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Daily Devotions

Ephesians

Ephesians 
Day 
Day 145

"That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel."

Text: Ephesians 3:6

THE CONCEPT OF BEING “HEIRS”

The concept of being “heirs” is an ancient one. It was also carefully articulated. Great pains are taken to protect the inheritance of the heirs. Abraham had a son from Hagar, Ishmael. He also was given another son through Sarah. Though technically, both were his sons, Isaac was chosen as the one who would become the heir of Abraham (Cf. Genesis 17). This line of thought was most carefully preserved and protected in Israel’s ancient history.

THE PROHIBITIONS MADE BY THE LORD

The Lord Himself was the One who taught Israel to keep itself from the inhabitants of Canaan.

When the LORD your God brings you into the land
which you go to possess, and has cast out many nations
before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the
Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and
the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and
mightier than you, and when the LORD your God delivers
them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly
destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them
nor show mercy to them. Nor shall you make
marriages with them…
DEUTERONOMY 7:1-3

This was an express commandment by the Lord for ancient Israel. How should we understand such a statement of obvious prohibition? The Lord went on to explain why this commandment was made.

They will turn your sons away from following Me,
to serve other gods; so the anger of the LORD will be aroused
against you and destroy you suddenly…
For you are a holy people to the LORD your God;
the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself,
a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.
DEUTERONOMY 7:4-6

The danger of being corrupted by neighboring idolatrous nations was very real. Historically, Israel did not heed the voice of God, and consequently also became an idolatrous nation. It was severely disciplined for being so thoroughly disobedient.

FELLOW HEIRS

The concept of Gentiles being called “fellow heirs” was understandably very difficult for the Jewish Christians to comprehend. It would be no less than a total turnaround from what they had been taught to practise for millennia!

Nevertheless, this bold and powerful teaching was unmistakable. Gentiles were not to be cast aside. Christianity was not an exclusive Jewish religion. It was a universal, all-encompassing faith that teaches wonderful equality between Jews and Gentiles. The latter were to be regarded by their Jewish brethren as “fellow heirs” of the kingdom of God!