How does God himself become my portion and inheritance?
The Bible repeatedly uses the language of “portion” and “inheritance” to describe the relationship between God and his people. This covenant imagery reflects not only what God gives but who God is. To say that God himself is my portion means that he is my treasure, my source of security, and my eternal reward. This truth is woven throughout Scripture, from the Old Testament allotment of land to the New Testament fulfillment in Christ.
Psalm 16 declares, “The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me” (Psalm 16:5–6). These verses illustrate how God himself, rather than earthly blessings, becomes the believer’s joy and satisfaction. The Lord’s Supper draws upon this same covenant reality, reminding Christians that God does not merely provide gifts—he gives himself.
This article will explore the biblical meaning of God as portion and inheritance by examining covenant imagery, Old Testament background, fulfillment in Christ, and the implications for Christian hope.
1. Covenant language in the Psalms
Psalm 16, Psalm 73, and other psalms emphasize that God is not only the source of blessings but the blessing itself. The psalmist declares, “Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:25–26).
The word “portion” recalls Israel’s covenant relationship with God. While land was central to the inheritance of the tribes, the Levites were unique: they received no territorial allotment because the Lord himself was their inheritance (Numbers 18:20). David, though not a Levite, applies this truth to himself, proclaiming God as his chosen portion.
This covenant language underscores that the greatest blessing of the covenant is not possessions, power, or prosperity but God’s presence. The “pleasant places” and “goodly heritage” of Psalm 16 refer not to land boundaries but to the joy of communion with the Lord.
2. Old Testament foundation of inheritance
To grasp the depth of this theme, it is necessary to look at Israel’s history of land inheritance. The land was distributed among the tribes as a sign of God’s promise to Abraham (Genesis 15:18–21). Yet the Levites were set apart for priestly service. Their inheritance was not geographical but spiritual: the Lord himself.
This arrangement revealed a deeper theological truth. Land could be lost, borders could shift, but God himself as portion could never be taken away. The Levites modeled a reliance upon God’s provision that pointed toward the reality every believer is called to embrace.
Several Old Testament passages extend this principle to the faithful beyond Levi:
Lamentations 3:24 proclaims, “The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I hope in Him.”
Deuteronomy 32:9 reminds Israel, “The Lord’s portion is His people; Jacob is the allotment of His inheritance.”
These verses reveal a mutual covenant relationship: God is the portion of his people, and his people are his portion. This double bond sets the stage for the New Testament, where inheritance language finds its fulfillment in Christ.
3. Fulfillment in Christ and the Gospel
The New Testament develops the theme of God as portion by identifying Christ as the believer’s inheritance. Peter writes, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope…to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:3–4).
Paul echoes this in Colossians 1:12, thanking the Father who “has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.” Believers receive not only forgiveness of sins but the gift of Christ himself. He is the bread of life (John 6:35), the cup of salvation (Luke 22:20), and the inheritance that surpasses all earthly treasure (Ephesians 1:11–14).
In the Lord’s Supper, this truth becomes tangible. The bread and cup symbolize Christ giving himself as the portion of his people. The Supper proclaims that the Gospel is not merely about receiving blessings from God but about receiving God himself in Christ.
4. Assurance of eternal inheritance
To confess God as portion is also to rest in the assurance of eternal life. David’s hope in Psalm 16 extends beyond death: “You will not abandon my soul to Sheol…You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever” (Psalm 16:10–11).
Peter interprets these verses in Acts 2:25–31 as pointing to the resurrection of Jesus. Because Christ was not abandoned to the grave, believers share in the promise of resurrection life. The inheritance of God’s people is thus secure, imperishable, and eternal.
This perspective also shifts the focus from temporal possessions to lasting joy. Earthly wealth fades, but the presence of God endures. The Supper directs the believer’s gaze forward to the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9), the eternal celebration where God will dwell with his people forever.
5. Implications for Christian life today
Understanding God as portion and inheritance transforms daily living. It shapes how believers view security, satisfaction, and purpose.
Security: If God himself is the inheritance, then no loss in this life can take away the believer’s portion. As Paul says in Romans 8:38–39, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
Satisfaction: When God is portion, material goods no longer define happiness. Contentment is found in communion with him (Philippians 4:11–13).
Purpose: To receive God as inheritance also means belonging wholly to him. The people of God live as a “royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9), reflecting his kingdom in the world.
This inheritance language also connects to eschatological hope. The promise of God as portion does not end with this life but extends into eternity. The Supper rehearses this reality, pointing both backward to the cross and forward to the consummation of the kingdom.
Conclusion
The Bible teaches that God himself is the portion and inheritance of his people. This truth, rooted in the Old Testament covenant, finds fulfillment in Christ and is celebrated in the Lord’s Supper. To receive God as portion is to find security, delight, and eternal joy in him.
Psalm 16 captures this reality with its language of portion, cup, and pleasant places. The Levites lived it by receiving the Lord rather than land. The New Testament proclaims it through Christ, who is the inheritance of the saints. The Supper enacts it as believers take bread and cup, confessing that Christ is their life and hope.
God himself becomes the believer’s portion not only in this life but forever. In his presence is fullness of joy, and at his right hand are pleasures without end.
