GOFEST'98 Bible Study: INHERITING THE NATIONS

By Gbile Akanni of Peace House

"Ask of me, and I will give you
The nations for your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for your
Possession." (Ps. 2:8 - NKJV)

This is one clear promise God gives to us in the Scripture, along with several others. It places on our hands the right to possess nations for God as our inheritance. Whereas men of our time have actually stretched their faith in God's word to claim clothes, cars, houses and material goods, most of which perish with use, we see God offering us an inheritance of nations and the uttermost parts of the earth for our possession. The promise is an opportunity which men of old grabbed with importunity until they placed their names and their exploits in the annals of God's sacred records. What does your faith grab? What does your " prayer life" actually get from the throne of God? What will you be remembered for on earth and what will you be rewarded for in heaven?
In this Bible study, we shall look into the Scriptures to understand this great offer God has placed before us: What are the nations? Who owns the nations and where are they found? Can one actually inherit and possess nations?
In the same vein, we shall explore lives of men of old who asked and laboured to subdue kingdoms and possess the nations for their God. What was their motivation? What prayers did they pray? What single eye did they maintain all through their years of pursuit of nations?
I urge you to look intently into this study and prayerfully too. You seem to be the last generation of youth being called to strike the nations and get away with "heads of Goliaths" and then step into the throne with thy LORD in His kingdom. Days of opportunities are here again…
"Rise, kill and eat" was the instruction to peter, when it was time to possess the Gentile nations for Christ;.. but "Not so Lord" was his persistent response. Three times was he given the opportunity to strike and blaze a breakthrough unto the nations for the LORD, but he refused, due to his tradition, his lack of vision, his past experiences, etc. It was withdrawn and taken back to heaven while God had to wait again for another man who regarded earthly tradition and heritage as garbage and went for the eternal inheritance possessing Christ and then the nations. Your own opportunity is here: What your response to this is will determine your destiny in the coming kingdom…. (Luke 19:17,19; 22 :28-30).
A. UNDERSTANDING THE NATIONS
For us to have a proper perspective and conception of what God offers us for inheritance, we need a basic, biblical understanding of God's concept of "nations" Whereas we vaguely regard geographical and political arrangement of countries as nations, God sees nations differently.
i) What is a biblical nations? Ps 2:1,8; Gen. 10:3-5, 20; Gen. 12:2; Gen. 19:37-38; Ex. 32:10
Please note and discuss:
a) The interchangeable use of the word "heathen," and "gentiles" for "nations" in the various versions of the Scripture. This implies that "nations" are "people".
b) "by these were the borders of the nations divided…" - "…in their lands" - "…everyone after his tongue" - "…after their families" c) "of thee a great nations" - nations are descendants of a particular man or men of same family or clan, e.g Mobiles (of Moab Lot), Edomites (of Esau Edom) etc. Tiv tribe (of one Mr. Tiv from Congo). ii)What is the origin of nations? What is the significance of the tower of Babel experience? Why did God allow such a thing? Gen. 1:26,28; Ps. 115:15-16; Ps. 24:1-2; Gen. 11:1-9. Note the following and discuss: A) Who owns the nations? What is God's express mandate for man in the beginning? Analyse "Be fruitful and multiply" and "fill the earth" and "subdue it". How was it to be done? B) What was the predicament brought to the "initial commission" by the whole earth being "of one language and of one speech"? - "the journeyed from the east" (Leaving lands unoccupied behind them). - Found a plain and dwelt there (the place of most convenience; settling rather than multiplying and filling the earth). - Building projects rather than building men and communities (a city, a tower, a name,) - Lest we be scattered abroad. d) What was Vs 7-8 as a strategy, to accomplish in the commission? Why did God use it? Was it His perfect will? ii) Contrast the Great Commission of Matt. 28:19-20, Acts 1:8; Like 24:47-48; Matt. 24:14 and Acts 13:47 with the first commission God gave to man. How is it to be fulfilled? What was God forced to do in Acts? Note Acts 6:1-2,7; 8:1-5; 15:36-41. Note: "in Jerusalem"; "at Jerusalem"; "Scattered abroad"; "throughout" regions of Judea and Samaria. - "went everywhere" preaching the word. Are we also beginning to settle and dwell and scramble for and claim plains? What are "plains" of our time? Discuss the "city", the "tower" and the "name" men are building in their ministries today and with heaven's resources. Where do you choose to invest your life? On the plains or on the mountains?
B. THE RAGE OF NATIONS
From section A of this study, we discovered the origin and God's purpose for the nations. We saw that many tongues and languages were just a permissive tool to get man to fulfil God's commission on his life. However, as nations were born and scattered abroad, they, in rebellion against God and in collaboration with Satan, the prince of this world, formed entities, hostile to God's principle, who bow their lives to demons and idols. Thus a battle line is drawn over who rules the nations? Whose kingdom is this world and its people? The great conspiracy against God and His Christ and the brain behind the scenes of rebellion of nations:
Satan and his demons: Eze. 28:11-19, Isa. 14:12-17; II Cor. 4:3-6; 11:3; Jn. 12:31; 1:30; Rev. 12:9-17; 20:8,10.
Note: a) The portrait of Satan and his rage: What is his strategy of trade? Isa 28:15; Eph 6:11.
b) "He didst weaken the nations" - in order to gain control of her: In what wyas? By sin, by economic slums, by war and violence …etc.
c) Satan was the "anointed cherub that covers" Discuss this in the light of what he does today to nation: Isa 25:7.
i) Discuss the rage of nations as depicted in Ps. 2:1-3, Luke 19:11-15; 14:16-20; II Cor. 10:3-6
What is the force behind this? Note "With one consent" in Luke 14's story: Consider this same one consent principle at Babel and the "disagreements, rivalries, break-a ways, break-ups and break-downs" among our own folk in the kingdom: Don't you smell a rat? (Luke 11:17-18).
ii) Heaven's verdict and standpoint: Luke 14:24 19:15, 27; Ps. 110:1-7
Discuss this in line with who must rule the nations and how?
iii) What is the disciple's responsibility in establishing this final standpoint upon the nations? Ps. 2:8-9; Luke 14:21-23; 19:13; 22:35-38; Ps. 110:2-3; Matt. 4:12-16; Acts 13:47; Isa. 49:6-9. Bring out striking points in each of these scriptures that show the peculiarity of our commission unto the nations.
You must now (in thy Youth) choose where to place your strength. Whom do you team up with? For whom do you expend your intellect, your ability and your resources? For Him who rules and reigns forever, or for the world system that passes away? Men of like passion and in the prime of their years, in times past jeopardize their lives to push the kingdom to the points and places it has reached today. But we now have many saboteurs who have come into their blood-soaked labours only eat and enjoy, feeding fat on the alter exploiting the anointing for personal benefit; scrambling for conquered plains and regions; while regions of "Naphtali and Zebulun" are still sitting in darkness. It is your turn to take your stand: Are you for us or for our adversaries? "He who does not gather with me scatters" declares the LORD. May you not labour for that which scatters at the dawn of eternity.
(c) POSSESSING THE NATIONS
From the last section, you will now see that the nations have been incensed against God out of ignorance and the rebellious insinuations of satan. They are so fully occupied and engaged that they have no thought left free to serve the living God. To possess the nations is actually to dispossess the rulers of their grip upon these lives and rehabilitate them; reorient their minds to learn the principles of the kingdom (Matt. 28:18-20).
i) By Asking of the Lord: Ps. 2:8; Joshua 14:6-15; I Chr. 4:9-10; Judge 16:26-31; Acts 4:24-34; Rom. 1:9-17; Col. 4:12-13. Examine the prayers and requests in each of these Scriptures. What is the common burden in each? What is God's response? What do you understand in this, as regards praying for nations and missions? (Matt. 9:36-38)
ii) Most nations of the world were founded by hunters, adventurers and warriors. What does that hold for men seeking to re-possess the nations for Christ today? Advent: going out where the sinners are: Luke 19:10; 15:1-7; Mark 16:15-20; Matt. 28:19; Matt. 10:1-6. We must "venture" into the world' of nations before we can possess them for our LORD.
a) Hunting:
i) Nimrod's case (Gen. 10:8-12J. Discuss Nimrod's lifestyle and his commendations. What do you hunt for in life?
ii) Why was Esau (also a skilled hunter) not commended? (Gen. 25:27-34; 26:34-35; 27;30-36,41). Outline carefully the things Esau hunted for all his life-meat for the belly, girls to marry, pottage of lentils, a brother to kill, bitterness to avenge, etc. What do you hunt for in your life?
iii) Jesus said, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men". Discuss this; How do you develop hooks, nets and baits that catch men for the kingdom?
b) Warfare: II Cor. 10:3-6; Eph. 6:10-18; Luke 11:21-28.
All the nations Joshua captured and made captives for Israel were captured by warfare. The kingdom was only established in the hand of David by long battles. What does that imply for us today - solders of the cross seeking to capture nations for the LORD? Discuss Luke 14:28-33.
i. Men who asked for nations for their inheritance: You are not the first to go forth into this battle. Others have poured out their lives on the field. Great warriors of the kingdom have died holding the fort … they now wait for us to join their ranks and so wear their crown with them. Let us examine few of them.
a.) Abraham (Heb. 11:8-19). His obedience of faith brought forth the nations of Israel and more importantly the blessing of Christ (Gal. 3:13-14). Discuss Abraham's steps of obedience, along with his biography as recorded in Ge. Chapters 12-15, 17& 22.
b.) Caleb (Num. 13:26-30; 14:6-10; Joshua 14:6-15; Highlight lessons we can glean from the life of this man. What challenge does he bring to your own heart personally?
c.) Mighty Men of David (Ichron. 11:10-47). Pick on some of these men and trace their exploits. What principles can we learn from their lives and labour?
d.) Jephthah (Judges 11:1-40). Highlight his high points of consecration. Look at his beginnings. What lessons does Jephthah hold out to us today?
e.) Paul (Phil. 3:1-14; I Cor. 9:7-27). Discuss the labous of this man of God. What are the challenges he confronts us with, even now? Finally, nations have been advertised for possession by God. Whosoever will strike one, God is willing to give a place in the kingdom. It was king Saul of old, at the desperate battle against Goliath, who promised to give a place in the kingdom. It was king Saul of old, at the desperate battle against Goliath, who promised to give out his daughter in marriage down the head of the proud Philistine off his neck… but… who later hunted David into the cave rather than pay his vow. But our LORD and Master is not unreliable: His WORD is His bond. Hear Him place a price tag:
Matt. 19:27-30 and Luke 22:28-30. Make your choice while you may. Youth is the prime of years. Invest it now and wisely too. God bless you.