Choosing to follow after God is life changing in an infinite number of ways; many of which we ourselves may not realize. One of these involves direct access to our inheritance. Yes, you and I have an inheritance in Heaven… much of which can be accessed on earth.
Yet, while this inheritance is always available to God’s children when they follow after Him, there are seasons where we can access more. One of these is upon us. Rosh Hashanah or the Jewish New Year, 5780 in the Hebraic calendar—and there are many reasons why…
The Importance of Maintaining Our Inheritance in 5780:
The Hebraic calendar has been used 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 every year has a meaning; 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.”—Ecclesiastes 3:1
5780 is a year of authority in our words, a year where completion and promotion coincide. Further, it is a time of decision… because we can choose not to accept any promotion, completion, or even authority—it is our choice. We can be like Jacob’s brother Esau and decide to trade our birthright, our inheritance, to comfort our flesh.
God never forces anything upon us. He does not press. Moreover, even if we are like Esau, we will not necessarily go completely hungry or be without blessing… but we will be refusing a full inheritance and relationship with our Father, the climbing of Godly mountains, 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, believing 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 the ache. 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, to accept our inheritance, is half the battle.
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.”—Psalm 23:5
Living in Inheritance:
In Hebraic tradition, numbers have meaning. The year 5780, therefore, has a meaning unique to it…
- 5 commonly references: grace
- 7 commonly references: perfection
- 8 commonly references: new beginnings
- 0 commonly references: completion (when following another number, such as 1 or 8, it completes the 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 rushing 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 even 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 of 5780.
At times it may have felt painful, but we have not come away burned. He has worked with us until everything we desire that is contrary to Him, everything we are trying to do in our own strength, is laid at His feet with our own hands as we 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. 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 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 proclaimed.
“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
“… 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
Takeaway:
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 top 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 if it means 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 from the arms that continually wrap us in His love.
Let us say like in Ruth 1:16, “… ‘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.”
Let us bring forth the light of our Father wherever we go, planting seeds of hope as we walk in the authority, completion, and promotion of this new season. Let us run with the horses and not the footmen.
“If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses?”—Jeremiah 12:5a