The Holy Tithe

-


Scripture

‘Thus all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’S; it is holy to the LORD.
(Leviticus 27:30 NASB)
‘For every tenth part of herd or flock, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the LORD.
(Leviticus 27:32 NASB)

Observation

The concept of tithing is brought to us directly from God. Here we find the law given to Moses regarding the tithe. The people of Israel were never to consider that everything they owned was theirs, but rather, that one tenth of it all belonged to God. It wasn't a gift back to God, but rather, it was his. It was a tenth of everything, including all their property, and everything that it produced. One tenth of everything was considered holy to the Lord, and it was to be his!

Application

We live in a day and age where the attitude toward tithing has changed and seems to continue to change. There is no perception that it is something that already belongs to God, but rather, that it is something that I, out of my generosity, decide, when convenient, to give to God. How is it that we have gotten this so very wrong? As God's holy people, we are to understand that one tenth of all we have is holy to God. It is already his.

Sadly, we take God's holy tenth and what are we doing with it? We don't even manage it properly because for many, the reason they don't tithe is because they say they can't afford to. It means that we are using God's percentage to fund the things that we want to do. Instead of showing self-discipline in all areas of our lives, including our spending habits, we choose to spend God's holy tenth as well. What types of life-style choices do we make. I think of the line at Starbuck's every morning. If you haven't noticed, drinking coffee is pretty expensive. Really, there's nothing wrong with enjoying a nice cup of coffee in the morning, but is it being enjoyed at God's expense? God had a plan that if all of his children would have followed, they would have changed the world. However, God's children have been unfaithful, spending his holy portion on their own needs and desires.

Why is it that most people who say that when they start tithing the rest of their finances seem to fall into place? Is it because suddenly God begins to pour out money on them? Hardly, but rather, I believe there is a spiritual and self-discipline which changes the heart of the person and by way of a generous heart, the manner in which money is spent changes. God really does know what is best for us, both singularly and collectively. The holy tithe belongs to God and our relationship with money really does affect our relationship with him. Allow God's holy tenth to touch and change the world.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to have an attitude and spirit of generosity which comes from knowing you and your heart. Amen.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Take Off Your Ornaments

-
Scripture: Ex. 33:4 ¶ When the people heard these harsh words, they mourned, and no one put on ornaments. Ex. 33:5 For the LORD had said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now take off your ornaments, and I will decide what to do to you.’” Ex. 33:6 Therefore the Israelites stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward. Observation: The people had sinned before God by making and worshiping the golden calf!  They had taken their golden jewelry — the earrings and other items they had gotten from the Egyptians and used them to create an idol.  Now, in an act of humility and repentance they were to take off all of their jewelry and ornaments.  It was a time of mourning over their sin and it included intentional action on the part of the Israelites.  Application: We don’t do all that well with humility and repentance!  It seems that we live in a ti...
Read more

Does God Value Boys More than Girls?

-
Scripture: Lev. 12:1 ¶ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Lev. 12:2 Speak to the people of Israel, saying: ¶ If a woman conceives and bears a male child, she shall be ceremonially unclean seven days; as at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. Lev. 12:3 On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Lev. 12:4 Her time of blood purification shall be thirty-three days; she shall not touch any holy thing, or come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification are completed. Lev. 12:5 If she bears a female child, she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation; her time of blood purification shall be sixty-six days. Lev. 12:6 ¶ When the days of her purification are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb in its first year for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. Lev. 12:7 He shall offer it before the LORD, and make atonement on her ...
Read more

On Grief and A Flute Player

-
Scripture: Matt. 9:23 When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, Matt. 9:24 he said, “Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. Matt. 9:25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. Matt. 9:26 And the report of this spread throughout that district. Observation: This is a simple story which we have heard or read numerous times. Jesus heals the little girl and the people rejoice. But at the moment in which he arrives at the home he encounters the professional mourners. These are the flute players, the ones who have come to make a great noise about the child’s death. It is the flute player that testifies to the fact that she is truly dead. Also, flutes were generally employed when it came to the death of a child. The whole community would therefore understand that it is a child who has died in this home. The flute player is doing the job they have ...
Read more