The Promised Eternal Inheritance

 

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. For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. (Hebrews 9:15-22 ESV).

 

When we think of an inheritance, we usually think about something a person receives from a relative or friend who has died. The inheritance is given as part of the deceased person’s last will and testament. Hebrews tells us that as a result of Christ’s death, “those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance.” This inheritance is the “eternal salvation” and “eternal redemption” we read about earlier in Hebrews (cf. Hebrews 5:9 and 9:12).

 

Some people have described the “new covenant” in Christ in terms of a “last will and testament.” In some ways the language used here in Hebrews sounds like that of a last will and testament, especially when it talks about an inheritance.

 

In order for someone to receive an inheritance, a person has to have died. For us to receive “the promised eternal inheritance,” Jesus died for our sake. The idea that inheritance is tied to death is not only for the new covenant. In the old covenant there was also death: the death of sacrificed animals. Now that Christ has died for us, he has established the new covenant in his blood so that we can receive “the promised eternal inheritance.”

 

Think of it! Because of Jesus’ death for our sake, we have eternal life with him as our inheritance. And in Christ that new life begins even now!