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ISRAEL’S INHERITANCE (NEHEMIAH 11:1-4,20-39) LENT DAY 29

REFLECTION

“Israel’s Inheritance” is the theme for our reflection. An inheritance is a property which a person receives from someone who has died. It also means hereditary succession to a property. Israel’s inheritance means the restoration of the people of Israel to the land of their ancestors after decades of exile and destruction. We shall reflect on the fact that when we turn to God faithfully, He restores and provides us with an inheritance.

Beloved in the Lord, Nehemiah’s historical account of events is not only about the rebuilding of the broken walls of Jerusalem but also about the restoration of Israel’s inheritance and national identity after decades of displacement, instability and exile during the Babylonian invasion. Israel returned to God spiritually through repentance and obedience to His Word and this also brought about the restoration of their inheritance and pride. “Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten of them to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns. ² The people commended all who volunteered to live in Jerusalem. ³ These are the provincial leaders who settled in Jerusalem (now some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants and descendants of Solomon’s servants lived in the towns of Judah, each on their own property in the various towns, ⁴ while other people from both Judah and Benjamin lived in Jerusalem)…The rest of the Israelites, with the priests and Levites, were in all the towns of Judah, each on their ancestral property. (Nehemiah 11:1-4,20).

The restoration of Israel’s inheritance means that the people can experience peace and prosperity in their own land without any disturbance. It is also an assurance of security and certainty in their economic and social stability. Dear friend in the Lord, God is not only interested in our spiritual inheritance or restoration but He is also interested in our physical inheritance and economic growth and prosperity. It is for this reason Jesus admonished us to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33) In other words, let us first seek and yearn for an imperishable inheritance then the Lord will grant us the perishable and temporary one. Peter greatly encourages us when he wrote ” 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, ⁴ and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5) In as much as we look forward to possessing earthly inheritance, we must ultimately desire the imperishable and everlasting inheritance through our Lord Jesus Christ. For “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Mark 8:36). May the Lent season help us to focus on the everlasting inheritance even as God provides us with earthly inheritance needed for our sustenance, peace and development.

In summary, we have reflected on the theme ” Israel’s Inheritance” We learnt that when we turn to God faithfully, He restores and provides us with an inheritance. With God, we have access to both perishable and earthly inheritance and imperishable and heavenly inheritance. Shalom.

PRAYER
Thank you, God, for your restorative power in our lives. May you grant us an inheritance of prosperity for our enjoyment on earth, but more importantly, grant us an imperishable and everlasting inheritance through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.