first book I published on this subject was put out in 1936. In all the years since then, we have been on this subject. Thus, we have the full assurance that what we have seen in the Bible concerning the kingdom of the heavens is accurate. Nevertheless, it is somewhat different from the traditional concepts concerning the kingdom. Therefore, we must spend considerable time on these chapters to see this matter very clearly.
Matthew 5, 6, and 7 may be called the constitution of the kingdom of the heavens. Every nation has a constitution. Certainly the Gospel of Matthew, the book on the kingdom of the heavens, also must have a constitution. In these three chapters, the words spoken by the new King as the constitution of the kingdom of the heavens, we see a revelation of the spiritual living and heavenly principles of the kingdom of the heavens. The nature is singular, but the principles are plural. The constitution of the kingdom of the heavens is composed of seven sections: the nature of the kingdom people (Matt. 5:1-12); the influence of the kingdom people upon the world (Matt. 5:13-16); the law of the kingdom people (Matt. 5:17-48); the righteous deeds of the kingdom people (Matt. 6:1-18); the dealing of the kingdom people with riches (Matt. 6:19-34); the principles of the kingdom people in dealing with others (7:1-12); and the ground of the kingdom people’s living and work (Matt. 7:13-29). The first section, Matt. 5:3-12, depicts the nature of the kingdom of the heavens under nine blessings. It unfolds the kind of people who live in the kingdom of the heavens. The kingdom people must also exert an influence upon the world. The nature of the kingdom people, the very nature of the kingdom, exercises an influence upon the world. The kingdom people also have a law. This law is not the old law, the law of Moses, the ten commandments; it is the new law of the kingdom of the heavens. The kingdom people are those who perform righteous deeds and who have the proper attitude concerning material riches. Because the kingdom people are still on earth in human society, the constitution of the kingdom of the heavens reveals principles by which they deal with others. Finally, in the last section of this constitution we see the ground, the base, of the daily life and work of the kingdom people. All these aspects of the kingdom people are covered in the seven sections of the constitution of the kingdom of the heavens.
Matthew 5:1 says, “And seeing the crowds, He went up into the mountain; and when He sat down His disciples came to Him.” The new King called His followers by the seashore, but He went up into the mountain to give them the constitution of the kingdom of the heavens. This indicates that we need to go higher with Him for the realization of the kingdom of the heavens.
It is very meaningful that the constitution of the kingdom of the heavens was decreed upon a mountain. The sea signifies the Satan-corrupted world. When we were caught by the Lord, we were in the Satan-corrupted world endeavoring to make a living. But after the Lord caught us, He led us up to a high mountain signifying the kingdom of the heavens. This indicates that the kingdom of the heavens was not established on the seashore, but on the mountain. In the Bible a mountain sometimes signifies the kingdom. For example, according to Dan. 2:34-35, the stone cut without hands broke the image into pieces and became a great mountain that filled the whole earth. This mountain signifies the millennial kingdom. Hence, in the Bible a mountain signifies the kingdom, especially the kingdom of the heavens.
Furthermore, being brought up to the mountain signifies that if we would listen to the decree of the constitution of the kingdom of the heavens, we must not stay on a low plain, but climb up a high mountain. We must be on a high level to hear this constitution. On the seashore, the Lord simply said, “Follow me.” But for the decree of the constitution of the kingdom of the heavens, He brought them to the top of a mountain. Following the Lord may be rather easy, but listening to the constitution for the establishment of the kingdom of the heavens requires that we climb up to the top of a high mountain.
Verse 1 says, “And when He sat down His disciples came to Him.” When the new King sat down on the mountain, His disciples, not the crowds, came to Him to be His audience. Eventually, not only the believing Jews became His disciples, but also the discipled nations (Gentiles, Matt. 28:19). Later the disciples were called Christians (Acts 11:26). Hence, the word the new King spoke on the mountain in chapters five, six, and seven concerning the constitution of the kingdom of the heavens was spoken to the believers of the New Testament, not to the Jews of the Old Testament.
In verses 1 and 2 we see that the Lord taught the disciples, not the crowds. The crowds that gathered around Him were the outer circle, but His disciples were the inner circle. Although you may be on the mountain, you must also be in the inner circle, for the constitution is not for those in the outer circle; it is for those in the inner circle.
Throughout history, there has been a great debate concerning to whom this decree was given, to the Jews, the Gentiles, or the believers. According to our study, we have come to see that it was given neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles but to the New Testament believers. There is no doubt that the disciples were the Jewish believers at the time the decree of the constitution was given. However, when they were there on the mountain listening to the decree of the kingdom’s constitution, they were the representatives not of the Jewish people, but of the New Testament believers. In 28:19 the Lord told His disciples to go and disciple the nations, that is, the Gentiles. This means that the nations would be converted into disciples. Therefore, both the Jewish and Gentile believers were disciples. The audience on the mountain, composed mainly of Jews, represented all the disciples.
Now we come to the first section of the constitution, the section concerning the nature of the kingdom people. Probably not many Christians have seen that 5:1-12 reveals the nature of the kingdom people. All Christians should be kingdom people. However, the situation today is not normal. Many believers are not on the high level of the kingdom people. The kingdom people are the overcomers. In God’s economy, every believer should be an overcomer. To be an overcomer is not to be something special; it is to be normal. Thus, every believer should be a part of the kingdom people.
These verses describe nine aspects of the nature of the kingdom people. They are poor in spirit, mourning for the present situation, meek in suffering opposition, hungry and thirsty for righteousness, merciful toward others, pure in heart, making peace with all men, suffering persecution for righteousness, and suffering being reproached and evil spoken of. Every aspect begins with the word, “Blessed.” For instance, verse 3 says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens.” The English word “blessed” does not adequately translate the Greek word here, for the Greek word conveys the meanings of both blessed and happy. A number of versions use the word happy instead of blessed. However, we should not use the word happy in a loose way. The blessedness and the happiness here is not a light thing; it is something that is rather weighty. When you hear the words, “Happy are the poor in spirit,” you should not shout or jump up and down. To be happy in these verses is something deep.
In verse 3 the new King said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens.” Although many have spoken about the blessings in these verses, I have not heard anyone speak about the spirit in verse 3. The translation of verse 3 in the Chinese version is very poor. It says, “Blessed are the humble in heart.” Although the scholars who worked on the Chinese version generally did a very good job, they did not see the difference between the heart and the spirit. Another verse in this chapter, verse 8, speaks about being pure in heart. Hence, the Chinese translation speaks of the humble in heart and the pure in heart. Before we came into the church, many of us did not see the difference between the heart and the spirit. The kingdom of the heavens is firstly related to our spirit.
The spirit in verse 3 refers not to the Spirit of God, but to our human spirit, the deepest part of our being, the organ for us to contact God and realize spiritual things. To be poor in spirit does not mean to have a poor spirit. Our spirit should never be poor. To have a poor spirit would be pitiful. But if we are poor in our spirit, we are blessed. To be poor in spirit is not only to be humble, but also to be emptied in our spirit, in the depth of our being, not holding on to the old things of the old dispensation, but unloaded to receive the new things, the things of the kingdom of the heavens. We need to be poor, emptied, unloaded, in this part of our being so that we may realize and possess the kingdom of the heavens. This implies that the kingdom of the heavens is a spiritual matter, not a material one.
We need to empty our spirit of all the old things that have filled it. Those who are the most filled in their spirit are the Moslems. There is absolutely no empty space in their spirit. For this reason, it is very difficult to talk with them about the gospel. The Devil has utterly filled their spirit. Because their spirit is so filled, it is difficult for any Moslem to believe in the Lord Jesus. The Jews also are filled in their spirit. Their spirit is fully loaded with the things of their religion. The Greeks are filled in their spirit with their philosophy. I once worked with a Greek who boasted about the Greek language and philosophy. Although the mind and spirit of the Greeks are loaded, according to my experience with them, it is rather easy for the Greeks to be unloaded. They are not nearly as stubborn as the Moslems. Today a great many Christians are also loaded in their spirit. If you talk to those in the denominations, you will find that their spirit is loaded. Nearly every kind of Christian today is filled in his spirit with something other than God.
When the Lord Jesus came preaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near” (4:17), not many could receive His word because their spirit was filled with other things. The best drink was being offered, but their vessel was already filled. Thus, they were not thirsty. When our spirit is filled, we have no capacity in our vessel for even the best drink. Therefore, when the Lord spoke to the disciples on the mountain, the opening word of His decree was that we must be poor in spirit, that our spirit must be emptied of everything.
Many years ago I visited some Brethren assemblies in this country. As I looked at the people, my heart was aching and my spirit was broken. What deadness there was! Everyone was dry. In the first place I was invited, I gave a word telling them that they did not need the teachings. I told them that they had enough teachings and that what they needed was life and the spirit. My word offended them. They did not hear my word about life and the spirit; they only heard what I had said about doctrine. Immediately after the message, the leader came to me and, rebuking me to my face, said, “Brother Lee, your teaching is certainly wrong. You have just told us that we don’t need doctrine. Certainly we need doctrine! Isn’t the Bible a book of doctrine?” I did not say a word, but I thought, “Poor people, if you like doctrine, go to doctrine and die there.” Later I was invited to speak to another Brethren assembly. Both the situation and the reaction were the same. There was such a reaction because those in these Brethren assemblies were not poor in spirit. Rather, their spirit was filled with all their so-called Brethren doctrines. All these doctrines were like dead wood that was only good for deadening them.
We all need to heed the Lord’s word about being poor in our spirit and say, “Lord, unload me. Empty my spirit. I don’t want to store anything in my spirit. Lord, I want the full capacity in my spirit to be available to You.”
Verse 3 says that those who are poor in spirit are blessed because theirs is the kingdom of the heavens. Many Christians are anxious to go to heaven, but hardly any desire to be in the kingdom of the heavens. It is a mistake to be anxious about heaven. God’s heart is not on the heavens; it is on the kingdom of the heavens. Those who are poor in spirit are blessed because the kingdom of the heavens is theirs.
The kingdom of the heavens is a specific term used by Matthew, indicating that the kingdom of the heavens differs from the kingdom of God, the term used in the other three Gospels. The kingdom of God refers to God’s reign in a general way, from eternity past to eternity future. It comprises eternity without beginning before the foundation of the world, the paradise of Adam, the chosen patriarchs, the nation of Israel in the Old Testament, the church in the New Testament, the coming millennial kingdom with its heavenly rule (the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens), and the new heaven and the new earth with the New Jerusalem without end for eternity. The kingdom of the heavens is a special section within the kingdom of God, composed only of the church today and the heavenly part of the coming millennial kingdom. Hence, the kingdom of the heavens, a section of the kingdom of God, is also called the kingdom of God in the New Testament, especially in the other three Gospels. While the kingdom of God already existed with the nation of Israel in a general way in the Old Testament (21:43), the kingdom of the heavens had still not come in a specific way, but only drew near when John the Baptist came (3:1-2; 11:11-12).
According to Matthew, there are three aspects concerning the kingdom of the heavens: the reality, the appearance, and the manifestation. The reality of the kingdom of the heavens is the inward contents of the kingdom of the heavens in its heavenly and spiritual nature, as revealed by the new King on the mountain in chapters five, six, and seven. The appearance of the kingdom of the heavens is the outward state of the kingdom of the heavens in name, as revealed by the King on the seashore in chapter thirteen. The manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens is the practical coming of the kingdom of the heavens in power, as unveiled by the King on the Mount of Olives in chapters twenty-four and twenty-five. Both the reality and the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens are with the church today. The reality of the kingdom of the heavens is the proper church life (Rom. 14:17), which is within the appearance of the kingdom of the heavens, known as Christendom. The manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens will be the heavenly part of the coming millennial kingdom, which is called the kingdom of the Father in 13:43. The earthly part of the millennial kingdom will be the Messianic kingdom, which is called the kingdom of the Son of Man in 13:41 and which will be the restored tabernacle of David, the kingdom of David (Acts 15:16). In the heavenly part of the millennial kingdom, which will be the kingdom of the heavens manifested in power, the overcoming believers will reign with Christ a thousand years (Rev. 20:4, 6). In the earthly part of the millennial kingdom, which will be the kingdom of the Messiah on earth, the saved remnant of Israel will be the priests, teaching the nations to worship God (Zech. 8:20-23).
If we are poor in spirit, the kingdom of the heavens is ours: we are in its reality now in the church age, and we shall share in its manifestation in the kingdom age.
According to the teaching of the four Gospels, there is a crucial difference between the kingdom of the heavens and the kingdom of God. If you would understand Matthew, you must differentiate the kingdom of the heavens from the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is simply the divine ruling. It is God’s ruling from eternity past to eternity future. Thus, the kingdom of God refers to the divine government, the rule of God. Between eternity past and eternity future we have the paradise of Adam, the patriarchs, the nation of Israel, the church, and the millennium. The millennium is divided into the upper part and the lower part. The upper part is called the kingdom of the Father, and the lower part is called the kingdom of the Son of Man and the kingdom of the Messiah, which is the restored kingdom of David. Everything from the paradise of Adam to the New Jerusalem is included in the kingdom of God which extends from eternity to eternity.
The kingdom of the heavens is a part of the kingdom of God, just as California is a part of the United States. Because the kingdom of the heavens is part of the kingdom of God, it is sometimes called the kingdom of God. For example, California, part of the United States, is sometimes called the United States. When someone from abroad comes to California, he may say that he has come to the United States. Although California may be called the United States, the United States cannot be called California. Likewise, although the kingdom of the heavens may be called the kingdom of God, the kingdom of God cannot be called the kingdom of the heavens.
Matthew 21:43 indicates that the kingdom of God would be taken away from Israel. For the kingdom of God to be taken away from Israel indicates that it already was with Israel. If it had not been with Israel, how could it have been taken away? Although the kingdom of God was there already, John the Baptist said, “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near” (3:2). On the one hand, the kingdom of God was there; on the other hand, the kingdom of the heavens was not yet there. Even when the Lord spoke to the Jews in chapter twenty-one regarding the kingdom of God being taken away from Israel, the kingdom of the heavens had still only drawn near. It was not until the day of Pentecost that the kingdom of the heavens came. Therefore, in the first parable in chapter thirteen, the parable of the sower, the Lord Jesus did not say, “The kingdom of the heavens is likened to a sower,” because He was already the sower before the day of Pentecost. Pentecost was the fulfillment of the second parable, the parable of the tares. Thus, in introducing that parable the Lord Jesus said, “The kingdom of the heavens was likened to....” By all this we see that the kingdom of God was already present before the kingdom of the heavens came.
The kingdom of the heavens is composed of two sections. The first section is the church, and the second section is the upper part of the millennium. All genuine Christians are in the church today. But only the overcoming Christians will be in the upper part, the heavenly part, of the millennium. What we have in the church today is the reality of the kingdom of the heavens, not the manifestation. The manifestation of the kingdom will not take place until the millennium. The manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens will be seen in the upper part of the millennium.
Those who are poor in spirit are blessed, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens. (Notice that the Lord did not say, “For theirs is the kingdom of God.”) When we become poor in our spirit, we are ready to receive the heavenly King. When He comes in, He brings the kingdom of the heavens with Him. Immediately after receiving the heavenly King, we are in the church, where the reality of the kingdom of the heavens is. If we are overcomers, at His coming back the Lord will bring us into the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens. To have the kingdom of the heavens is firstly to participate in the proper, normal church life and secondly to inherit the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens in the upper part of the millennium. This is the meaning of the words, “For theirs is the kingdom of the heavens.” Those Christians who backslide will lose the reality of the kingdom of the heavens in this age and will miss the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens in the coming age. What a blessing it is to be poor in spirit! If we are poor in spirit, ours is the kingdom of the heavens. Hallelujah for the first blessing and for the kingdom of the heavens! How good it is to be poor in our spirit!
