The Better Inheritance – Numbers 18:20b

Numbers 18:20b: “I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel.”

Have you ever wondered why you have what you have and why others have what they have? In a world where the more common mindset is that of entitlement, the pressure of this kind of assessment is likely becoming more intense. We suggest that before you start looking at what you don’t have, you take a closer look at what you do have. Should you do this, you may find there’s a new level of appreciation for not only what you have but also how you obtained it.

The context to today’s verse is the Lord is speaking to Aaron – Moses’ brother – regarding what He is giving to his bloodline and the tribe to which he is a part of – the Levites. The Lord tells Aaron in the first half of today’s verse, “You shall have no inheritance in their [the rest of the tribes of Israel] land, nor shall you have any portion among them.” The rest of the tribes of Israel were allotted portions of the “Promised Land” – a land flowing with milk and honey. However, the very people who were completely dedicated to the Lord would get none of the Land. To our non-spiritual minds, this may seem unfair.

As followers of Christ, we are given the extreme privilege of being given the indwelling Holy Spirit. Part of His responsibilities to us are to enlighten us to a true spiritual mindset. In other words, the Holy Spirit reveals to us the higher truth, which is in the spiritual world. This is the eternal world, so it is a greater world than the limited one we live in our human bodies and consciousness.

Getting back to our earlier point of taking a closer look at what we do have and how we obtained it, re-read today’s verse. God is saying that He is Aaron’s and the Levite’s portion and inheritance. God is the reward for those who are priests and servants dedicate to God. More importantly is the fact that God, out of His free will, is choosing to give Himself to these people.

You might be thinking that’s great if you’re a Levite in the Old Testament, but what about me in today’s world as a follower of Jesus? In the spiritual world the gift of God being our portion and our inheritance is far greater than a Promised Land or any other earthly thing of value. 1 Peter 2:9 confirms our inheritance as believers, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

The next time you drift into the unwinnable game of what you have vs. what others have, remind yourself that what you have in Jesus is far greater than any billionaire has. Please also remember how you obtained this extraordinary inheritance by memorizing Ephesian 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” You did nothing to deserve your inheritance – He chose to give it to you out of His amazing grace. You have Him, and His love for you and plans for you far exceeds anything the world has to offer. He is your Promised Land. Rejoice!

 

 

Isaiah 60:1

Oh, LORD, what darkness surrounds me.
How it oozes and seeps into my pores.
Then it slithers and threatens my mind
With the dread there will be much more.

My heart begins to quake and tremble -
Leaving me paralyzed with fading hope.
How could such a doom break through?
As if I’ve arrived at the end of my rope.

Suddenly a voice from heaven thunders
Tearing a hole in hopelessness’s roof.
Darkness’s lies crumble to their knees
Giving way to the Light and the truth.

“Arise, My child, for your light is here!
Why have you forgotten My presence?
Don’t you recall upon your confession?
That I instilled in you My holy essence.”

“The darkness and its grave were beaten
By My beloved Son’s death at Calvary.
When I resurrected Him with My power.
The Light of the World won the victory!”

“As for My unbelieving and lost creation -
The ones drowning in darkness and tears,
If they could only see what you believe,
My perfect love will cast out their fears.”

“So, don’t forget, My beloved possession.
You can arise and shine for I have come.
My glory will forever rise upon you
With the same power that raised My Son.”

“Shine My Spirit’s light who dwells inside
That will testify that My Word is true.
For light will always defeat the darkness
When they’ll see that it did so for you.”

Why Jesus Was Sent

God takes no pleasure in the death of any.
He wants all of His creation to repent.
To prove the truth of this passionate desire,
His only begotten Son to us was sent.

He looked at each of our worst moments
And our rejection of His holy existence.
From a heart of mercy and compassion,
He chose to take our sin death’s sentence.

Yet we still believe the deceits and the lies.
If He exists, He’s an unfair and angry judge.
When we reject the necessity of the cross.
We’re missing His greatest display of love.

What more powerful proof can we find?
For another to willingly lay down one’s life.
The only way to be reconciled to our Creator,
Was for His Son Jesus to be our sacrifice.

The fear of death was given a mortal blow.
His resurrection proving love never fails.
Imagine the guilt and shame of our past
Are forgiven and left on His cross’ nails.

Why won’t we choose to believe this truth?
Receive the free gift of His amazing grace.
If this is the only life that we have to live,
Does it feel anything like a heavenly place?

If there is more to live after our last breath,
Perhaps the cross makes a lot more sense.
To be given the promise of an eternal peace,
We’ll start to believe why Jesus was sent.

That God loves every life that He creates.
You’re no evolved ape, you’re no accident.
If you’ll take Jesus’ nail-pierced hands,
You’ll become a reason why He was sent.