Isn’t Two Greater Than One?
Matthew’s gospel records our LORD’s Sermon on the Mount. In chapter six, Jesus says, “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (6:21) The question is, “what treasure is there in knowing Christ?” Let us go back to the beginning times of Abraham and his descendants. In Moses’ book of Deuteronomy we see the beginning of the how the firstborn was blessed by his father. Listen! “He must acknowledge. . .firstborn by giving him a DOUBLE share of all he has.” (Deuteronomy 21:17 paraphrased) In Abraham’s case, he only had one son, Isaac. His remaining children were the result of concubine relationships.
When Isaac became old, he was prepared to bless his two sons – Esau and Jacob. Jacob, knowing the value of the right-hand blessing to the firstborn, was encouraged by his mother to deceive his father in thinking he was Esau. With failing vision, Isaac gave the firstborn blessing to the younger Jacob. And so a family feud ensued! But the blessing had been given.
The Old Testament (“O. T.”) has multiple examples of “double portion” blessings. The prophet Samuel’s mother, Hannah, had difficulty in bearing a child. But that did not stop her husband from blessing her in abundance. As Peter DeHaan stated, “she was doubly honored.” Yes, her husband provided a double portion of meat even though she was unable to conceive. Of course we know that God heard her prayers and opened her womb to provide a son who would eventually anoint Israel’s first king.
The prophet Isaiah, who prophesied during the Assyrian expansion period and the decline of Israel, warned the southern tribes of troubled times due to their sin that would lead to their Babylon captivity. But chapter sixty-one provides a promise from God that they will receive a DOUBLE portion to compensate for what was lost. (Isaiah 61:7) And that includes “everlasting joy.” (see also Isaiah 40:2) In this case DeHaan says, “they were doubly restored.”
Finally, we see the best known “double portion” event related to the story of Elijah and Elisha. The novice, Elisha, has been anointed as Elijah’s replacement as a prophet. It was common knowledge that Elijah was going to be taken up to heaven. God moved them from place-to-place and each time Elisha followed in his mentor’s shadow. And then before Elijah’s ascent, Elisha requested a DOUBLE portion of the Spirit. Yes, nothing of a material value, but a double portion of God’s Spirit. Again DeHaan says, “he was doubly blessed.” The three examples of double portions – honored, restored, and blessed. (Source: peterdehaan.com/bible/double-portion)
The prophet Zechariah was born during the Babylonian captivity. According to theologians, he was not only a prophet but a priest. His minor prophetic book is very Messianic. In chapter nine, Zechariah prophesies of the coming King – righteous and having salvation – who will proclaim peace to the nations. And then he states that if Israel returns (to their fortress), He will restore double! (Zechariah 9:12)
Israel was God’s firstborn (Exodus 4:22) but was enslaved by the Egyptians. So Moses returned to Egypt as the LORD had called him to do, and relayed God’s message to Pharaoh. Each time a sign was sent, Pharaoh relented until the final plague of the death sentence predicted in chapter four. Israel’s journey began to the Promised Land, a sort of double blessing, only to be waylaid in the desert for their unbelief and sin. But God’s promises are sure, and Joshua eventually led them to their final destination.
What about the continuation of a “double portion” in the New Testament (“N. T.”)? St. Paul writes to the church at Colossae regarding the supremacy of Christ. In chapter one Paul states, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. . .” (Colossians 1:15) Halley’s Bible Handbook says it this way: “(v. 15) does not mean that He (Jesus) was created, but rather that He is heir to the created universe, even as the firstborn in the Old Testament was heir to the family land.” Paul was indeed a unique Apostle of Christ Jesus. Yes, as a Pharisee, he believed that righteousness came from the law. As a follower of Christ, he knew that righteousness is not from the law, rather from faith in the One and only Savior, Jesus. In essence, Paul was at a fork in the road. If he turned the way of the Jewish beliefs, he was in double trouble. But he indeed turned the opposite direction and was crowned with eternal blessings due to righteousness by faith – double blessings of sort!
Graeme Hotter writes in his The Double Portion, “one thing I now believe is that the true New Testament double portion, is knowing Him and through that you will know who you are.” (Source: Stones of Fire Ministries, Graeme Hotter) Yes, to know Him is to share is His firstborn nature, thus in Him we share in His firstborn blessing, that is, eternal life. Perhaps this blessing of an eternity with our Savior is immeasurable – even greater than a double portion of the father’s assets.
St. Paul reminds us in his epistle of Romans that we received the Spirit of sonship, thus gaining access to the Heavenly Father, making us heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. To God be the glory!
Let me digress back to the O. T. and a man named Job. Chapter one tells us that Job was “blameless and upright,” and that he “feared God.” He was truly blessed with many material blessings, but his greatest gift (blessing) was his faith in God. The story unfolds as Satan is allowed to attempt to get Job to forfeit his faith by taking away everything he had. After all was said and done, Job indeed remained faithful to God. In the closing chapter, the author reminds us that God “made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before.” (42:10) As one theologian states, “double blessings simply mean God showering you with your harvest of blessings.”
As I pondered this study and research, I asked myself, “has God provided me a double portion of blessings?” Here is what I determined. My first blessing is knowing Christ as my LORD and Savior having received the blessing of the Holy Spirit in baptism. As such, I have become an heir (by faith). My most enduring blessing is having been made blameless by the blood of the Lamb of God. As a result, I too share in His death and His resurrection, and the promise of eternal life having shed my slavery to sin and its resultant eternal hell fire.
Double portion or everlasting? You make the call!
Peace
Connected in Him, I stand
GHR
