Key Verse(s): Numbers 18:19-20 NKJV – “All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to the Lord, I have given to you and your sons and daughters with you as an ordinance forever; it is a covenant of salt forever before the Lord with you and your descendants with you.” Then the Lord said to Aaron: “You shall have no inheritance in their land, nor shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel.
“All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to the Lord, I have given to you and your sons and daughters with you as an ordinance forever; it is a covenant of salt forever before the Lord with you and your descendants with you.” Then the Lord said to Aaron: “You shall have no inheritance in their land, nor shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel.
Numbers 18:19-20 NKJV
God reminds Aaron that the Levites, the group of Israelites who handle sacrifices for all of Israel, will have no inheritance of land in Israel because God Himself is their inheritance. It reminds us that, as God’s children, our physical and spiritual inheritance is in Christ, not in anything this world offers.
As intelligent beings, made in the image of God himself, we have an instinctual desire to worship God. Yet, because of our sin nature, we fail to put God first, and we end up worshipping things that are not God – idols. While the term “idols” can refer to revered carved statues, it can also refer to any image or item that is not God. Money is one of the easiest things to worship, because in our society and culture, people highly value money and physical possessions. Whether we identify with the upper class, lower class, or somewhere in the middle, our human nature desires wealth. God says we cannot serve both God and money, because we will love one and hate the other (Matthew 6:24).
If we’re not careful to honor God above all else, we will start worshipping anything that brings us joy and forget that our earthly possessions won’t last. Our desire for wealth simply stems from our desire and need for God, and as God’s children, our true riches are not found in physical possessions or personal talents. Rather, we have an eternal inheritance in Christ, one that will never be stolen or corrupted (Matthew 6:19-20).
While the promise of eternal riches is wonderful, it is only possible because of God’s presence and sacrifice on our behalf. Apart from God, we have no hope; but as his children, not only do we have his presence with us now and forever, but we also get an eternal place he has prepared for us. Scripture says we can’t even begin to imagine what he has prepared for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9). We can trust that our eternal inheritance is secure through Christ.