God's Inheritance

^"Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession."

Psalm 2:8

Last night I attended a home group where this verse was read by pastor Mark Walsh.  The context is God speaking prophetically to Jesus, His Anointed One.  Psalm 2:7 reads, "I will declare the decree: the LORD has said to Me, 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You."  The Father gives the Son an invitation to ask for His inheritance and later promises all will be subject to Him:  Psalm 2:9 says, "You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel."  A day will come when Jesus Christ will set up His kingdom upon earth and will rule in righteousness.  The earth and all that is in it is Christ's for the asking.  Jesus has affirmed, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."

Most of us have been exposed to the idea of heavenly reward or inheritance.  Thinking back to when I was a child in church I remember the teacher's description about heaven as a wonderful place to live without crying, pain, or death.  Everyone would receive a crown and the streets are paved with gold.  This is an oversimplification, but typically the promise of reward make us think about how they affect us or how we use them.  We are familiar with passages like 1 Peter 1:3-4:  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you..."  Jesus has told us that He is coming quickly, and His reward is with Him.  The prospect of a reward is one that can appeal to our flesh.

As Mark expounded upon this scripture, my thoughts rested upon a portion of it:  "Your inheritance."  Do you realize that we are Christ's inheritance as children of God?  Even more astounding is the implication that when we share the Gospel with others we increase Christ's inheritance!  What a great gift to give back to God!  Many Christians today are caught up in trying to establish an earthly legacy or even a heavenly one - for themselves.  How about we seek to give Christ the reward of His suffering by sharing the Gospel so many would be born again?  We understand the idea of giving our children an earthly inheritance of houses, land, and money:  isn't it time we focus on increasing Christ's inheritance by a life lived just for Him?

When I was a child, I thought every "good" thing I did for God meant He added "another jewel" to my crown.  In my mind, I surely had a ruby-diamond-emerald encrusted-golden-atrocity for headgear awaiting me!  Conversely if I sinned, God reached over and broke a chunk of my crown off.  I was always motivated by this fictitious idea of reward and loss much like a sea lion who receives fish for properly  performing a trick.  Can you imagine what comparisons would take place in heaven if my ridiculous childish theology were true?  I remember being amazed while reading the portion when the 24 elders Revelation 4:10-11 give God what He gave them!  "...The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: ¹¹ "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created."

Wait a second, I thought to myself.  Why would you cast your crown before the feet of Jesus when you worked so hard for it?  Ah foolish boy!  Do I deserve a crown?  NO.  I deserve death in Hell and eternal separation for God because of my sins.  But out of His grace God grants us forgiveness, rewards, and an eternal heavenly inheritance which will never fade away.  God is the worthy one!  The fact is God gives us new life we are to give right back to Him so He can live through us.  This goes for our money, time, resources, talents, gifts, abilities, and EVEN heavenly reward.  What pleasure it gives me to think I can by His grace give God an inheritance of souls saved through the Gospel which will last forever!

Like Moses we would be wise to pray the words of Exodus 34:9 "...If now I have found grace in Your sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray, go among us, even though we are a stiff-necked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your inheritance."   Isn't it amazing that God delights to do so?  It made news across the world when the trapped miners in Chile were removed using state-of-the-art technology.  Yet without a mechanical hoist, cables, or video equipment, God brought us from the grave to a new life of liberty and freedom through the blood of Jesus.  As it is written in Deuteronomy 9:29:  "...Yet they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out by Your mighty power and by Your outstretched arm."  Isn't it great that we have the opportunity to glorify and enrich God with our lives?  Let's make God the richer and joyfully lay up treasures in heaven not for us, but for Him!