Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. – Matthew 5:5

Sometimes the people close to me struggle with my latest “revelations”, maybe wondering if I’ve gone off the deep end. So it was very comforting when my wife came across this video from the well-respected Bridgetown Church. And I thought you might like hearing some of this good news from an actual trained speaker and author.

What he didn’t cover in much detail is what it means to “inherit the earth”. I think most of us skip over that phrase as a vague promise of some blessing in the distant future that we’re waiting for, but what if it’s now?

In the Old Testament, inheritance was not about waiting—it was about taking possession of what God had given. When Israel inherited the Promised Land, they didn’t just sit back and receive it. They had to step into it, drive out enemies, and establish God’s rule. Their inheritance was both a gift and a responsibility.

• I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. – Josh 1:3-6

This carries on into the New Testament. Jesus says he’s already King, but now we still need to go tell the nations.

• Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Mt 28:18-20

The Greek word for “inherit” in Matthew 5:5 is κληρονομέω, “from the Greek words κλῆρος (kléros, meaning “lot” or “inheritance”) and νέμομαι (nemomai, meaning “to possess” or “to distribute”)”. So it can be read as active instead of passive: possess your inheritance. It’s ours, but we need to live into it:

• If we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings – Romans 8:17
• The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God – 1 Corinthians 6:9

“Inherit the earth” is not just a future promise—it is a present mission for those who align themselves with God’s reign.