Inheritance - Part 12
Not Given Away

Righteous Children of Israel forbidden to give away the inheritance of their fathers

When the Children of Israel inherited the promised land it was divided by lot. Since each tribe had it’s own partition of land they were not allowed to trade, sell or give away the inheritance of their forefathers. The ideal was that the land belonged to the tribe not just a family member. Also, since each tribe established their wealth by conquest or trade it was generally accepted practice that the wealth (assets) would also stay within that tribe and family, not family first and then tribe but rather tribe first then family. Remember, the tribe it’s self was considered a family first down through the ages because of its’ inception. If you fought against the leadership (government) of the tribe you could possibly be excommunicated from the tribe, you and your immediate family.

Under the leadership of Moses they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. However, once the Children of Israel established themselves in God’s more perfect will under the leadership of Joshua each person had a place to go to. This was known as their land of inheritance according to Joshua 24:28.

So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his inheritance. KJV

And

Judges 2:6
And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land. KJV

Since the Children of Israel buried their own family (tribe) members on the land of their inheritance the land became holy unto the tribe (or family). This is another reason the children of Israel were forbidden from selling their inheritance.

Joshua 24:29-33
29 And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old.
30 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash.
31 And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.
32 And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.
33 And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim. KJV

and

Judges 2:8-9
8 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old.
9 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash. KJV

In 1 Kings 21 there is an example of Ahab, the King of Sameria, attempting to purchase the inheritance of one of the children of Israel. This King should have never asked an Israelite to sell their inheritance but since King Ahab was wicked he practiced ungodliness. Notice that Naboth told the King that the Lord forbids him from selling his inheritance.

1 Kings 21:1-4
1 And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.
3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.
4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. KJV

We notice in Ezekiel 46 that the Word of God specifically states that the ruler of the people should not try to take away an inheritance from any of his subjects (the Children of Israel).

Ezekiel 46:17,18
17 But if he give a gift of his inheritance to one of his servants, then it shall be his to the year of liberty; after it shall return to the prince: but his inheritance shall be his sons' for them.
18 Moreover the prince shall not take of the people's inheritance by oppression, to thrust them out of their possession; but he shall give his sons inheritance out of his own possession: that my people be not scattered every man from his possession. KJV

The New Testament as believers in Christ our inheritance is first spiritual in Christ. Less attention is paid to the physical inheritance of money, wealth, land or property while more attention is paid to spiritual gifts and graces of the Kingdom of God.

Ephesians 1:10-11
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: KJV

The Holy Spirit is a part of that inheritance according to Ephesians 1:13,14.

13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. KJV

Since the Christian is not bound to any physical location we are not under the same rules of the Children of Israel in the Old Testament. We may give, sell or trade our inheritance (including property) if we deem it right as shown in Acts 4:32-37.

Acts 4:32-37
32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
36 And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
37 Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet. KJV

The Believers will inherit all blessing in Heaven, therefore we don’t have to worry about the natural things of this world because all this world and the glory of it will perish with fire according to 2 Peter 3:10-13. So when we look up and remember our redemption draws near we expect to receive our full inheritance in Heaven. The inheritance to come from Heaven was given unto us by our Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ, this spiritual inheritance will be ours forever in the Kingdom of God. Amen!

Revelation 21:6-7
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. KJV