Your Inheritance Is Waiting (1 Peter 1:3-9)

We have been studying the promises of God this year to remind us of all the good things that God wants to give us. Today we will wrap this series up with the promise of an inheritance. We might wonder about this promise. Why is it called an inheritance? Typically, we get an inheritance when someone we are related to dies. Why would we be promised any inheritance from God? He is not going to die. Why does the Bible talk about it this way?

A Living Hope

1 Peter 1:3--5 (ESV) --- 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

There are so many things to break down in this text, and I look forward to studying 1 Peter with you in the coming months. But notice here that Peter says we have been born again to a living hope. What is this living hope that the resurrection of Christ has brought us? Verse four says it is an imperishable, undefiled, and unfading inheritance kept in heaven for us. Peter tells us about a reward we will receive when this life is over if we remain faithful. He talks about this reward, saying that the prophets of old were longing to understand who would get this reward and how. This increases the excitement about this reward. Peter wants everyone to be excited about this promised inheritance. It is a great blessing that we should all be extremely excited about.

But why does he describe this as an inheritance? In our world, an inheritance is something we receive after other people die. Peter talks about this inheritance as something we receive after we die. Why?

Inheritance?

To understand this idea of an inheritance, we need to go back to the Old Testament. In Genesis, we see mankind inheriting a world full of suffering and a curse because of our knowledge of good and evil and sin. But God makes Abraham a promise in Gen 12 and Gen 15.

Genesis 15:18--21 (ESV) --- 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, 19 the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.”

Notice that the promise of the land is being made to Abraham's offspring. Abraham was told initially that he would receive the land. But in this Chapter, God tells Abraham that his descendants will possess it. The land will be their inheritance.

Acts 7:2--5 (ESV) --- 2 And Stephen said: “Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ 4 Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. 5 Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot’s length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child.

Stephen's commentary on this is that Abraham was promised to have a nation of offspring and a large stretch of land to give to his nation. But he didn't own a foot's length of that land. He was a sojourner.

Later the Hebrew writer would say that Abraham was looking forward to a city built by God.

Hebrews 11:10 (ESV) --- 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.

Israel's Inheritance

The rest of the Bible is about God providing these promises. We read that Abraham's descendants give up on that inheritance. Esau traded it for a bowl of soup with his brother Jacob.++ When they are taken in slavery to Egypt, they are so beaten down by oppression that they couldn't imagine God giving them the inheritance he promised Abraham. But God came in with a mighty hand to bring them out of Egypt. He wanted to bring them into the land they inherited from his promise to Abraham. However, in Numbers, they fail to take possession of the inheritance. They refused to believe in God's goodness and his faithfulness. So, he lets most of the nation at that time die in the wilderness before bringing a new generation in.

Deuteronomy 4:37--40 (ESV) --- 37 And because he loved your fathers and chose their offspring after them and brought you out of Egypt with his own presence, by his great power, 38 driving out before you nations greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land for an inheritance, as it is this day, 39 know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. 40 Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for all time.”

Attached to this promise was a requirement that Israel keeps God's statutes. If they failed to obey God, he would kick them out of the land and remove their inheritance. Of course, we know that's exactly what happened. Joshua tells us about the people going into the promised land and dividing up the promised inheritance for themselves (Josh 11-21). So, if he delivered that inheritance, what does that have to do with us? They didn't keep it.

Lamentations 5:2 (ESV) --- 2 Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our homes to foreigners.

God's Inheritance Promised Again

After they lose the inheritance promised to the descendants of Abraham, God promises to give it back to them. But this time, he would give them an eternal inheritance.

Isaiah 65:8--9 (ESV) --- 8 Thus says the Lord: “As the new wine is found in the cluster, and they say, ‘Do not destroy it, for there is a blessing in it,’ so I will do for my servants’ sake, and not destroy them all. 9 I will bring forth offspring from Jacob, and from Judah possessors of my mountains; my chosen shall possess it, and my servants shall dwell there.

But God even goes beyond the description of the land of Israel being given back to his people. He also says that he will restore and recreate the heavens and the earth for his people to live in and enjoy. This is a new inheritance. The land of Canaan was only a shadow of the new Jerusalem that God is promising for those who love him.

Isaiah 65:13--19 (ESV) --- 13 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Behold, my servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, but you shall be put to shame; 14 behold, my servants shall sing for gladness of heart, but you shall cry out for pain of heart and shall wail for breaking of spirit. 15 You shall leave your name to my chosen for a curse, and the Lord God will put you to death, but his servants he will call by another name, 16 so that he who blesses himself in the land shall bless himself by the God of truth, and he who takes an oath in the land shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten and are hidden from my eyes. 17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress.

Ezekiel and other prophets have similar pictures of a new, eternal inheritance. (Ezek 35, 40-48)

Was It Fulfilled?

Again, what does any of this have to do with us? Those are promises for the Jews. Right? Once again, when we see God bring his people back after the Babylonian captivity, we never see him fulfill these promises for them. These promises are reserved for people who enter into a new covenant with God. Those Israelites never did that. When Jesus comes onto the scene, he starts his message with a promise.

Matthew 5:5 (ESV) --- 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

An inheritance comes upon all who enter into the new covenant that Jesus is about to establish. Listen to these words from the Hebrew writer.

Hebrews 9:15 (ESV) --- 15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

When we get to the New Testament, they look for the Messiah to make that happen. That is precisely what Jesus did.

What Is The Inheritance Like?

Revelation 21:1--8 (ESV) --- 1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

This is a beautiful picture. God says that he will make this earth and heaven pass away. We don't want an inheritance on this earth. It won't be an eternal inheritance if that's what we get. But there is a new heaven and earth where all things are made new. This is the place we want to inherit. The new Jerusalem is there, where we dwell with God, and he lives with us. God tells John, "The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son."

What About Us?

He provides us with a living hope that we can inherit the new heavens and new earth when this life is over. How do we obtain it? Do we need to become the strongest and most significant group of people on earth? No, Jesus says, "Blessed are meek for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5). You have to be meek if you want to inherit the new earth. You need humility and gentleness.

Okay, so does God want us to be the most righteous people? Do we need to keep the law well enough to be considered righteous before God? That can never happen.

Galatians 3:18 (ESV) --- 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

Paul's point in that text is that the promise came before the law was given. God gave Abraham the promise of inheritance because he had faith in God, not because of his righteousness in keeping a law. He trusted in God and submitted to his will. Listen to what Paul says later in this book.

Galatians 3:26--29 (ESV) --- 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

We are heirs of the promised inheritance because we are the offspring of Abraham. We have the faith of Abraham that is willing to do whatever God wants at any cost.

Forsaking The Promise

Notice the contrast in the last verse of this text. Those who fail to conquer cowardice, faithlessness, detestable things, the drive to murder, commit sexual immorality, sorcery, idolatry, and lying will be taken to the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. The sexually immoral and idolatrous will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9-10). It is terrifying to know that we can lose the inheritance if we fail to conquer sin by faith. This last verse tells us that there must be a transformation in us. To sin after receiving grace shows a lack of faith in the promises. We must never become careless like Esau.

Hebrews 12:15--17 (ESV) --- 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.

We need to remember Esau and the example he gives us of what not to do. Esau did not believe, and he did not receive the promises. He realized that his carelessness had cost him everything, but he realized it too late. Don't be like Esau. Let go of what is holding you down. Conquer and overcome the world through faith in Jesus and God.

We who are alive are waiting for the day when heaven and earth are recreated and provided for us to enjoy. This is our eternal, imperishable, and unfading inheritance that God promises to give us when this life is over.

Conclusion

Jesus makes it possible for us to receive Abraham's inheritance. When we follow Abraham by trusting God and submitting to Him, we become children of Abraham and heirs of the blessings God promised Abraham. Our faithful obedience and willingness to serve put us in the family with those who receive the eternal inheritance. God will give the new heavens and new earth to the children of Abraham thanks to Christ and his salvation.

At the end of time, we will have a new creation. God will put this new heaven and earth under the power and control of God's people. They inherit the Garden of Eden, but it's an eternal Garden available after the judgment day. We will inherit this new Jerusalem and inherit God's presence. But if we stop living for the eternal inheritance and start living for the world we live in, we can lose it. This should be our greatest fear.