OUR PRECIOUS HERITAGE - WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU? - Some Who Despised the Inheritance

Some Who Despised the Inheritance

Esau, the eldest son of Isaac, failed to prize his birthright as firstborn.  He did not appreciate sacred things. So one day when Esau was hungry, he sold his right as firstborn to his brother, Jacob.   For what? In exchange for one meal of bread and lentil stew! (Genesis 25:29-34; Hebrews 12:14-17)  The nation through which God's promises to Abraham would be fulfilled descended from Jacob, whose name was changed by God to Israel.  What opportunities did that inheritance open to them? 

During a period of famine, Jacob and his family moved to Egypt.  There they multiplied and became very numerous, but they also became slaves.  However, Jehovah did not forget his covenant with Abraham.  At God's appointed time, he delivered the sons of Israel from bondage and notified them that he was going  to bring them into "a land flowing with milk and honey," the land that he had promised to Abraham. -Exodus 3:7, 8; Genesis 15:18-21.

When the sons of Israel were en route to the Promised Land, Jehovah assembled them at Mount Sinai.  There he said to them:  "If you  will strictly obey my voice and will indeed keep my covenant, they you will certainly become my special property out of all other peoples, because the whole earth belongs to me.   And you yourselves will become to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation."  (Exodus 19:5, 6) After the people voluntarily  and unanimously agreed to this, Jehovah proceeded to give them his Law-something he had not done to any other people. -Psalm 147:19, 20.

What a spiritual heritage that new nation had!  They worshiped the only true God.  They had been delivered by him from Egypt and were eyewitnesses of awe-inspiring  events  when the Law was given at Mount Sinai.  Their heritage was further enriched as they received through the prophets additional "sacred pronouncements of God."  (Romans 3:1, 2) They were designated by Jehovah to be his witnesses.  (Isaiah 43:10-12) The Messianic seed was to appear in their nation.  The Law pointed forward to him, would identify him, and should help them to appreciate their need for him. (Galatians 3:19, 24) Moreover, they would be given the opportunity to serve in association with that Messianic  Seed as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. -Romans 9:4, 5.

True to his promise, Jehovah led the Israelites  to the Promised Land.  But as the apostle Paul later explained, because of their lack  of faith, that land did not prove to be truly "a place of rest."  As a people, they did not enter into "God's rest" because they failed to perceive and work in harmony with the purpose of God's own day of rest, which began after the creation of Adam and Eve. -Hebrews 4:3-10.

Natural Israel could have supplied the full number of those who would share  with the Messiah in his heavenly Kingdom as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.  But they did not appreciate their precious heritage.  Only a  remnant of natural Israelites  accepted the Messiah when he came.  As a result, only  a small number were included in the foretold kingdom of priests.  The Kingdom was taken away from natural Israel and "given to a nation producing its fruits." (Matthew 21:43) What nation is that?

Next time: OUR PRECIOUS HERITAGE-WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU - An Inheritance in the Heavens

The Watchtower, 2000