Heir of My Mountain

     Isaiah prophesied about the shift from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, and its implication concerning the mystery-plan. “I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah an heir of My mountains; My elect shall inherit it, and My servants shall dwell there” (Isaiah 65:9).
      This Messianic prophecy affirms the New Testament truth that Jesus Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, is the rightful Heir of God’s Mountain. In other words, He is the Heir of God’s kingdom. The passage, though, reveals even greater mysteries, for it says His elect—the called out ones—will also inherit it and that His servants shall dwell there. The Church, His Body and Bride,  are joint-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17).
       Hebrews 1 explains that when Jesus completed His mission of purging mankind of sin, He “sat down at the right hand of God, having become much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they” (vs. 3-4). Jesus inherited His Father’s throne, as well as a Name that is above every other name, not only in this age, but in the ages to come. Therefore, it is an eternal inheritance. When the heavenlies are rolled back to reveal the spiritual realm at His coming, the whole world shall first see Jesus seated on His throne!
      “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.  You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions” (Heb. 1:8-9). As God’s firstborn Son in resurrection, it is His birthright to be appointed “the heir of all things” (Heb. 1: 2).
         Yet it doesn’t end there. “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren” (Heb. 2:9-11).
       You see, the mystery-plan not only called for the destruction of the one who held the power of death (the Devil), but that Jesus might also bring forth many sons to glory. And since these other brethren proceed from the same Father, Jesus is not ashamed to call them His brethren. In case you’re wondering who these other brethren are, Hebrews 3:1 tells us.  It is the holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, because of their confession of Jesus Christ as their High Priest and Savior. We are the elect, the called out ones who likewise inherit the kingdom.
          The Chronos Lesson: During Days 5 and 6 (when counting from Adam), we are being “set apart” in order to participate in His calling. “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Rom. 8:15-17).
       We call this divine appointment the chronos appointment because it is a limited time offer. It was not offered during the Old Testament era, for the right to be included in the sonship of the Firstborn did not begin until the preaching of Christ. Therefore, we are called “the Church of the Firstborn” (Heb. 12:23).
        Furthermore, the offer will not remain on the table indefinitely. This inheritance and heavenly calling only applies to the adoption or placing of the sons—those who will have received Christ as the Savior by faith, without having seen Him coming in the clouds at His return. This calling has always been by faith.
         After the rapture at the start of the Day of the Lord, others will still be able to accept Jesus as their Savior. They will become part of the family of God, the redeemed. But because they did not believe until they saw Him coming, they will not be part of the Body of Christ, and therefore will not be part of the immortal heavenly government.
       After Jesus rose from the dead, He met His disciples on a mountain and gave them this mission: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Notice how God wanted them to use His power. To manifest utopia? No, to be His witnesses, living testimonies of the power of God at work in human lives.
          Our assignment has cosmic implications for all eternity. The only way justice can be served and evil destroyed is to deal with the Devil once and for all, and deal with the fallen nature of mankind. Of course, we can only do this by the power of the Spirit for now. That is why Paul calls us God’s fellow workers and laborers together with God (1 Cor. 3:9).
       This is the servant heart of Christ. It moves us beyond simply asking Him to do things for us, even though that is part of our covenant. We willingly align ourselves with His desires, plans, and purposes. He desires that all mankind be saved and come into the knowledge of the Truth (1 Tim. 2:4).