HE WHO OVERCOMES SHALL INHERIT ALL THINGS,

 

 

THE GREATEST GIFT
Inheritance of Creation
Michael D Biggs

 

When we think of gifts we often think of Christmas or a Birthday. Since the mid 1800’s or so, Christmas has been celebrated around much of the world, and aside from our increasingly politically correct and materialistic societies, the majority of people truly enjoy Christmas, and recognize it as the day we celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus.¹

Many would argue – perhaps with very good reason - that the birth of our Lord and Savior is God’s greatest gift to mankind. This sentiment is obvious in many of our songs & poems, that extol the wonders of God’s love for us, and give honor to Jesus far above anything materialistic we could receive at the Holiday season.

For our study here, I’d like us to delve a little into the Scripture to discover what God has declared concerning what I have come to see as God’s Greatest Gift…

Throughout the Old Testament of Scripture, we find references to a promised Coming One, a Messiah, a Savior, who would deliver God’s people from their enemies. Beginning with God's promise in the Garden (Gen 3:15), through Moses (Deut 18:15-19) and the prophets (Isaiah 9:6, Micah 5:2, etc), to Malachi (Mal 3:1) the coming of the Messiah had been foretold by men who heard and believed the Word of God. This One would not only redeem Israel to God but bring salvation to all nations as well. A little over 2000 years ago, the time had come for the fulfillment of the prophecies to begin.

"But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, ⁵ to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons" - Gal 4:4-5 NKJV

When that time had come, the angel spoke to Joseph these words that must have been staggering to hear -

“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; ²¹ she will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” – Matt 1:20-21 RSV

What a great gift of responsibility and privilege given to this couple to care for the Child who was coming. While Mary literally carried the Seed of the living God in her womb, the One who would come forth as a physical man; if we’ve answered God’s call upon our lives, we too carry His Seed in us, that, as we nourish it, will transform our very nature into that of Christ. (Gal 4:19, 1John3:2). Yes, each of us who have received Christ into our hearts by the gift of faith are also privileged and as well have great responsibility to feed & nourish that Seed planted in us.

The Bible tells us that we “have been given a new birth… the incorruptible Seed of God” (1Pet 1:23), which is “the mystery which had been hidden from past ages and generations, but now is revealed to His saints… God has made known what is the glorious riches of this mystery among the nations. It is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Col 1:26-27)

Along with the Word to Mary & Joseph; to Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, came the angels’ declaration -

“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited and redeemed His people,
⁶⁹ And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of His servant David,
⁷⁰ As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets,
Who have been since the world began,
⁷¹ That we should be saved from our enemies
And from the hand of all who hate us,
⁷² To perform the mercy promised to our fathers
And to remember His holy covenant,
⁷³ The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
⁷⁴ To grant us that we,
Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
⁷⁵ In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life."
- Luke 1:68-75 NKJV

The long ago promise to Abraham had not been forgotten. A Child was born, a “horn of salvation” through Whom all the promises given to Israel would be fulfilled. Indeed, much was fulfilled when Jesus came to the earth and lived among us for a third of a century, was crucified and raised to Life - but the bulk and the culmination of the promises will be accomplished when Jesus returns, including the promise that I believe is God’s greatest gift to man, which we shall examine shortly.

To be sure, all must begin with the gift of salvation. All the wonderful promises of God are contingent on our being received into His body, the Church (with a capital “C”). God’s Word in 2Cor 6:17-18 promises entrance into His family when we embrace the salvation offered through Jesus atonement by walking in His conditions of repentance.²

Perhaps the best-known verse in the Bible tells us of God's wonderful gift of salvation to us, and the result of fully accepting His offering ~

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have Eternal Life." - John 3:16

Running a close second, especially in evangelical circles, would probably be -

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
– Rom 6:23

With verses such as these, many teach that the greatest gift we can receive is the love of God in Messiah Jesus and all that it encompasses: salvation, deliverance, fellowship with our Savior. The opportunity to live a new life by the Spirit. Truly, without the salvation Jesus brought us by His atoning sacrifice on Calvary we would have no hope. For this very purpose God sent His Son, that the gift of salvation could be made available to all mankind.

The Apostle John declared – “we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world.” – 1John 4:14 NIV

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." - James 1:17 NKJV

Indeed, to all has been given the opportunity to Life –

 "God has given us Eternal Life, and this Life is in His Son." - 1John 5:11 NKJV

Our God is a generous, gracious God. Having my own little son has taught me a lot these last 6+ years. It has taught me something about the nature of God and His relationship to us. I believe I am gaining a deeper understanding of His desire for His own first-begotten Son, and for us as His sons (and daughters) as well, as I experience agape love for my own son and family.

Through this deeper understanding I believe I see the gift God has in store for man that, dare I say, far surpasses that initial salvation we receive when we come to Christ. For it is not what we were saved from, but now what we were saved for.

A portion of the oft-read Christmas story from Luke's Gospel sets the stage ~

“In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And the angel came to her and said, “Rejoice, favored woman! The Lord is with you.” ²⁹ But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. ³⁰ Then the angel told her:

Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
³¹ Now listen:
You will conceive and give birth to a son,
and you will call His name Jesus.
³² He will be great
and will be called the Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give Him
the throne of His father David.
³³ He will reign over the house of Jacob forever,
and His kingdom will have no end.”
- Luke 1:26-33 HCSB

The last two verses above have stirred my spirit the last several years, especially since I became a father to my own little boy. Here in Gabriel’s oracle to Mary I see the relationship between the Father and Son clearly defined - "The Lord God will give Him the throne...”

God’s gift to us of salvation, grace & the opportunity for Eternal Life has been well taught over the centuries; but here I want to look at the gift that Father God has given to His Son, the Man Jesus, and to those who become One with Jesus in Christ.³ The gift of dominion - the right to restore Life to creation and rule over all the works of God’s hands!
Amen.

Even from a strictly human perspective, I believe all parents reading this want the best for our children; to leave them a lasting inheritance. On a personal level, I want to give to my son Joshua something that he will appreciate, something that will bless my heart to grant him. Oh, to give him that which would last for eternity!

That is our Heavenly Fathers heart. To impart to His begotten, beginning with Jesus, the best He can offer. In the Old Testament Book of Psalms, we find God speaking to His Son long before He came to this earth as a physical being, a baby born of woman.

 

 

“I will declare the decree:

The Lord has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
⁸ Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession."
- Psalm 2:7-8 NKJV

 

Many generations later, after His atoning sacrifice, death and Resurrection, Jesus would declare to His disciples – “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.”
– Matt 28:18 AMP

“The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.” – John 3:35 NAS

God’s promise became reality. All has been given over to Jesus. He IS in control.
And yet… we still see chaos & trouble everywhere. Man & creation appear to be in bondage still. Many struggle with hopelessness & disillusionment. Illness & death are still among us.

Something further needs to take place.

In the Revelation to John, the Lord Jesus Himself speaks these incredible words concerning those physical human beings who truly walked worthy of their calling to be conformed into the image of God’s Son.

“He who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end,
to him I will give power over the nations.”
– Rev 2:26 NKJV

To those who endure with Christ through the trials, He has promised - “Just as My Father conferred on Me Kingly authority, so also do I confer it on you.” (Luke 22:29 Mounce)

Jesus is waiting for His counterpart, His body, to be perfected. Together, the physical Christ, Head and body will rule over creation, and bring righteousness, peace and joy to the nations. Wickedness will be dealt with. Then will there be order instead of chaos, gladness instead of hopelessness, Life instead of death.

Friends this is what gives me great hope! These promises are what helps me endure through the trials of life and lifts me from despair when I see the horrors of what sin has done to mankind. There will be a Day of restoration of all things back to the original design and purpose of the Lord God Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth!


PROMISED TO MAN

Dominion over God’s creation, rulership of the earth was given to man way back in Genesis Chapter 1:28. As we shall discover, God created the physical realm to even have dominion over the spiritual as well.

When God brought forth Adam from the dust and breathed His life into him, Adam had no sin nature. He was made in the “likeness of God” (Gen 5:1). In the NT Adam is called the “son of God” (Luke 3:38), and a "type of Him who was to come." (Rom 5:14). God created everything and called it all “good”. Then He created man, called it “very good” and then presented His creation to Adam to rule over. It was a gift.⁴

"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
⁴ What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
⁵ For You have made him a little lower than God,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
⁶ You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet."
- Psalm 8:3-6 NKJV Heb

This was the purpose for which God created Adam, in the “likeness” of God (Gen 5:2). If Adam would have eaten of the Tree of Life, he would have become fully in the “image” of God. Partaking only of the “good” Adam would have come to recognize “evil” as soon as it presented itself before him, and he would have rejected it. This is how bankers learn to detect counterfeit bills: by handling only the “good” and real ones. Then when something other than the real thing appears, they can notice the difference right away.

But Adam fell to the temptation of a shortcut, and ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, when he was not able to distinguish between good and evil by use of practice.

After Adams fall and following the dispersion of man at the tower of Babel, the promise came to Abram -

 ^“I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. ⁷ And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. ⁸ Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”
– Gen 17:6-8 NKJV

This “everlasting covenant” continued to David -

“I will not violate My covenant
    or alter what My lips have uttered.
³⁵ Once for all, I have sworn by My holiness—
    and I will not lie to David—
³⁶ that his line will continue forever
    and his throne endure before Me like the sun;
³⁷ it will be established forever like the moon,
    the faithful witness in the sky.”
- Psalm 89:34-37 NIV

God created man to have dominion over all His creation. Adam failed. And in doing so, forfeited that right to rule, and infected mankind with sin. For the next 4000 or so years mankind continued to fail. Yet our Heavenly Fathers desire still is to have man rule over all the works of His hands. That fiat never changed. In the Book of Hebrews, we read –

“And there is a place where someone has given this solemn testimony:
“What is mere man, that You concern yourself with him?
or the son of man, that You watch over him with such care?
⁷ You made him a little lower than the angels,
You crowned him with glory and honor,
⁸ You put everything in subjection under his feet.”
In subjecting everything to him, He left nothing unsubjected to him.
However, at present, we don’t see everything subjected to him — at least, not yet.”
- Heb 2:6-8 CJB

“Not yet.” Something has caused Gods plan to be postponed. And that something is sin.

That first man, Adam, lost the position of rulership when he fell to temptation. God’s gifts are indeed free, but they are only retained upon conditions. As God freely set His people free from Egypt, the majority did not enter the promised land because of their disobedience, so too our salvation from the world is freely given but must be held onto by our walking daily with Jesus in obedience & submission to His commands.

When Adam succumbed, his sin became a weakness with which all who followed were born with, and also unfit to rule. So, does that nullify the promise of God? No...


THE MAN JESUS

Enter the Word (the Logos).

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. ⁴ In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”
- John 1:1-4 NKJV

The Word. The very expression of God, of El Shaddai. A Spirit, not a physical man, this being who would become Jesus, had been with the Father at the creation of all things. We find Him sharing His heart in the Proverbs ~

"Jehovah (Yahweh) possessed Me in the beginning of His way, Before His works of old.
²³ I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the earth was.
²⁴ When there were no depths, I was brought forth (begotten),
When there were no fountains abounding with water.
²⁵ Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth (begotten);
²⁶ While as yet He had not made the earth, nor the fields,
Nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
²⁷ When He established the heavens, I was there:
When He set a circle upon the face of the deep,
²⁸ When He made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep became strong,
²⁹ When He gave to the sea its bound, That the waters should not transgress His commandment,
When He marked out the foundations of the earth;
³⁰ Then I was by Him, as a master workman; And I was daily His delight, Rejoicing always before Him,
³¹ Rejoicing in His habitable earth; And My delight was with the sons of men."
- Prov 8:22-31 ASV

More than all the wondrous universes, above all the glory of creation, more than any other being, physical or spiritual, (all which had been created through Him as the Word) this One found great delight in man. But to inherit all things had been promised to man, and the Son was still a spiritual being at this time.
Even so, that greatly pleased the Father. Seeing the potential and destined end for man, the Son yearned to fellowship with this physical creation. All that was good and right, everything that was holy and righteous to the Father is what His Son loved. I pray that all that I love that is holy and righteous will be the delight of my little boy Joshua.

And so, as we read earlier, the Father prophetically promised this One Eternal Sonship and Inheritance -

“I will declare the decree:
The Lord has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
⁸ Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession."
- Psalm 2:7-8 NKJV

The Father loved His creation even though sin had entered in. Those who had been given charge at the beginning fell into pride and rebelled against God.⁴ His desire since then has been to set all that He had made free. Indeed, Creation itself groans to be delivered (Rom 8:20-22) So, the Word, the Becoming One, became human, that He might fulfill the promise. He received the blessing of the Father as we read in Hebrews 1 Jesus was the One who fulfilled the prophecy of the Psalm -

“to the Son He says:
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
⁹ You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”
- Heb 1:8-9 (Psalm 45:6-7)
 

He had to be like us, born of a woman, a flesh and blood man, to be eligible to be our Redeemer, our King. He had to become flesh in order to conquer the spiritual enemies of God and His creation. Jesus greatly emphasized His humanity in His teaching, always referring to Himself as the “Son of Man.” Jesus rose and emerged from the grave as a physical Man (Luke 24:36-43). He ascended as a physical Man (Acts 1:4-11). And He is coming again to set up the Kingdom of God on the earth as a physical Man (Matt 24:29-31).

 

“Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, He also Himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death He might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.”
– Heb 2:14 WEB


“He was manifested physically and proved righteous spiritually.”
- 1Tim 3:16 CJB

We tend to think of Jesus always having been Jesus. We picture Him a grown man walking the streets of Jerusalem teaching & healing the sick, and we picture Him as having looked that way from eternity. But was He a Man in heaven at Creation, and then born a little baby millennia later in Bethlehem that grew up to be a Man again? Hmmm… the Scripture says “the Word became flesh” (John 1:14), meaning He wasn’t physical until He was born that night in Bethlehem.

The Foursquare Denomination (of which I am a part) has the verse from Hebrews 13:8 posted in every one of their church buildings – “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Amen. And that is True. But when did that “yesterday” begin? For we know from the same Spirit-lead writer that “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered; ⁹ and being made perfect He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him...” (Heb 5:8-9 RSV)

The teaching of a “co-equal, co-existent” trinity has served only to add confusion to our understanding. For Truly God is greater than Jesus, as He Himself said (John 10:29, 13:16, 14:28); and Jesus is something that God is not: a physical flesh & bone Man (John 4:24).

The man Jesus was perfected here on earth and became salvation. So, the Son, as the Logos, the Word of God, was not qualified to be our Lord and Savior; not without a physical body; and in that physical body tested in “all points like as we” (Heb 4:15). According to these passages and others, we learn that Jesus became something that He had not been.
He is “the firstborn over all creation.” (Col 1:15) There came a day when this became a reality. This One had to be “born.”  “Today I have begotten You.”

The apostle Peter, in his sermon after being filled with the Holy Spirt, preached this Truth concerning the Son of Man -
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” – Acts 2:36 NKJV

Jesus was made Lord and Christ, because as a Man He “did not sin” even though He faced every temptation that man can face, “suffered as He was tempted”, and “Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Phil 2:8 NAS)

Where Adam had failed, when he disobeyed and disappointed God, Jesus would be tested. To see the fulfillment of the promises, He had to leave His place by the Father's side, to come to earth as a helpless babe, born into a poor family, and grow up in the face of persecution and temptation and ultimately great suffering, so that He could return to the right Hand of God as His rightful heir, and ruler over all creation - as a Man.

”And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father."
- John 1:14 NKJV

And by this He made a way for us to come out from the shadow of Adam, and into His Light. To be born again as the sons and daughters of God that we were ultimately meant to be: reborn into a New Creation.

“He was in the world, and the world was made through Him... To as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His Name."
- John 1:10-12 NKJV

God's plan was that His Son would become one of us, that He might be tested, perfected, and found worthy to inherit all things. He came with the blessing of God, but indeed He came as a physical man, subject to the same weaknesses of humanity, as well as the physical and spiritual temptations that we all face. But He came to do the will of God, to fulfill the prophecies written about Him in the Law and the Prophets. He said, "I have come to do They will, O God, Yea, Thy Law is within My heart." (Psalm 40:8, Heb 10:7). Jesus would example this resolve throughout His ministry even up to the Garden on the night of His greatest test, His crucifixion looming, crying out "Not My will, but Thine be done."

Jesus came to be that example for us to follow. He is the “Pioneer” of our salvation and our faith (Heb 2:10, 12:2); “The One who broke open the way.” (Micah 2:13). He tells us - “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23 NKJV) The Holman translates “come with Me” and Phillips renders “follow Me” as “follow in My footsteps.” We’ve been called to “come with Him” through death and resurrection into Eternal Life as a New Creation, of which Jesus is the “Firstborn”. (this is Paul’s desire in Phil 3).

This is the First Resurrection. It is these who truly have “followed” Jesus through the Way of the Cross, through death and rebirth, that will “come after Him.” And all this is possible because of Jesus.

Again, where Adam failed, Jesus would succeed. The first Adam broke the only commandment God had given him. The “last Adam”, Jesus, would be obedient to the entirety of God's Eternal Law, even to death.

"Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, (that is where satan fell, and how he tempted Adam to fall) ⁷ but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross. ⁹ Therefore God also highly exalted Him, and gave to Him the name which is above every name; ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
- Phil 2:5-11 WEB

And oh, the reward for His obedience!

 

 

“Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
    a scepter of justice will be the scepter of Your kingdom.
⁷ You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
    therefore God, Your God, has set You above Your companions
    by anointing You with the oil of joy.”
- Psalm 45:6-7 NIV

 

God's own Son came a little over 2000 years ago as a baby boy to became the Man who would fulfill His Father's greatest desire. Christ Jesus would inherit all things. The promise to man would be fulfilled. And God would be reconciled to all His creation. He will one day walk again with Adam in Eden.

" The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. ¹⁸ And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. ¹⁹ For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, ²⁰ and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross."
- Col 1:15-20 NIV

The Son strove not for this position, but rather sought just to please His Father. In this, He obtained - by humility and obedience and love - the Greatest Gift.


A verse many attribute to satan or the devil⁵ describes the selfish ambition and desire for preeminence that drove this “shining one” from the very Presence of God -
"I will ascend above the heights of the clouds,
I will be like the Most High."
- Isaiah 14:14

And this too was the temptation presented to Adam & Eve in the garden –
"God knows that when you eat from (the forbidden tree) your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God." - Gen 3:5

Whereas the “shining morning star” set over Babylon sought to “be like the Most High”, and many men since have desired or even claimed to be “like God”, Jesus “did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped.” (Phil 2:6)

In the end of days, (which I believe is fast approaching, based on Scripture and personal revelation) the anti-Christ we are told “will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” (2Thess 2:4 NIV). Many of the “causes” & “movements” today are setting the stage for the rise of one who will seemingly unite mankind, and bring “peace” & security to the earth.

Attempting to achieve God’s plan for mankind apart from God Himself this arrogant man will not “regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.” (Dan 11:37b) Jesus spoke in Mark 13 of this one who was prophesied in Daniel, this “abomination that causes desolation standing (in the temple) where it should not”, and warns us to “understand”, for this “false Christ” will seek to deceive even the Elect through signs & wonders. But rather his appearing shall usher in great tribulation: the final testing that will perfect the saints who will rise to meet the Lord at His return.

Without going into all the incredible prophecies found in Daniel concerning the end times, and the spiritual battles regarding the “thrones” upon which the brothers of Jesus will eventually sit, let us just recognize that after all has come to pass, the Man Jesus, along with His body (the First Resurrection saints) will be given the dominion that so many others had sought to obtain by their own power.

“I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
    there came one like a son of man,
and He came to the Ancient of Days
    and was presented before Him.
¹⁴ And to Him was given dominion
    and glory and kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
    should serve Him;
His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
    which shall not pass away,
and His kingdom one
    that shall not be destroyed.”
– Dan 7:13-14 RSV

A couple other verses to consider before we move on, from passages that have helped to shape my understanding of God’s Eternal plan. Christ Jesus will not rule alone, not without His “suitable helper”, “an authority corresponding to Him.”

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ,
and He will reign forever and ever.” - Rev 11:15 LEB

“In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the Lord before them.”
– Zec 12:8 NKJV


MANS INHERITANCE OF CREATION

The inheritance of the nations did not come to Christ Jesus because He who possessed them had died, as is usually the case with an “inheritance” here in modern understanding. Jesus received the nations as His inheritance because He had been born into a new Life! And those who follow Him into that New Life, again not by death of God, but by their actual transformation into a new creation filled with His Life, join Jesus the Firstborn as co-heirs of creation.

In Biblical Greek the words κληρονομησουσιν (inherit) & κληρονομιας (inheritance) give the understanding of a gift, a reward for obedience to the Father. (Strong’s Greek # 2816 & 2817)

To those who will truly submit themselves to the Lord and are walking by His Spirit comes the promise –

“The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. ¹⁷ Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.” – Rom 8:16-17 NIV

Paul exhorts us to serve the Lord above all others – “knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” – Col 3:24 NKJV

That promise given to Abraham will ultimately be fulfilled when the fullness of Messiah (Christ: Head & body) is complete.

“if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
– Gal 3:29 NKJV

So… who will receive this gift? To whom, along with Jesus, will be granted the greatest gift?

Does being a Christian as we define the term today qualify us all to sit with the Lamb on His throne and rule creation? Does every promise in the Book belong to us just because we claim His Name? This is another area of study we’ve looked at before, but briefly what does the Word declare concerning those who go by the Name of Christ yet still walk in sin? Writing to those in the churches Paul says -

“For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” – Eph 5:5 NKJV

The Apostle addresses this in more than one of his epistles: writing to the saints in Corinth -
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?” (1Cor 6:9 NKJV): and a similar warning to the churches of Galatia in Gal 5:19-21.

And then in the Book of Revelation we read -
“He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”
– Rev 21:7 NKJV

Those, who like Jesus, love righteousness and hate wickedness, who surrender their lives to God in humility & obedience in all things are those who overcome.

And oh the reward for their obedience!

“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”
– Rev 3:21 NKJV

Just as it was “not good” for Adam to be alone, and needed Eve to be complete, so too the Man Jesus needs a body, a “helper suitable for him” for Christ to be complete. That Kingdom presented to the Son of Man in Daniel 7:14, will as well be a gift to the overcomers. And together Christ, Head & body, will set creation free and usher in that eternal Kingdom of righteousness!

“Then the kingdom, the rulership and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. Their kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey them.” – Dan 7:27 CJB

The Revised Version translates -

“And the kingdom and the dominion
    and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven
    shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High;
their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom,
    and all dominions shall serve and obey them.”
- Dan 7:27 RSV

In vs 14 dominion is given to the Son of Man, who we recognize to be Christ Jesus. In vs 27 dominion is given to the saints. The Lord Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords. I used to believe this meant He was King over all earthly kings, but in Revelation the context is that along with The King (Jesus) will rule other kings and lords over all creation (His body, the Church are co-heirs with Him).

These kings & lords who sit with Jesus on His Throne are the First Resurrection saints who were raised at His coming on the clouds (1Thess 4:16, 1John 3:2). Together they will judge the physical & spirit realms (1Cor 6). They will be given charge over the countless people from the beginning of time who were welcomed into the Kingdom of God based on their works, although they may have never known Christ in this life; as well as many who sat in the churches each Sunday, and claimed His Name yet walked not in His ways. These “sheep” will be the inheritance of the overcoming victorious saints of all ages, from Abel to the last individual who will complete the full number of Gentiles called to be a stone in the wall of the New Jerusalem. (Luke 19:11-17, Matt 19:28, Rom 11:25, 1Pet 2:5)

“See, a King will reign in righteousness
    and rulers will rule with justice.”
– Isaiah 32:1 NIV

To the royal priesthood, of which the saints are called (1Pet 2:9), the promise of dominion is presented, where the Lord says - “If you will walk in My ways and keep My requirements, then you shall rule My house and have charge of My courts” (Zec 3:7 NRSV).

Those who have overcome will triumphantly sing, “You have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.” (Rev 5:10 NKJV)

These are those who have been truly conformed into the image of God’s Son, who have been raised a new creation having received their physical bodies in the likeness of Jesus and now live, not by blood life, but by the power of the Holy Spirit. God’s gift to Jesus and His brethren is His creation; to minister too, to love, and be to them the revelation of God Himself. Amen.


So each year when we celebrate Christmas, we remember the birth of the One who became the Man who would bring redemption and restoration, and paved the way for man to inherit creation.

Christ Jesus. The Firstborn of the Spirit God. The firstborn of physical Mary. The firstborn of the Resurrection. The Firstborn of the New Creation.

“For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying:
“I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.”
13 And again: “I will put My trust in Him.”
And again: “Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”
- Heb 2:10-13 NKJV

“For if we have become united with Him in a death like His, we will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like His.” – Rom 6:5 ISV

A Resurrection like His! Raised to incorruptible Life, in the likeness of the Man Jesus, fully Divine and fully man. Oh, there is so much more to the plan of God than modern Christianity has taught or even seems to know much about.

Dear friends, may we grab hold of these Truths and not let go. May the Father’s desire for each one of us be fulfilled as we cooperate with Him in transforming our very nature into that like Christ Jesus. My prayer for us all would be that like Paul ~

“I pray for you constantly, 17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you the Spirit of wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope He has given to those He called, and the rich and glorious inheritance He has given to His holy people.
19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe Him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. 21 Now He is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. 22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made Him head over all things for the benefit of the church. 23 And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with Himself.”
- Eph 1:16-23 NLT

Amen.

“He who believes in Me [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Me], as the Scripture has said, ‘From his innermost being will flow continually rivers of living water.’”
- John 7:38 AMP

Do we believe?


God’s wisdom & understanding, peace & blessing to all your house,
Michael

To Him Who Overcomes


NOTES:

¹ I am with the consensus of most scholars that Jesus was not actually born on the 25^th of December. Most likely His birth was in the Autumn months, between the years 7 & 4 BC. With this article I am not here to debate dates & times; the emphasis rather being on the promise of God being fulfilled.

² “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord.
                Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.”
                        ¹⁸ “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters,
                Says the Lord Almighty.” – 2Cor 6:17-18 NKJV

We speak so much of “receiving Christ”, and indeed we must if we are to be given the opportunity to become “children of God” (John 1:12). But He must “receive” us as well, and on this we find conditions. We must “come out from among” those who do not believe, and that includes people in the churches that claim His Name, yet do not believe what Jesus said. Again… another study for another time.

³ Being “saved” and “reigning with Christ” are not mutually inclusive. There are, how do I say it… different callings in God’s plan of salvation. Becoming one with Christ does not happen when we accept Jesus. It first is by election of God, and then it must be attained to. It is to “he who overcomes” that the promises of ruling & inheritance & the priesthood are given.

⁴ My research, based primarily on the Scripture, has led me to believe there was a lot more going on at the beginning of the physical Creation than is commonly taught. Adam was not merely the first human created, but he was the man brought forth by Yahweh to rule over the physical realm, including other people that were on the earth as well.

⁵ Although it has become tradition, the passage does not relate this “son of the morning” to satan. I personally do not believe they are the same individual.

 

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