When we chose to follow after God our lives change forever, in an infinite number of ways… many of which we ourselves may not realize. One of these involves inheritance. Yes, you and I have an inheritance in Heaven, and there is much we can access on earth.
Yet, while this inheritance is always present to God’s children when they follow after Him, there are seasons where we can have greater access. One of these seasons is upon us: Rosh Hashanah, or the Jewish New Year, 5780 in the Hebraic calendar… and there are many reasons why.
5780:
The Hebraic calendar has been used on the earth far longer than our current Gregorian calendar, and Jesus Himself would have understood it. He would have known, not only from God, but from His studies, that years have meanings; that there is a timing set forth for everything by the Creator.
To everything there is a season,
a time for every purpose under heaven:
a time to be born,
and a time to die;
a time to plant,
and a time to pluck what is planted;
a time to kill,
and a time to heal;
a time to break down,
and a time to build up;
a time to weep,
and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn,
and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones,
and a time to gather stones;
a time to embrace,
and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to gain,
and a time to lose;
a time to keep,
and a time to throw away;
a time to tear,
and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence,
and a time to speak;
a time to love,
and a time to hate;
a time of war,
and a time of peace.”
—Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
5780 is a year of authority in our words, a year where completion and promotion coincide. Further, it is also a time of decision. A time to make a choice—because we do not have to accept any promotion, completion, or even authority, if we choose. We can be like Jacob’s brother Esau and decide to trade our birthright, our inheritance, for a bit of comfort for our flesh.
God never forces anything upon us. And yes, if we follow Him, even as we have been, like Esau we will not go hungry or be wholly without blessing; however, we will be refusing a full inheritance and relationship if we despise our birthright.
Now Jacob cooked a stew; and Esau came in from the field, and he was weary. And Esau said to Jacob, ‘Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary.’ Therefore his name was called Edom.
“But Jacob said, ‘Sell me your birthright as of this day.’
“And Esau said, ‘Look, I am about to die; so what is this birthright to me?’
“Then Jacob said, ‘Swear to me as of this day.’
“So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.”—Genesis 25:29-34
Many of us may feel like Esau, coming in tired, weary, feeling as if we are about to die and not willing to take the extra steps—however few—to reach that which will refresh. We may feel hopeless and worn, desiring to accept any terms to relieve it, but we are coming into a new season, and while the enemy may be trying his best to defeat us by wearing us down… we CAN overcome.
Making the choice to enter the new season and accept our inheritance is half the battle.
Living in Inheritance:
In Hebraic tradition numbers have meaning. The year 5780 therefore, has a special meaning, unique to it. The number, 5, for instance, commonly references grace, 7, perfection, 8 new beginnings, and 0, completion—for 0, when following another number, completes that number.
When something is complete, particularly something God has laid down, then it is fulfilled, it is perfect, and it is finished. Our inheritance is coming in, our authority as the sons and daughters of the King of kings is being made manifest. We are being promoted—new beginnings—and it is in all ways perfect… because it comes from God, and God alone.
Over these past months we have all been pruned and led through the fire. That which is of us—the flesh—has been burned off by our Creator, allowing us to walk with our Father through the open door of this new season. This new year. At times it may have felt painful, but we have not come away burned. He has worked with us until everything that we desire contrary to Him, everything we are trying to do in our own strength, we have laid at His feet as we finally come to the end of ourselves.
As we have to come this place—the end of ourselves—we have realized that only God can move us forward into this new season. We see that He has to move us into position if we are to speak with authority and “say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea.’” (see Matthew 21:21)
When we accept that God is the only one who has the strength and wisdom to move us forward, and we are willing to step through the door—out of the narrow path into the green pastures—then we are ready to live in the inheritance of the season. To live with God and in relationship with Him. To realize we are kings and priests as God Himself has proclaimed.
“… To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”—Revelation 1:5-6
“But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.”—Luke 6:35
Conclusion:
Rosh Hashanah has many traditions and rules—ways of doing and preparing. Yet, in this season it is vital to realize that while they remain important, making our choice to follow God’s plans is a priority. We do not have to shout from the rooftops that we will follow God anywhere in this new season. We do not even have to know exactly what His plans look like. We can make this decision in the innermost parts of our hearts. We can accept that we may not know everything. We can silently agree to make whatever changes God requires; even those involving letting go of that we love, or picking up that we have not desired.
In choosing to enter into this new season, to follow after our Father, we open up the windows of Heaven to our inheritance. To the blessing of authority in our words, the completion of that which God has ordained, and the promotion into that which we could not have imagined.
There is much we will have to lay down and bury, yet, in 5780, that which we pick up will be of far greater worth than can be imagined. So let us lay down our pride, our vain ambition and ideas, and choose to run after our Father; seeking His face until what is in His hand flows down as He wraps us in arms of love.
Let us say like in Ruth 1:16-17, “… ‘Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.’”
