Q: Didn’t Jesus teach that only the “poor in spirit” will receive the kingdom of heaven? What is the “kingdom of heaven”? Is it the millennial kingdom or the eternal kingdom? Why did Jesus speak of the “meek” “inheriting” the earth, rather than all people? Since this earth is to be destroyed, was he referring to the new earth? Doesn’t Jesus teach that only the “merciful” will obtain “mercy”? Doesn’t He teach that only the “pure in heart” will “see God”? How could they “see God,” if God is invisible? Doesn’t Jesus teach that only the “peacemakers” will be called “sons of God”? Doesn’t He teach that only those who are “persecuted for righteousness’ sake” will receive the “kingdom of heaven”? Don’t these verses preclude the salvation of all?

A: More than one question was asked here; therefore the answer will necessarily be a bit lengthy.

Yes, he did teach that. The beatitudes, however, have to do with the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ which was exclusively to the Jewish believers (Matthew 15:24); who were known as, and called elsewhere in the Scriptures, “the Circumcision” (Galatians 2:8-9). Furthermore, the beatitudes were given to stand as a teaching against the religious phariseeism of the day. The beatitudes are not part of the evangel [i.e., “gospel”] for today; they are of the Circumcision evangel and meant for those called the Circumcision.

I think it is important to digress at this point and say that it is imperative that the students of the Scriptures be enlightened by the Spirit of God to the understanding that there exists two separate evangels in what is called the New Testament, and one of these evangels, the Circumcision evangel, is in a state of suspension until the return of Christ to Israel. Scripture plainly documents the existence of these two in Galatians 2:1-9; and the fact is inescapable that no one shall ever gain a correct understanding of Christian doctrine for today apart from the recognition of this fact. As long as people continue to think that the New Testament is a single evangel, they will continue to try to blend things that were never meant to be blended. This results in an evangel of confusion and happens to be what’s responsible for the invention of all the denominations we see throughout Christendom today.

We intend to progressively show what the evangel of today is, as each of the questions are answered. We want to answer questions pertaining to both evangels; that way, the student is able to see each in its proper place and perspective and learn how to rightly divide the things that differ.

Returning now to answering the questions:

The “kingdom of heaven” is specifically the millennial kingdom -- the coming thousand-year reign of Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords. He spoke of the meek inheriting the earth because the meek were those Jews whom the Spirit of God had enlightened to believe in Him and who were submissive to Him as their Messiah.

(You see, in every way, God is responsible for enlightening all who come to believe, regardless of which evangel's authority they live under. Belief in the things of the spirit is’'t something attainable by human effort; otherwise boasting of it would be possible).

So, the meek are the believing Jews. They inherit the earth because that’s what legal heirs do -- inherit the property of their relatives that is distributed to them. “For the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof” (I Corinthians 10:26).

The kingdom of heaven shall be a worldwide theocracy. The Lord Jesus Christ shall be the King; Israel shall be His “Royal Nation” with Jerusalem as the Royal City. It will be a “kingdom of priests”; and the twelve apostles shall be the twelve judges of the Royal Supreme Court, judging the “twelve tribes of Israel.”

“And I appoint unto you [i.e., the twelve apostles] a kingdom, as My Father hath appointed unto Me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Luke 22:29, 30)

These offices were never appointed to Christian believers of the uncircumcision. The churches are wrong in teaching that Christians are a kingdom of priests, and spiritual Israel, because the churches are teaching the wrong evangel for today.

Here is the millennial reign as described in the book of The Unveiling [The Revelation] in the Concordant Version of the New Testament: This millennial kingdom will end at the close of the thousand years:

“And I perceived thrones, and they [the 12 apostles] are seated on them, and judgment was granted to them. And the souls of those executed because of the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who do not worship the wild beast nor its image, and did not get the emblem on their forehead and on their hand -- they also live and reign with Christ a thousand years.

(The rest of the dead do not live until the thousand years should be finished.) This is the former resurrection.

Happy and holy is he who is having part in the former resurrection! Over these the second death has not jurisdiction, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will be reigning with Him the thousand years.

And whenever the thousand years should be finished, Satan will be loosed out of his jail.

And he will be coming out to deceive all the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to be mobilizing them for battle, their number being as the sand of the sea.

And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and surround the citadel of the saints and the beloved city.

And fire descended from God out of heaven and devoured them.

And the Adversary who is deceiving them was cast into the lake of fire and sulphur, where the wild beast and where the false prophet are also. And they shall be tormented day and night for the eons of the eons.

And I perceived a great white throne, and Him Who is sitting upon it, from Whose face earth and heaven fled, and not place was found for them.

And I perceived the dead, the great and the small, standing sight before the throne.

And the scrolls were opened. And another scroll was opened which is the scroll of life.

And the dead were judged by that which is written in the scrolls in accord with their acts.

And the sea gives up the dead in it, and death and the unseen give up the dead in them.

And they were condemned, each in accord with their acts.

And death and the unseen were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death -- the lake of fire.

And if anyone was not found written in the scroll of life, he was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:4-15).

The old earth shall be destroyed at the close of the millennial reign of Messiah. It has to be. The millennial reign of Messiah was not intended to clean it up but was intended to show man that even under the most ideal conditions, with Messiah ruling with an iron rod, as long as man remains in his earthly flesh, he shall always be plagued with sin and the earth shall remain just as cursed as it was from the days of Adam (Genesis 3:17).

In Revelation 21:1 we at last see the new heaven and earth.

“And I perceived a new heaven and a new earth, for the former heaven and the former earth pass away, and the sea is no more” (Revelation 21:1).

I believe the meaning of the verse in Matthew 5:8: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” is that the pure in heart are the believers; and believers are able to recognize who Jesus is -- the Son of God; the Supreme King; in whom dwells the Father. Therefore, whomsoever sees and recognizes Jesus for all that He is, has, for all intents and purposes, seen God.

“Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself: but the Father that dwelleth in Me, He doeth the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else believe Me for the very works’ sake” (John 14:9-11).

The Father, apart from Jesus, cannot be seen. Human eyes are incapable of seeing the Father and living to tell of it. Paul’s eyes were nearly burnt away in their sockets when he saw the risen glorified Christ!

“No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him” (John 1:18).

The last three questions from among those above...

“Doesn’t Jesus teach that only the ‘peacemakers’ will be called ‘sons of God’? Doesn’t He teach that only those who are ‘persecuted for righteousness’ sake’ will receive the ‘kingdom of heaven’? Don’t these verses preclude the salvation of all?”

...can be answered this way:

 “And so all Israel shall be saved: [not just some] as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is My covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins” (Romans 11:26-27).

Did you see that? Jesus has a covenant with all of Israel, not just some of them, to take away their sins. That covenant is part of the Circumcision evangel.

And there’s a counterpart to that for us who are of the evangel of the uncircumcision:

“And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven” (Colossians 1:20).

That’s universal salvation, plain and simple.