He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne. (Luke 1:32)
Legal rules surround the birth of an heir to the throne in some royal families. An heir can be apparent, if he or she will become heir after the death of his ancestor, or presumptive, if no other heir is born with more claims to the position. Everything is meticulously planned so that the heir, whether apparent or presumptive, can fully assume his or her privileges at the right time. The irony is that things often do not go as premeditated.
Jesus is more than an heir apparent or presumptive. He didn’t have to wait until God was dead to become heir. God is not dead and never will be, yet he appointed his Son, Jesus, heir of all things (see Heb. 1:2). Secondly, no one could take the throne from the hands of Jesus. He alone is worthy to rule over Israel forever. Old Testament prophecies attest to his greatness (see Mic. 5:4), his sonship with God, his divinity (see Ps. 2:7), his lineage from King David (see Isa. 9:7), his reign over Israel (see Mic. 5:2), and his eternal kingdom (see Dan. 7:13–14). All these prophecies have been fulfilled as God planned.
As Paul so aptly pointed out, since we are children of God, we too are his heirs. Consequently, we become coheirs with Jesus (see Rom. 8:16–17). Let us enjoy and take full possession of our inheritance with the Son of the Most High.
Enjoy your privilege as coheir with the Son of Man.
Handy Calixte is an ordained pastor of L’Église Wesleyenne d’Haïti and likes writing about various biblical topics. He and his wife, Johane, have three children.
© 2021 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.