Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always. But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the Lord your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the Lord will choose to put his Name is so far away), then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the Lord your God will choose. Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice. And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own.
At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. Deuteronomy 14:22-29
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Today’s passage coupled with the instruction in Numbers, Chapter 18, provided Israel with guidance regarding tithing. The word “tithe” is actually a Middle English word derived from the old English word “tegotha” which means tenth. In the church, it would represent “a tenth part of something paid as a voluntary contribution or as a tax especially for the support of a religious establishment”.
This certainly was the case in our scripture passage. The words of Moses told Israel to “set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year”. This tenth was to go to the Levites who you’ll remember were not permitted to produce their own sustenance (scripture states they had “no allotment or inheritance of their own”). Instead, the people of Israel were responsible for tithing and taking care of those God appointed to be the spiritual leaders and sanctuary maintainers.
Our passage from Deuteronomy provides additional guidance to the Israelites. For a portion of the tenth they were to give the Levites was to be eaten “in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name” for by doing this Israel would “learn to revere the Lord…always”. God expected the people to come together in a communal meal of thanksgiving and praise to the One who provided their bounty…the bounty from which they would be eating from.
You’ll see that a potential problem is also addressed in the scripture. For the place where God wanted Israel to go and present their tithe might be too far for someone to travel given the tenth the had to bring. What would they do? Well, God shows us that He always has a Plan B. In the case of Israel, they were to sell their goods for silver, carry the silver to the place where God wanted them to bring the tithe and commune, and then purchase their goods at that place using the silver. The end result was that God’s command was met, only through a pair of purchases and sales. God had a Plan B for Israel…and He has one for us as well in times when we need one.
Note as well that every three years, the people of Israel were to bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows” could “come and eat and be satisfied”. Through this, the people of Israel would find themselves blessed “in all the work of (their) hands by the Lord. In other words, the hard work and effort that went into the harvest would bring satisfaction by way of the blessing it provided to those who were most in need. Israel would learn that it’s far better to give than receive.
In fact, these early Old Testament requirements to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate by taking care of them would be expounded on by Jesus. Remember these words?
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.
Then the King will say to those on His right, ”Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me.”
Then the righteous will answer Him, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?”
The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me.”
Then He will say to those on His left, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite Me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after Me.'”
They also will answer, “Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help You?”
He will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.”
Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Matthew 25:31-46
Jesus definitely let us know He expects us to care for those who are having difficulties in life. We are to look after anyone who is struggling or suffering or hungry or thirsty or in need of clothing or in trouble, giving what we can to help them through their situation. Truly, we are drawn into joy and satisfaction through the blessing we provide to someone in need. But there is far greater reason to be joy-filled. For as we do things for the least, it is as if we are doing it to the One who is the Most…Christ Jesus Himself. And in doing this we gain the inheritance…the “kingdom prepared since the creation of the world”…a place where we will be with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…forever. We can’t gain this if we are selfish and centered on ourselves. Truly, it is better…far better now and forever…to give than receive. Let’s recommit to doing it every chance we get. Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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