The man who remains faithful to God will be heir

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According to the Gospel, there is something to inherit. At least, it is a genuine privilege of redeemed humanity. Humanity was once already an inheritance, but sold it cheaply. The healing work of Jesus Christ also consists in resurrecting the inheritance as King of kings and distributing it once again to those who have remained faithful as their inheritance.

There is a legacy to inherit

“But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.“, So the Lord said to the elderly prophet Daniel in the last sentence of the book of Daniel, chapter 12. At the age of approximately 85, Daniel remained behind in Babylon. After 70 years of exile, he never made the return journey to Judah and Jerusalem. For Daniel, his work was done, and even in his final days, he was granted the righteousness of Jesus and promised that he would be an heir.

The word “inheritance” deserves special emphasis here. Inheritance, or inheritance, appears several times in the Bible. Paul also used this term when explaining to the church in Galatia that a person’s (biological) origins do not determine whether or not they belong to the (spiritual) people of Israel, Galatians 3:29.
“And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.“

John also spoke of this in the very first chapter of his Gospel:
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.“

Not of blood – thus independent of lineage
Nor of the will of the flesh – thus not of one’s own (fallen) impulses
Nor of the will of man – thus regardless of what other people say or teach
“but are born of God” and thus entitled to become a child of God. This already establishes the connection to the concept of “inheritance”.

The example of the people of Israel

The people of Israel and their fates, their rises and falls, are also a typical example of the developments of God’s last people, as depicted in Revelation 3 with the church of Laodicea (Info). Ancient Israel received the promised land of Canaan after liberating it from the idolatrous and human-sacrificing pagan peoples. Lot determined which portions the 12 tribes of Jacob would receive as their inheritance, Numbers 34:29:
“These are they whom the LORD commanded to divide the inheritance unto the children of Israel in the land of Canaan.“

Thus, after a 1,000-year period of peace (Sabbath rest), a new heaven and a new earth will be created (Revelation 21), the New Jerusalem will be the place on earth, and the restored land will be distributed as an inheritance. Just as it was intended for the ancient people of Israel, Deuteronomy 26:1:
“And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein;“

Even the place promised by Jesus Christ, which He prepared for redeemed people so that He could bring them to where He is, the New Jerusalem, is already considered part of the inheritance, 1 Peter 1:4:
“To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,“

Justification – Mediation – Inheritance

The redemptive work of Jesus Christ for fallen humanity thus goes beyond pardon. He is not only our Redeemer through His blood, but also our mediator for connection to the Father in the role of Heavenly High Priest. Jesus’ work also consists in proving the righteousness of the Father, who is (falsely) accused by the adversary. Jesus Christ justifies the Father through the presentation of evidence and the evident faithful actions of those who remained faithful despite the greatest opposition.

Opponent cashed in the inheritance

Satan, hiding behind the serpent in the Garden of Eden, tricked the first two humans into abandoning their obedience to God and instead believing his false promises. Since Adam and Eve were simultaneously made rulers of the rest of earthly creation (Psalm 8), Satan thereby (legally) usurped creation as well. For whoever confiscated the rulers automatically incorporated the territory they controlled.

One could also argue that Adam and Eve had bartered away their inheritance.

Only pseudo-claims

This is also the root of Satan’s claim to be able to exercise dominion over the earth and humanity with right. Jesus Christ has bought us at a high price, as stated in 1 Corinthians 7:23. This is true even in the truest sense of the word, for the “simply” snatching of man from Satan’s grasp and possibly even his destruction would be a self-evident proof of God’s power, but would prove anything but His love and justice. And that is precisely what it is all about, for God wants to demonstrate His love and His justice.

Until shortly before Jesus’ death on the cross, Satan may have still assumed he could actually achieve this. But Jesus’ death on the cross meant the ultimate victory over the adversary. The consequence followed promptly, Revelation 12:9:
“And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.“

But the adversary did not remain without action, but continued his destructive work with even greater fury. He immediately set about persecuting the fledgling Christian community, Revelation 12:13:
“And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.“

The end is also known to Satan

Shortly before the end of the first century, John wrote the Revelation of Jesus Christ. It not only predicts everything about how time would unfold from that point until the end of this world and beyond, but also explicitly describes the end of Satan and his helpers. At the very latest, Satan must have known how things would turn out for him, because if anyone knew the Gospel inside and out, it was certainly him.

The fact that the adversary would “certainly” achieve victory and thus also gain the right to rule over the earth and humanity is something he at least conveys to his compliant followers, so that they diligently assist him. Whether he himself believes this, despite knowing better that God’s promises in Revelation will surely come true, or whether he simply wants to drag as many people as possible into his own destruction, is still speculation at present.

At the very least, Satan’s preferred and very visible tactic, which is still omnipresent today, is deception (Info).

Jesus Christ IS victor and distributes the inheritance

Jesus Christ will assume the reign over His creation and thus once again hold in His hands what He will distribute as an inheritance to His faithful people.

With His bloody sacrifice, the vicarious death for sinful humanity, Jesus not only purchased the right to grant us pardon, but also the inheritance that comes with it. Hebrews 9:15:
“And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.“

This is what He has promised and it will happen, Revelation 21:7:
“He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.“

Only your own children are heirs

Inevitably linked to the topic of inheritance is the erroneous teaching (deception) that all people are “children of God.” This is simply not true. Yes, all people are God’s creation and every person is loved by God, but not all people are His children. Only those who do His will. As is “usual” in a family, children are the heirs of their parents. But not all children within the suburban area are members of that one family.

The gospel clearly describes who is considered to be among God’s children – Info

Everyone is an heir? That would be universal salvation

If all people were “somehow” children of God, they would all be heirs, and this would result in another false doctrine, namely that of “salvation for all.” A false doctrine (deception) that is even advocated by the former Lutheran-Evangelical churches (Info).

Heir hunters? No, that may work on a human, or rather earthly, level. But not on the stage of the drama that has been going on for some 6,000 years. Besides God himself, the “rest of the universe” is also watching with wide-open eyes, with utmost interest (1 Corinthians 4:9). Every supposed secret of every individual is known inside and out. Ezekiel 8:5-18 is one such example.

Bible verses from King James Version (1611)