The Lightbearers of the Inheritance blog finds its inspiration in Donna Sundblad's Christian allegory "The Inheritance." Centered around the concept of lightbearers—characters who carry the light of Truth within their hearts and guide others journeying within the Valley of Shadow toward citizenship in the Eternal City—this blog mirrors their role as beacons. Through biblical historical insights and devotional posts, it offers a deeper understanding and inspiration for spiritual growth.
I’m thrilled to share some exciting news about my Christian fantasy novel, The Inheritance! Right now, it’s competing for Cover of the Month at All Author, and I couldn't be more amazed and grateful for the support I’ve received so far.
As of today, The Inheritance is currently sitting in 4th place, and we’re not even halfway through the month! It’s a testament to the power of community and the love for storytelling that I’ve seen in all of you.
Voting is currently in round two, and in just four days, we’ll be moving on to round three. Every vote counts, and you can cast your vote in each round. I’m hopeful to place in the top three, but I need your help to make it happen!
If you enjoy The Inheritance, or if you’re just passionate about supporting indie authors, I would greatly appreciate your vote. It means the world to me to see my work recognized, and your support could help push the cover into the top tier!
Thank you all for your incredible support. Let’s make The Inheritance shine bright in this competition and help my dream take flight!
This year I’m going through
the Bible in chronological order. Today’s reading took me through Isaiah 49-53. There’s so much in these chapters I could talk about, but what God
impressed on me to share with my readers is found in Isaiah 50:10-11.
10 Who among you fears
the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in
darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his
God.
11 Behold, all
you who kindle a fire, who equip yourselves with burning torches! Walk by the
light of your fire and by the torches that you have kindled! This you have from
my hand: you shall lie down in torment.
Light and darkness in the bible
Light in the bible symbolizes
holiness, goodness, knowledge, wisdom, grace, hope, and God's revelation. Isaiah
2:5 tells the people of Israel to “come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.”
In the New Testament, the apostle John records Jesus's claim that He is the
light of the world and those who follow Him will not walk in darkness but will “have
the light of life.”
Darkness is the
opposite of light. It represents all that separates us from God. I saw a meme
on Facebook this morning that said, “Satan’s biggest lie is, if you do good you
will go to heaven.” This reminded me of verses 10-11 in Isaiah 50.
In verse 10 those who
fear the Lord obey his voice. In contrast, those in the darkness have no light. They are in darkness. God’s word tells them to “trust in the name of
the Lord and rely on his God.” This is an invitation to step out of darkness
and to come into the light.
Verse 11 talks about people
trusting in their own light (leaning on their own understanding (Proverbs
3:5-6). They kindle fire and equip themselves with burning torches. Note, this
is not the light of the Lord, but the light of their own making. It represents
anything we do on our own that makes us think we are good. This can include religion, good deeds, turning over a new leaf, etc. If it is from our own efforts, it’s a fire
of our own making. And what is the result? The consequence is that those people
“shall lie down in torment.” The Hebrew word for torment means “place of pain,
place of grief.” It can also mean “terror.” Yikes!
Grace through faith
That Facebook meme
post I referred to earlier also included this verse: “For by grace you have
been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
not of works, so that no one may boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). I’d also like to add
v. 10 which says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in
them.”
Yes, good works are part of the Christian life, but good works aren’t
what get us to heaven. We were created in Christ for good works. God
prepared these works ahead of time. We are to walk in them. That word walk,
in the Greek, means to make one's
way, progress; to make due use of opportunities. So once we have stepped from
darkness and accepted the gift of life, we walk in His light and take advantage
of the opportunities he places before us because we love him and want to serve
him.
Those who receive Him
In the first chapter
of the Gospel of John, John the Baptist refers to Jesus as the “true light,
which gives light to everyone (v 9). That he was “in the world, and the world
was made through him, yet the world did not know him (v. 10). That he came to
his people but they did not receive him (v11). BUT, “all who did receive
him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children
of God.” (v. 12) and these believers were born spiritually not by
some physical means, or the will of the flesh, or the will of man, but of God
(v. 13).
Adam and Eve were
created as eternal beings. When sin came into the world they became mortal. Their flesh began to
die. It is because of sin that death, sickness, and corruption came into the
world. But what most people don't understand is that they died spiritually too. And that is the condition of man. It is why we need to be born again.
We are still eternal beings, but our flesh is only a temporary abode. It is
life after this that is forever. We will even receive a new eternal body. But
where will we live? Our destination will depend on whether we believe the truth
and become a child of light, or we reject that truth and remain in the
darkness. The darkness that comes from lighting our own fire is the result of not
believing.
The Inheritance
In my Christian
allegory, The Inheritance, people who have accepted the Truth bear the light
within their hearts. They are Lightbearers. But others wear a man-made pendant
of light around their necks and also call themselves lightbearers. The difference:
their light is of their own making.
* * *
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In Luke 13:30 Jesus
says, “Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who
will be last” (NASB1995). In Mark 10:31 he says, “But many who are first will
be last, and the last, first.” And in Matthew 19:30, “But many who are first
will be last; and the last, first.” The fact that this is recorded in three
gospels makes it clear it is important, but have you ever wondered what it
means? Is it a riddle to be figured out? Here's your first clue: It means the same thing each time it
is used. To answer this question and keep this blog post reasonably short, we
will go to the reference in Matthew for the answer.
Looking at first will
be last and the last will be first in context
“And everyone who has
left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for
My name’s sake will receive many times as much and will inherit eternal life. But
many who are first will be last; and the last, first” (Matthew 19:29-30)
The next clue is that this is about
people living for Jesus from the heart. Not just people following rules or
trying to turn over a new leaf. These people have called upon the Lord and received the truth and
spiritual life. They have repented, are born again, and willing to leave the things of this world behind. But what does this have to do with the
first will be last or the last first? To understand that, let’s turn the page to
the next chapter which continues this discourse. Let's look at Matthew 20:1-16.
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the
morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the
laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he
went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace;
and to those he said ‘You, too, go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I
will give you.’ And so they went.
“Again he went out, about the sixth and ninth hour, and did the same thing.
And about the eleventh hour, he went out and found others standing around; and
he said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day long?’
“They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’
“He said to them, ‘You, too, go into the vineyard.’
“And when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman,
‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last group to
the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each one
received a denarius.
“And when those hired first came, they thought that they would receive more;
and they also received each one a denarius. And when they received it, they
grumbled at the landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour,
and you’ve made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching
heat of the day.’
“But he answered and said to them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you
not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way, but I
wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do
what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’
Thus, the last shall be first, and the first last.”
What does it mean the
first will be last and the last will be first?
There it is again. “Thus, the last shall be first, and the first last.” This
statement brackets this parable, so this is our third clue. This is where we will find the answer to
our question.
The parable illustrates the meaning of the last first and first
last. It shows how as believers we all finish equally before God. We receive eternal
life by his grace no matter how long we’ve walked with him. Eternal life is
what he has promised to those who are His. It is his to give. None of us “deserve
it” because the wages of sin is death. But by his grace, he offers to cover
that sin, erase that debt, and grants us eternal life. It's our new wage once we are
redeemed. The one he promised. The redeemed are all the same in God’s eyes because when he looks
at us, he sees the blood of his son. So there is no first or last in God's eyes. We all get what he promised equally.
Exciting news! "The Inheritance" is eligible for the 2024 Book of the Year at OnlineBookClub.org! It’s a thrilling moment for any author, but I need your help to make it to the top spot.
About The Inheritance
"The Inheritance" isn’t just a book; it’s a journey. Think “A modern-day "Pilgrim's Progress meets The Giver." ~ Kelli - AdventureHS com
This action-packed allegorical fantasy quest delivers fantastic creatures, and a flawed hero caught up in a struggle against dogmatism in his search for Truth. One reader said: “The Inheritance is not a rewritten version of John Bunyan’s classic, but an original fantasy that proved exciting and hard to put down.” Not your typical Christian allegory but written for today’s fantasy enthusiasts with adventure, mystery, humor, and romance as you enter this battle of good versus evil within the Valley of Shadow.
This coming-of-age fantasy adventure uses allegorical language to explore themes of individuality, societal norms, and moral ambiguity, amid challenges and influences on this quest for Truth. From the mountain settlement of Lofty Thought, the journey enters the Valley of Shadow and follows River Tradition.
Vote for the Inheritance by Donna Sundblad
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