Bring the Offerings
- Justin Ray
- May 19, 2020
- 4 min read
II Chronicles 31-33
And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the LORD hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.
II Chronicles 31:10
The title sounds like a command, but actually it is a statement taken from our text verse. The Chief Priest was answering King Hezekiah and said "Since the people began to bring the offerings..." Some people reading this may have just taken a sigh of relief because I shifted from a title being a command to a statement. Isn't it interesting that one of the first things we want to avoid is tithing. We either do not want to start tithing, or we find ourselves wanting to quit. Even if we have the conviction that we are supposed to tithe, if there is something we really want, there is the temptation to keep our tithe just this once.
The words of Zadok being with "Since the people began". This does not imply that tithing was a new concept, but rather that it was a new concept for this generation. Their forefathers had gotten away from tithing because of ungodly leaders. Now, King Hezekiah and the Chief Priest had placed this biblical requirement back on them, but the people willfully chose to be obedient. They did what the word of God commanded them to do. So, this practice "began".
Next we see the began to "bring their offerings into the house of the LORD". This tells us that they went to the house of the Lord. Their physical presence was involved in their offering being received at the house of the Lord. Now, I realize that there are circumstances where people cannot go to church. I get that and an not intending this to belittle anyone who is not physically capable of going to church. However, there was an expectation that if you were physically able, regardless of the difficulty of the journey, you went up to the house of the Lord. I included the word "up" because the Temple sat at the top of a mountain and the journey was uphill for everyone. For most of us today, the hardest part of our journey is getting to and from our car. Then, the vehicle does all the work for us.
The word offering is interesting. In the Hebrew, it means something "lifted off" or "separated". In other words, the giver is losing control and ownership of something. In English, an offering comes from the root word "offer". There are three things I see about this word offer. First, just as with the Hebrew, the giver is giving something up. He is losing possession and control of that which he is offering. Second, it is a choice. For something to be offered, the giver must chose to part with it (as opposed to something being taken or stolen). Third, something offered can be rejected. The receiver does not have to take what is offered. There were times in the Bible when God did not receive the offerings because they were given out of requirement rather than desire from the people.
Finally, Zadok's answer concludes with "we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the LORD hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store."If you think about this, it doesn't make human sense. When you give something away, you have less. However, when we give to God we have more. There are two ways God blessed the people. First, they had their needs met. The text says "we have had enough to eat". For Israel, their offerings were predominately from food items. Even that which was given from money took away from the table. Yet, God provided for all their needs. When we faithfully give God that which he requires, he will do the same for us.
Second, Zadok said, "and have left plenty: for the LORD hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store." Not only did God provide for their needs, he gave them more than they had before. I am not preaching a prosperity gospel. We see the whole nation blessed. This does not mean that all of Israel were driving Cadillacs, living in $300k homes, and eating filet mignon everyday. It simply means they had more than they needed to survive. Yes, some were rich and some were "poor", but their needs were met above and beyond what they needed.
I want to address one quick issue that may have come to some minds. "Preacher, the tithe was part of the law. We live under grace, not the law." Actually, the tithe predates the law. Abraham paid tithe to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:20). I like what David Jeremiah says about tithes. Basically he says, if God required a tithe under the law, how much more should we willingly give our tithes when we are under grace? We should not give less, but more. God still blesses those who give to him cheerfully.
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
II Corinthians 9:7
Notice, that is a New Testament verse. While it does not say the word tithe, it does talk about giving. If the word tithe causes us to stumble, then call it an offering. But, remember that the tithe (10%) was just the starting point. Offerings were given above and beyond the tithe.
Lord, thank you for what you have blessed me with. Help me to have a heart that always gives you more than you require. Let me give that cheerfully because I love you and what you have given to me. While I know you will bless, help me not become selfish in my giving, looking for what I will get in return. Thank you for all your blessings and for being a loving God that cares for your creation and children!
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