The Truth Of Our Inheritance-where from? – and how much ?-is making it-self seen in present times. As children with a father The Truth Of Our Inheritance, who from?, how much? will be will be fully revealed, when His time is fulfilled.(eph.1;9-10) Our inheritance is “the Truth”-Jesus-as given to us, His creation -through love and patience to repair the broken relation-ship between us and Him-self.
In the Jewish culture the meaning does not have to include the “death ” of some- one . But it is very important to keep ” The Truth of the inheritance ” in the family line. This is why family genealogy is important in the OT. It is also why it is important to us as inheritors of the New Testament.
Jesus, in the genealogy’ of the generations given in the gospels,is shown to be of the line of Abraham, to Noah, finally to Joseph the “father” on earth of Jesus. The line went through Jesse , to make Isaiah 11:1-16(written approx. 790-720 BC)a fulfilled “messianic” prophecy.
The ” Promised Land ” of Canaan was given by God to His children , the people of Israel as an inheritance. The land was theirs for – ever as long as they obeyed Gods’ laws. Deut 4 : 21 ff ; 11: 8 ff ” Be careful to observe all the laws I am giving you today..You will be enticed to worship other Gods…The Lords’ anger will burn towards you…you will soon perish from the good land .” Also Jer 7 : 23 ” …Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my People…”.
But importantly , the people of Israel are in turn called by God to be ” His Inheritance “ . Deut 4 : 20 “..the Lord took you and brought you.. out of Egypt to be the people of ” His Inheritance “. Also Jer 10 : 16 “…He is the maker of all things, including Israel the tribe of His Inheritance …” Also Deut 32 : 9 ” For the Lords’ portion is His people : Jacob the lot of His Inheritance “.
This concept is broadened to include the gentiles of the NT ; Us!!
God Our Father worked out His earthly Plan through Abraham . But Abraham in turn had children from two females of His family or clan.
So is” the truth of our inheritance” from Abraham, shared with the children of his other ” wife” as well ? This being Hagar his maid – servant.
Or – because his son is the oldest – does Hagars’ son have a prominent share ?
The answer is partly through the meaning that is hidden in the italic signs ( ” ) around the word ” wife” above that gives the answer.
God the Father does not want ” second – best ” or ” second anything” when working out His divine plan for us on earth. What father would ?He is definitely Pro – marriage . He wants only the Legally- Bound wife of Abraham to be mother or progenitor of His inheritance.
In Gen; 17:15-16 ” God also said to Abraham,” as for Sarai your wife you are no longer to call her Sarai ; her name will be Sarah . I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her and she will be the mother of nations; kings of people will come from her.”
At this Abraham laughed to him – self because of his old age and asked if Ishmaelcould live under His blessing. God heard and repeated His statement that Abraham would have a son from Sarah . Gen 17 : 19 ” ..and you will call him Isaac . I will establish my covenant with Him as an everlasting covenant for his descendents after him.”
The Lord also said that He would provide for Ishmael by making him the father of many nations as well, in Gen 17 : 20 and that they would be ” blessed “.
** This could explain why the Arab lands have most of the oil fields in the world . This is the only natural resource they possess in export quantity. Like any blessing from the Lord it is then the responsibility of the blessed to use it wisely.
For the character of Ishmaels’ descendants today – and biblical truth – look at the similarity of the bad news on TV today and Gen. 16 : 12 “….he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”
In Gen 17 : 21 God repeats that ” His covenant will be kept through Isaac whom Sarai will bear this time next year” .
This Promise of our inheritance, spoken to Abraham by God, ensures it is “from heaven, and Divinely given”. Not “from men.”
The terms of this contract were the standard laws of this society at this time in history ( approx. 1900 BC ) This is revealed by the translation of the thousands of cuneiform clay tablets found in the cities of Mari in Syria , buried under an earthquake in 1796 BC – and Nuzi which is about 150 miles north of Bagdad destroyed in the early 13 century BC. ” Most of them deal with the law ” ..” writes Dr. Bill Cooper . **
But ” What about me ?! We hear you say!! Our interest springs up from the name ” Jesus , Son Of God “ in our times of the New Testament ,( ” The Better covenant” Heb. 8 : 6 states – as explained in our blog ‘ Proclaim the Good News ! Not the Olde News!!-(17/Aug/14).
God is not only the inheritance of His People , but the inheritance of the individual as well , Ps. 16 : 5 ff, 73 : 26 ; 142 ; 5 …” I say , You are my refuge , my portion , in the land of the living…”.
In our N T times our inheritance comes through the work of Jesus who is the Heir and son – Mk 12: 7 ; Heb 1: 2 “ But in these last days He has spoken to us -You and me – by His son Whom He appointed Heir of all things , and through Whom He made the universe. ” This quietly asserts the role and authority of Jesus .
For gentile believers – sometimes called ” spiritual Israel “ . Eph. 2 : 11ff states ” remember that you Gentiles …called ” un – circumcised “..you were foreigners to the covenants of the promise … with – out God in the world… Butnow in Christ we have been brought near..He is our peace who made the two one .” v 2 : 19 consequently we …are fellow citizens with God ‘s people and members of Gods’ house – hold .” ” Yes , Yes we share the inheritance !! “
Through Christs’ redemptive work believers are sons of God by adoption and co – heirs with Christ ( Rom 8 : 17 ; Gal 4 : 7 )
As a deposit and eternal guarantee of our inheritance – Heb : 9 : 15 – Christ is the mediator of a better covenant , that those who are called may receive the eternal inheritance.; now that He has died as a ransom …” Eph 3 : 6. The inheritance of the Promised Land is now the spiritual Kingdom of God with all its blessings -Math. 25: 34 ” … Come , you who are blessed by my father . Take your inheritance , the kingdom prepared for you since the beginning of the world .”
But 1 Cor 6 : 9 warns ” the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God…idolaters , adulterers , thieves …as some of you were. But now 1 Cor. 6 : 11 says ” That is what some of you were. But you were washed , you were sanctified , you were justified in the name of Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God. “
The selected verses attempt to show ” the salvation through inheritance ” of the Christian N T theology – for Us ! !
Eph 1: 4 ” For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight . In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ , in accordance with His pleasure and will … v 7 ” In Him we have redemption thru His blood , the forgiveness of our sins,.. ” . 1 Peter 1 : 1 To God’s elect , strangers in the world and scattered through – out ..( Asia Minor ) who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God The Father…”. 1 Peter 2 : 9 ” But you are a chosen people , a royal priesthood , a Holy nation , a people belonging to God that we may declare the praises of Him who brought us out of darkness and into His wonderful light ” . Rom. 8 : 16 -17 ” The Spirit testifies with our spirit we are His Children . Now if we are children then we are heirs – heirs with God and co – heirs with Christ …in order that we may share in His Glory . ”
” Christ in us ., the hope of Glory !! “
This inheritance is wholly from the free un- deserved gift of Gods’ Grace.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
” The Authenticity Of the Book Of Genesis “ By Dr. Wm R Cooper . Published by Creation Science Movement . England.
** on page 113 – ” The Setting Free of Hagar and Ishmael ” – Dr Cooper writes ” that Abraham , when approached by Sarah to set Hagar and Ishmael free ( Gen 21 : 9 – 12 ) ” he hesitated in an agony of mind ” . He had good reason to do so . This meant that Ishmael , Abraham’s first born son through his slave – girl Hagar and whom he loved dearly ‘ would have no share in any inheritance from Abraham because he and Hagar would no longer be Abraham’s slaves but they would be free ( and not in his family line ) . . This ruling came from a law of the Lipit – Ishtar Code ; this already had been in place 200 years before the time of Abraham. ” …but ( if ) the father granted freedom to the slave and her children , the children of the slave shall not divide the estate with the children of the former master. ” But they kept the title as ” son “. Ishmael next appears performing admirably the funeral along with Isaac for their father in Gen . 25 ; 9 . with no sign of animosity between them .