COME FIRST, THEN INHERIT

Matthew 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

Inheritance often connotes the reception of an irrevocable gift, largely depending on the existence of a unique relationship between the benefactor and the recipient. Hence, we see a two step process laid out in the verse we read today.

The first step was to “come” – and that is the invitation to draw near. The fact that the sheep were gathered on the King’s his right was not enough – they had to hear his voice. So the call to come was an invitation to draw nearer. Because only then would we have the opportunity to know what things are included in the inheritance.

After drawing near, then the next step is committed: “inherit the kingdom prepared for you“. Just become you come, does not automatically result in an inheritance. Inheritance may be received or taken possession of. Variations of today’s text render this part ‘come and take possession of the inheritance prepared for you’.

Not every inheritance will come to an heir by default, some have to be taken possession of within lawful and legal boundaries. However, there has to be a valid relationship between the recipient and the benefactor, hence the requirement to have responded to the invitation to draw near.

#sly