 |  |
We have already gained information by referring to the history of Israel, let us turn
again and this time see what that typical people tell us concerning the conception now set
forth namely, that instead of reading in Eph. 1: 11 that we have obtained an inheritance,
we learn with amazement that we have been taken for an inheritance, by the Lord
Himself.
"And the Lord spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have NO INHERITANCE in their land,
neither shalt thou have ANY PART among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance
among the children of Israel" (Numb. 18: 20).
This is blessing contrary to nature indeed. The man that God would honour the most,
is to have, apparently, the least, but only apparently. The tribes of Israel may possess a
portion of the land, but Aaron finds his part and his inheritance in the Lord Himself. This
is not on all fours with Eph. 1: 11 but it is an approach.
(1)
All Israel have a portion of the land for their inheritance.
(2)
Aaron finds his portion and his inheritance in the Lord.
(3)
The Ephesian believer is taken one stage further, the Lord finds His portion
in the members of the Church of the One Body.
This, too, finds its counterpart in Israel:
"The Lord's portion is His people: Jacob is the lot of His inheritance" (Deut. 32: 9).
We must not, however, make the mistake of insisting so much upon this aspect as to
deny that Israel did have an inheritance, truth out of proportion oft becomes a lie. In
Deut. 4: 20 Moses reminds Israel that they were taken to be unto the Lord, a people of
inheritance, but in verse twenty-one he refers to the good land which the Lord had given
them for an inheritance. Both statements are necessary for the presentation of "Truth".
Both Israel and the Church are reminded by these passages that unless they are the Lord's
portion, all other portions will be a mockery. That unless they find their inheritance in
the Lord, mere possessions will become vanity.
"All things are yours", said the Apostle, "whether Paul or Apollos, or Cephas, or the
world, or life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours: and ye are
Christ's and Christ's is God's" (I Cor. 3: 22, 23).