“For the Lord’s portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance.” Deuteronomy 32:9
Dear Ones:
It will take eternity to just begin to understand and know the mind and heart of God. It is true that the believer will know God, even as he is known. (1 Cor. 13:12) But there is a difference between the nature of our understanding of Him, and our capacity, as opposed to His. Even though the redeemed will have new bodies, minds, and hearts, and our capacity will exceed exponentially that which we will see and know of God in heaven, yet, we shall always be His creation. We shall never be the Creator. So, why do we consider the subject of the “Inheritance of God,” His portion? It is because the knowledge of such will increase our capacity to worship Him, as the unique and holy God, Creator and Redeemer, for we will see Him a little better, and understand a little more of what the love of God truly is.
First of all, we need to ask the question, “How is it that the Almighty Good, and Perfect God, would have anything to do with sinful man? In addition to this, “How is it that Scripture would declare that God’s people IS His portion, the very “lot” of His inheritance? Before we go any further, let us remember that even in the New Testament, the Apostle Paul writes on this subject. In one of his great prayers he writes: “…that you might know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of HIS INHERITANCE in the saints.” (Eph. 1:18) Why does Paul mention this? It is because God has not changed since Moses’ day, or that of the Apostle Paul. With the knowledge of the “hope of His calling,” and the “riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,” we see more clearly the heart of God, His desire and delight. The most amazing thing is that mankind, though sinful and imperfect, is the object of His consideration and blessing.
Secondly, we need to look at the issue of the love of God, as opposed to our meager and small concepts of such love. In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses reveals something of this love of God by writing: “…and the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good, as He rejoiced over thy fathers.” (30:9) How is it that God, again and again in the life of the nation of Israel, chooses to actually “rejoice” to do good to those who sometimes are so wayward, and unbelieving? It is because of a choice, a choice in love whereby He SETS His love upon His people. He knows who and what they are, but because He IS love, He deliberately chooses to bless them in the highest, and most complete manner. This is why, when it comes to the salvation of the world, and Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary, there is NO restraint in the heart of God to give His Son for those He loves. God only blesses partially when the heart of man will not believe Him fully. What a tremendous God who actually delights to do good to those whom He loves!
But why are His people His portion, His inheritance? The answer resides embedded in the prayer of the Apostle Paul, when he writes: “…what the riches of the GLORY of His inheritance in the saints.” God sees fallen man for what he can become by the grace of God. The “glory” of which Scripture speaks is the highest blessing of man, for it is the revelation of God Himself by the Spirit in the heart and being of man. It took Jesus’ work on Calvary to pay for all of man’s sin. It takes the redeeming work of the Spirit, His sanctifying and glorifying power, to PUT Christ in the individual, revealing the wealth and riches of His Person and presence. The value of God’s portion and inheritance resides in the giving of Himself, His life, in His glory, to the one loved.
Dear Father, We pray today to know “…the riches of the glory of Your inheritance in the saints.” In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad