I have been thinking about inheritance recently, after preparing the story of Jacob and Esau from Genesis for a young people’s Sunday morning session.
For most parents nowadays the pattern is to leave assets in equal measure to each of their children, unless special circumstances apply, meaning 1 child is particularly in need or has caused problems within a family.
200 years ago the pattern was different. Boys took priority when it came to inheriting wealth and women could not own property. There might be a dowry given to a daughter on her marriage, though her husband would usually control that, and if the family owned a substantial estate it had to pass to the nearest male relative. Fans of the TV series ” Downton Abbey” will remember that none of Lord Grantham’s 3 daughters could inherit the estate. It had to pass to Matthew, a distant male relative, but the problem was solved when he and the eldest daughter fell in love and married, a convenient solution to the problem!!
In early Bible times the rules were different and were governed by the concept of a birthright. The eldest son claimed his birthright, meaning he inherited a double portion compared with the other sons, and the daughters had no inheritance rights. Extra responsibilities went with the privilege of birthright, with the eldest son often being expected to take the main responsibility for managing the land, livestock and partitioning of the wealth and family. When Jacob tricks his brother Esau out of this birthright he is going against the cultural and familial norm, although to us it might seem ridiculous not to split the estate in half, especially as the 2 men were twins and their father had plenty of land and cattle to share with both sons. Yet the son who inherited the birthright had special status and could pass it on down the generations.
As Christians we have a very special inheritance as described by St Paul in his letter to the Romans, Chapter 8, verse 14
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and joint heirs with Christ – if in fact we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him”.
Prayer. We thank you Lord that we need not fear that we will miss out or be passed over when it comes to inheriting the riches of God’s grace. When we embrace your guiding Holy Spirit, we become adopted children and inheritors of the riches of your abundant provision for us.