As believers, we are called by God to follow after Jesus in all our actions and attitudes. How we relate to money in included in our following after Him.
As mentioned in my introduction to this series, my family and I have been impacted a number of times in our church attendance by what appears to be the pull of money on church leadership. During our Christian pilgrimage, a number of churches, through thier leadership, have made decisions that directly impacted our status within the body of believers.
Some of these instances provided us reason to dig into the Word, to find correction in our own personal relationship to money, to try to understand the wisdom of a church leader’s decision, and in the end to apply God’s will for our own finances.
Little did we know the tremendously corrosive power the love of money has over our own hearts, and by extrapolation, the church as a whole. This should not surprise the believer for Paul provided a harsh truth on this topic.
1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
Alternately, the writer of Hebrews also provided no better command, (and for some believer’s no harder command) than found in Hebrews 13.
Hebrews 13:5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Many of our experiences have included the topic of tithing in the church. Personally, our denominational background considers tithing to be Biblically mandated on the New Testament believer. I understand many denominations consider tithing to be an important commmittment of the believers relationship to the church body.
Let’s take a look at this topic, and consider each passage that contains a reference to tithing.
This post will consider Deuteronomy 14:23
Deuteronomy 14:23 – And before the LORD your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.
In our last post discussing Deuteronomy 12:17, we found that the tithe discussed was to be consumed by the offeror, and the location was the only parameter stipulated.
Deuteronomy 12:17 – You may not eat within your towns the tithe of your grain or of your wine or of your oil, or the firstborn of your herd or of your flock, or any of your vow offerings that you vow, or your freewill offerings or the contribution that you present,
We considered the idea of group worship and community established through the shared experience of eating together. We also suggested that this practice of consuming the tithe may have connections to the modern church ordinance of the Lord’s supper. I understand it is directly linked with the Passover Seder, and I am not seeking to separate it from that shadow of the past. It is simply an observation that in this tithe there is the concept of consumption with the faithful, under the watchful hand of the Lord in His presence.
Our verse this morning is addressing the same tithe, that is the tithe that is to be consumed by the offeror, but our verse adds an interesting “twist”.
That twist is the intent of the tithe. Why did God demand that the tithe was to be consumed “in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there” with all the faithful?
Can you find the intent? The desired outcome of this command?
The passage speaks of the consumption of the tithe with the faithful to teach the faithful Israelite that they “may learn to fear the LORD your God always.”
Now I am going to ask the proverbial chicken egg question here. Is it not the faithful Israelite who is already offering up the tithe, who is already attending to the place the Lord chooses for His name to dwell, that is already obeying this command. Is it not the faithful Israelite that has already learned to fear the Lord always?
What am I missing? Might it be that this practice brings to mind to the faithful Israelite the importance of constancy in their obedience? Might that be the message, especially since the last phrase speaks of “always”?
This may be the intent. The faithful Israelite, who fear the Lord, when he attend s this tithe feast, in reminded of the goodness of God, of God’s command and may find in his heart the opportunity to recommit to the God of Israel.
One other intent may be one that I lean to. To have such a tithing feast for those of the Faithful Israelites family would surely impact the youth, even the children. Might it be much like a large get together, when many youth and children find times to reconnect with others, be away from farm duties, enjoy the social interaction with other families etc. Very possibly a very good memory for the faithful Israelites of tomorrow, of the coming generation, where they would become the men and women that fear the Lord.
In all of this conjecture of mine, I find it quite refreshing to think of this tithe to be one of a shared experience with the people of God in the presence of the Lord, where He seeks nothing material from the people, and coordinates a time, place and provision for a “national party”.
It is not the picture of a God who demands a tithe, threatens poverty if it is not offered, or promises wealth if a tithe is provided. Our God is not into the tit for tat relationship game.
He is the God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills. To think He set up a system to manipulate His people is beyond my understanding.
An attitude of fearing the LORD our God, with a cheerful and thankful heart, should be the motivation in all of our giving.
Thanks for joining and Considering The Bible with me. Your thoughts are always welcome, and I look forward to hearing of the faithfulness of God in your lives.
