Today’s selected reading continues in the Old Testament prophetic book of Lamentations, and more specifically, is found in the fifth and final chapter of the book. This particular passage begins with an incredible petition from the prophet Jeremiah. When this particular chapter opens, it opens with the prophet crying out to the Lord to remember—and not just to remember, but to remember what had come upon them. The prophet knew very clearly what had come upon the people of God and what had taken place within the land of Judah, as well as within the city of Jerusalem. What makes this request and petitions so incredibly unique and intriguing is that the Lord was not ignorant of what had taken place in the midst of His people and His heritage. CALLING THE LORD TO REMEMBRANCE! What the prophet Jeremiah was actively looking to do was call the Lord to make special consideration and special notice of the devastation and destruction that had befallen the inhabitants of the land, as well as the land itself. The prophet Jeremiah called the Lord to remember what had come upon them, and then went on to call Him to consider and to behold their reproach. In the following verse the prophet goes on to describe what that reproach was—“our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens” (Lamentations 5:2). WHEN INHERITANCES ARE TURNED TO STRANGERS AND HOUSES TO ALIENS! The prophet Jeremiah surveyed the land and took notice of the fact that the inheritance of the people of God was being and had been turned over to strangers, and their houses to aliens. The inheritance speaks of that which the people of God as a whole experienced and enjoyed as a corporate body, yet when the prophet speaks of houses, that speaks of their individual place within the inheritance. What the prophet Jeremiah was speak of with these words was that the inheritance of the people of God had been turned over to strangers, and their place within the inheritance had been given over to aliens. Not only had the inheritance as a whole been turned over to strangers, but aliens were not occupying, living in and dwelling within their houses—that which represented their place within the inheritance.

 This brings me to an incredible prophetic picture that must be carefully considered by the people of God in this generation. When speaking of the inheritance—that which the people of God as a whole get to enjoy and experience—we must understand that this is none other than Christ and Christ alone. The inheritance that we as the people of God as a whole experience and enjoy is the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. We dare not allow our hearts or our minds to be consumed with any other reality other than that which has Christ as our inheritance. If you want to truly understand what your inheritance is in this life, as well as in the life to come, it is imperative that you recognize and understand that your inheritance is the divine and eternal person of Jesus Christ. The one thing that we as the people of God get to experience as our inheritance within and upon this earth is not a place, nor is it an object, but it is an actual person—the person of Jesus Christ. It is at this juncture that I must ask what you are actively doing with your inheritance, which is the person of Jesus Christ. Do you truly understand and do you recognize that the inheritance you have been given in this life is none other than the person of Jesus Christ, and that just as the children of Israel entered into and dwelt within the land, so also do we as the people of God enter into and dwell in Christ. What’s more, is that not only do we as the people of God have own inheritance in and as the person of Jesus Christ, but we also have our own individual dwelling within that inheritance. We dare not forget that Jesus spoke to His disciples of abiding in Him, and that unless and except they abided in Him, they would not and could not bear and bring forth any fruit. With that being said, it’s necessary for us to recognize that while we each have our own dwelling place within the inheritance which is the person of Jesus Christ, the enemy and adversary has always sought to destroy that dwelling place within the inheritance. One of the main tactics and strategies of the adversary has been to remove us from our place within the inheritance—to remove us from our place in Christ. The enemy and adversary has always and will always be after our place and our position in Christ—much like the enemy and adversary sought to target the place of the people of Israel within the land. In fact, one of the greatest necessities we have is to guard our place and our position in Christ, for the usurper and adversary can and will try and do anything and everything he can to remove us from that place. What we read in this passage must be understood by each and every child of God, for there is a great danger in our inheritance being turned over to strangers, and our houses—our dwelling places within the inheritance—being turned and given over to aliens.

 The prophet Jeremiah surveyed the land and was in utter shock, horror and disbelief, for he saw that aliens and not the people of God were living and dwelling within the inheritance. Jeremiah looked upon the inheritance that belonged to the people of God and saw that it had been turned over to strangers. In fact, when you read the prophetic writing(s) of Amos, and even others, you will find that it was at this moment in history—when the inheritance was invaded by the Chaldean army, and the people of God were carried away captive-adversaries and enemies sought to enter into and occupy the land. Consider the words of the prophet Amos in the first chapter when speaking to and concerning Edom—“Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever: But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah” (Amos 1:11-13)When you come to the Old Testament prophetic book of Obadiah, you will find the prophet conveying quite the message to Edom, which was the descendants of Esau who was the twin brother of Jacob. “For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever. In the day that thou stoddest on the other side, in the day that strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them. But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress. Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity: yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity; neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress” (Obadiah 10-14). These two passages—each distinct in their own nature—reveal the tremendous truth that not only did strangers enter into the inheritance of the people of God, but strangers began occupying that inheritance. WHEN STRANGERS OCCUPY THE INHERITANCE AND THE PEOPLE OF GOD ARE STRANGERS IN A FOREIGN LAND.

 One of the most tragic pictures we find in the prophetic writings of Amos and Obadiah is that the people of God were themselves living as strangers in a foreign land which was not their own, and strangers were occupying the inheritance which was not theirs, nor did it belong to them. It is an incredibly tragic thing to think that the people of God were removed from their inheritance and living as captives and exiles, while strangers and foreigners were occupying their place(s) within the inheritance. There is nothing more disturbing than the people of God living as exiles and captives in a strange and foreign land, and enemies, adversaries, and strangers occupying land which belonged to the people of God. In all reality, this is one of—if not the greatest dangers that faces and surrounds the people of Israel in this generation. There are leaders and rulers around the world, and one-third of the world’s population seeking to drive the Jewish people out of their land. One of the greatest controversies that is present within this generation is the call—not only for the Jewish people to be removed and cast forth from their land, but also for the city of Jerusalem to be divided between the Jews and Palestine. The land of Israel is perhaps the most widely and hotly contested areas of real estate on the face of the planet. There are approximately six million people living within the land of Israel, and the nations and peoples which surround them—all of which are Muslim—would seek to drive and cast them forth from the midst of the land. The reason for this is actually simple—they desire the land for themselves that they might occupy it in their stead. Ever since the nation of Israel became a state in the year 1948, the enemies and adversaries round about have sought to remove them from the land, and in their place and in their stead occupy the land. There are a number of nations within the earth right now that would love nothing more than for the Jewish people to be cast forth and removed from the land and that their land be given over to strangers, foreigners, adversaries and enemies. We must recognize and understand this, for the enemy and adversary has not changed his tactic or strategy for nearly two plus millennia. The enemy and adversary has always sought to remove the people of God from their inheritance in order that he might occupy it, and the enemy has always called for and even demanded the people of God give up and hand over that which rightfully belongs to them.

 I can’t help but be reminded of one of the earliest accounts of the enemy and adversary trying to bring the people of God into the place where they would give up land which they had not only been given by the Lord, but land which they had captured after overcoming the enemy. “Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpah. And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead…And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that you art come against me to fight in my land? And the king of the children of Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and unto Jorda: now therefore restore those lands against peaceably. And Jephthah sent messages again unto the king of the children of Ammon:” And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took not away the land of. Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon: But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the wilderness unto the Red Sea, and came to Kadesh: Then Israel sent messages unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee, pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken thereto. And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not consent: and Israel abode in Kadesh. Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the land of M lab, and pitched on the side of Arnon, but came not within the border of Moab: for Arnon was the border of Moab,. And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee, through thy land into my place. But Sihon trust not Israel to pass through his coast: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and fought against Israel. And the Lord God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country. And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan. So now the Lord God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it? Wilt not thou possess that which Chemost thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the Lord our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess” (Judges 10:17-18, 11:9-24).

 This passage in the Old Testament book of Judges is perhaps one of the earliest examples and accounts of the enemy and adversary pitching themselves against the children of Israel and demanding them to give back land which they had taken possession of and had begun to occupy and dwell in. The king of Ammon had pitched himself and his army against the children of Israel within their own land in an attempt to somehow recover land which he felt rightfully belonged to Ammon—land which the children of Israel essentially stole from them. The king of Ammon attempted to make war with the people of God in order that through and as a result of war, he might recover that which he felt belonged to the people of Ammon. This same situation and scenario has played out numerous times throughout the history of the children of Israel, as the enemy and adversary has made attempt after attempt to bring the people of God into the place where they gave up that which belonged to them. Jephthah recognized and understood that the land east of the Jordan had been given into the hands of the children of Israel, for the Lord had given them victory over their enemies and adversaries. Time and time again throughout the history of the people of God, the enemy and adversary has made attempt after attempt to bring the people of God to the place where they gave up that which they conquered in battle. The prophet Jeremiah witnessed as the enemy and adversary had entered into the inheritance of the people of God and had carried away captive, and not only as the people of God were carried away captive, but also as strangers began to occupy the inheritance instead of and in the place of the people of God. With the people of God removed from the land, the enemies and adversaries which surrounded the inheritance viewed it as an opportunity to seize and lay claim to portions of the inheritance for themselves. With the people of God living as strangers and foreigners in a land not their own, strangers and foreigners occupied and dwelt within their inheritance. WHEN THE PEOPLE OF GOD LIVE AS STRANGERS AND FOREIGNERS IN A PLACE THEY WERE NEVER INTENDED TO BE IN, STRANGERS AND FOREIGNERS MAY VERY WELL OCCUPY THAT PLACE WHICH BELONGED TO THEM! The enemy and adversary can and will seek to do anything and everything he can to remove us from our dwelling place within the inheritance which is Jesus Christ. With men and women removed from their place within the inheritance that is Jesus Christ, the enemy and adversary can effectively mount assaults and attacks against. It is absolutely imperative that we recognize and understand this, for there is more to this picture than the inheritance being turned over to strangers, and houses turned over to aliens.

 What happens when the inheritance is turned to strangers and houses are turned over to aliens? The prophet Jeremiah goes on to describe the people of God as being orphans and fatherless, and how their mothers were as widows. Please don’t miss the significance and importance of this, for this is the natural outcome when the inheritance of the people of God is turned over to aliens, and when their houses are turned over to aliens. The prophet Jeremiah saw the people of God—not only as displaced from their inheritance, but also as orphans, as fatherless, and as aliens. The prophet Jeremiah saw a people that were removed from their land, and were not only living as strangers and foreigners in a land not their own, but they were also living as orphans and the fatherless. This is ultimately what the enemy and adversary seeks to do by carrying us captive from the place of our inheritance. The enemy and adversary seeks to carry us away captive from the place of our inheritance—from the place of intimacy, fellowship and relationship, in order that we might be as those which are without father or mother. When I read the words contained in the third verse of this passage, I can’t help but think that this is the ultimate goal, tactic and strategy of the adversary—to remove us from the place of inheritance, but also to remove us from the place of relationship and fellowship. The prophet Jeremiah spoke of the people of God as being orphans and fatherless, which speaks of their relationship with the Father. The prophet Jeremiah spoke of the people of God as being as widows, which speaks of the relationship to the Lord as Husband. It’s worth noting and pointing out the reality of “fatherless” and “widow,” for these two realities speak of being without a father and without a husband. These two words directly speak of intimacy, fellowship and relationship—both of which directly apply to us and the Lord our God. One of the ultimate goals and strategies of the adversary is to bring us into that place where we are living in a place absent a relationship to the Lord as Father, and in a place absent a relationship to the Lord as Husband. The enemy and adversary has always targeted two specific areas within our lives—the place of inheritance, and the place of intimacy. The second verse speaks of the inheritance of the people of God, while the third verse speaks of the intimacy of the people of God. When we read these words, we must see them in such a light, for the adversary has always been after our position within the inheritance, and our place of intimacy. The enemy would love us to live as fatherless—void of a relationship with the Father. The enemy would love us to live as widows—void of a relationship with the Groom. The prophet Jeremiah was anguished within his heart and soul for he saw the people of God as living absent inheritance and absent intimacy. Oh that we would have spiritual eyes to recognize this and see this for what it truly was—a people absent inheritance and absent intimacy.

 Does this describe you? Are you finding yourself living in a place where you are living absent and without inheritance? Are you finding yourself living in a place where you are living absent and without intimacy? Perhaps you aren’t merely experiencing one of these realities, but you are indeed experiencing both realities within your life. Not only are you living absent and without inheritance, but you are also living absent and without intimacy. I am sure that those who entered into the land of the Chaldeans felt like orphans and as the fatherless, for they perhaps saw themselves as living in a place where they were no longer in relationship with the Lord. Not only were they living as strangers and foreigners, but they were also living as orphans and fatherless. WHEN STRANGERS LIVE AS ORPHANS AND FOREIGNERS LIVE AS FATHERLESS! The people of God were not only living in the land of the Chaldeans as strangers and foreigners, which spoke of their relationship to the inheritance, but they were living in the land of the Chaldeans as orphans and fatherless, which spoke of their relationship with intimacy. Oh that we would carefully guard both our intimacy and our inheritance in and before the Lord of hosts, for the enemy and adversary can and will seek to do absolutely everything he can to target and destroy both. Jeremiah called the Lord to a place of remembrance, for he was calling the Lord to look upon His people who were living outside the inheritance and living without intimacy—without fellowship and relationship. I am convinced this is what the prophet was speaking of when he called on the Lord to behold their reproach—the reproach was their living outside of the inheritance, and their living absent intimacy with the Lord. There is perhaps nothing more tragical than the people of God living in a place outside of their inheritance and without intimacy. LIVING OUTSIDE THE INHERITANCE WITHOUT INTIMACY! It is no wonder the prophet Jeremiah wrote the book of Lamentations, for he was seized within his heart and soul concerning a people who were living outside the inheritance and without intimacy. It’s not enough for the enemy and adversary to bring you to the place where you live outside the inheritance, for the enemy will also seek to cause you to live in that place without intimacy. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt there are men and women right now who are living in this very place—outside the inheritance and without intimacy. The enemy has been successful in removing them from their place within the inheritance of the person of Jesus Christ, and as a result, he has brought them to the place where they are living without intimacy.

 It is in that place—that place outside the inheritance and without intimacy—that we find our necks under persecution, and laboring, yet having no rest. Oh how many men and women right now are living in the place where their necks are brought under a tremendous yoke of persecution because they are living and have been living outside the inheritance? What’s more, is how many men and women find themselves laboring with no rest because they are living absent and without intimacy? I am convinced that it is only when we labor within the place of inheritance and from the place of intimacy that we can truly find rest for our souls. There are a number of men and women who are laboring with everything they have inside them, yet they are unable to find any rest? Why? Why is this so? The answer to this is actually quite simple, for they are laboring outside of the inheritance and without intimacy. The single greatest place to labor before the Lord is within the inheritance—within our place in Christ—and from that place of intimacy. Oh, how many times have we attempted to do something for the Lord, yet we have attempted to do it without intimacy and outside the inheritance? As a result of our vain attempt, we find ourselves unable to find any rest—despite the words of Jesus which are recorded for us in the New Testament gospel according to Matthew. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in hear: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). Consider these words in light of and along with the words which the apostle John wrote in the fifteenth chapter of his account of the life and ministry of Jesus—“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is mom Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in His love” (John 15:1-10).

 Within these two chapters we not only uncover laboring, but we also uncover abiding in Jesus Christ who is the true and living vine. Oh, I am convinced there are men and women who are attempting to labor without abiding in and from the place of intimacy and inheritance. When speaking of abiding in the vine, what Jesus is essentially speaking of is our abiding in and from the place of inheritance, for our inheritance is and always has been the person of Jesus Christ. The Father has prepared for us an inheritance, but within that place of inheritance is also an intimacy which we are to experience and enjoy. Everything we do—everything we attempt to do—within our daily lives must be done from the place of inheritance and from the place of intimacy. We dare not, we should not, we must not attempt to do anything without and apart from living and abiding within the inheritance, and living in intimate fellowship, communion and relationship with the Lord. If you have found, or if you are finding yourself living outside of inheritance and absent intimacy within your life, I would encourage you to call the Lord to remembrance, and ask the Lord to help bring you back and restore you to those places. There are men and women who right now desperately need to find their place within the inheritance once more, and need to be brought back into the place of intimacy with the Lord of hosts. If these words describe you, are you ready, willing and able to allow and ask the Lord to bring you into the place of inheritance and intimacy? If you are attempting to labor for and before the Lord, yet you are attempting to do it outside inheritance and without intimacy, I would strongly caution you to take a step back and allow the Lord to restore you to inheritance, and restore intimacy within your heart, mind, soul and spirit. Your labor may very well be in vain, and might be unfulfilling and unsatisfying if you are attempting to do it without intimacy and outside of inheritance. This reality is true even as it pertains to your employment in a secular job, for attempting to go to work outside inheritance and without intimacy can never and will never provide or bring any rest. Let us recognize this reality within our hearts and lives, and let us pursue inheritance and intimacy with everything that is within us. Let us ask the Spirit of the Lord to help restore us to the place of inheritance, and help restore us to the place of intimacy, for absolutely everything flows forth from our lives from both of these realities. If either one of these realities are out of proportion with the other, it may very well throw our entire lives into a spiral which we might find is uncontrollable without and apart from the Spirit of the Lord. Oh that we would guard our inheritance and intimacy with everything we have, but if we are living outside inheritance and without intimacy, let us fight for and pursue it with everything that is inside of us.