239. Our inheritance lay within the territory of Judah: Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.

12 January 2021

Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah.

Joshua 18

11 The first lot came up for the tribe of Benjamin according to its clans. Their allotted territory lay between the tribes of Judah and Joseph.

Joshua 19

1 The second lot came out for the tribe of Simeon according to its clans. Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah.

Psalm 33

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,

    the people he chose for his inheritance.

Our inheritance.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you. 1 Peter 1:3-4

New Heaven. New Jerusalem.

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. Revelation 21:1-2

Jerusalem in Bible times.

The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem also and took it. They put the city to the sword and set it on fire. Judges 1:8

In Jerusalem, David reigned over all Israel and Judah.

David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.

In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. 2 Samuel 5:4-5

Jerusalem in the words of the Risen Lord.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

Regarding Acts 1:8, we are told in our Bible study that Jerusalem is part of Judea.

In preparing this blog, I checked about Judea and found this out.

"Judaea, also spelled Judea, or Judah, Hebrew Yehudaḥ, the southernmost of the three traditional divisions of ancient Palestine; the other two were Galilee in the north and Samaria in the centre. 

The region presents a variety of geographic features, but the real core of Judaea was the upper hill country, known as Har Yehuda (“Hills of Judaea”), extending south from the region of Bethel (at present-day Ramallah) to Beersheba and including the area of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Hebron." From britannica website/place/Judaea

Jerusalem is in the territory of Judah.

Our inheritance is indeed in the territory of Judah.

The New Jerusalem as a bride (Revelation 21:2).

"This new Jerusalem is the church of God in its new and perfect state, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, beautified with all perfection of wisdom and holiness, meet for the full fruition of the Lord Jesus Christ in glory." From blueletterbible website /Comm/mhc/Rev/Rev_021.cfm

The New Jerusalem is the church of God, the community of believers in Christ.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,

    the people he chose for his inheritance. Psalm 33:12

In the Old Testament, Israel is the nation whose God is the Lord.

In the New Testament, the community of believers in Christ is the nation whose God is the Lord. The New Heaven is our inheritance.

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 

who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Philippians 3:20-21

Incidentally, we normally refer to inheritance as properties to be left behind by parents for their children.

As of the moment, I have no properties to leave behind. Unless some things come up, it is only my faith in the Lord Almighty that I can leave behind for my children as inheritance, a priceless inheritance I consider.

""Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,

    the people he chose for his inheritance.

From heaven the Lord looks down

    and sees all mankind;

from his dwelling place he watches

    all who live on earth—

he who forms the hearts of all,

    who considers everything they do.

In him our hearts rejoice,

    for we trust in his holy name.

We wait in hope for the Lord;

    he is our help and our shield." (Psalm 33:12-15, 21, 20). Lord, there is so much discord around us; Compassionate God, heal our land, heal our nation. This I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

10 March 2018"

May you be blessed with God's Word.

Maraming salamat.