OUR PRECIOUS HERITAGE -WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU? - A Precious Heritage for a Great Crowd

A Precious Heritage for  a Great Crowd

Likely, the full number of spiritual Israel, that "little flock" of Kingdom heirs, has been selected.  (Luke 12:32) For decades now, Jehovah has directed attention to the gathering of a great crowd of others out of all the nations.  Thus, Jehovah's promise to Abraham that through his 'seed"  all the nations would bless themselves is being fulfilled in a large way. Joyfully, these blessed ones likewise render sacred service to Jehovah and recognize that their salvation is dependent on faith in the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.  (Revelation 7:9, 10)  Have you accepted Jehovah's gracious invitation t0 be a part of that happy group?

What precious heritage does Jehovah offer to those who are not of the little flock?  No, it is not an inheritance in the heavens.  It is the heritage that Adam could have passed on to his offspring-the prospect of eternal life in perfection in a paradise that will gradually encompass the globe.  It will be a world in which "death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry not pain be anymore."  (Revelation 21:4) It is to you,then, that God's inspiring Word says: "Trust in Jehovah and do good; reside in the earth, and deal with faithfulness.  Also take exquisite delight in Jehovah, and  he will give you the requests of your heart.  And just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more . . .But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.  The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it." -Psalm 37:3, 4, 10, 11, 29.

Jesus' "other sheep" have an inheritance in the earthly realm of the heavenly Kingdom.  (John 10:16a) Although they will not be in the heavens, much of the spiritual heritage enjoyed by the anointed one is passed on to them.  It is through the collective body of anointed, "the faithful and discreet slave," that the other sheep have had opened to them an understanding of the precious promises contained in God's Word.  (Matthew 24:45_47; 25:34)  Together, anointed and other sheep know and worship the only true God, Jehovah (John 17:20, 21)   Together, they thank God for the sin-atoning value of Jesus' sacrifice.  They serve together as one flock under one Shepherd, Jesus Christ.  (John 10:16b) They are all part of one loving global brotherhood.  They share to- gether the privilege of being Witnesses of Jehovah and of his Kingdom.  Yes, if you are  a dedicated and baptized servant of Jehovah, all of this is included in your spiritual heritage.

How precious is this spiritual heritage to you?  Do you prize it sufficiently to make the doing of God's will the most important thing in your life? As evidence of that, you are heeding counsel of his Word and his organization to be regular in attendance at all meetings of the Christian congregation?   (Hebrews 10:24, 25) Is that heritage of such value to you that you continue to serve God in spite of hardship? Is your appreciation of it strong enough to fortify you to resist any temptation to pursue a course that might lead to forfeiting it?

May all of us cherish the spiritual heritage that God has given us. While we keep our eyes firmly fixed on the Paradise ahead, let us share fully in the spiritual privileges that Jehovah is granting us now.  By truly building our lives around our relationship with Jehovah, we give convincing evidence of just how precious to us our God-given heritage really is. May we be among those who declare:  "I will exalt you, O my God the King, and I will bless your name to time indefinite,even forever." -Psalm 145:1

Next time:Why Do You Serve God?

The Watchtower, 2000