Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate.  Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach.  For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.

 
 
 

Going to Jesus

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Thought for Today
Jul. 17

TITHES AND OFFERINGS, PART SEVEN

Two Evils

There are two principle evils that, above all others, prevent people from bringing to God His tithes and offerings. Of course, excuses for disobedience in this matter have varied widely, but when all is said and done, two fundamental evils have consistently stood out.

The first of the two evils that most often prevent people from obeying God in tithes and offerings is covetousness. These people just don't want to part with the money. They have difficulty admitting to themselves that God's tithes and offerings really do belong to God. They consider God's tithes to be their money. Instead of humbly considering the many blessings from God that fill their lives, they can only envision the things they could buy for themselves if they kept God's portion. How foolish they are!

When Israel was leaving Egypt, they had no idea what to expect from God at Mount Sinai when they would finally meet with Him. While in Pharaoh's palace, Moses told Pharaoh that he did not know what God would require of them in sacrifice (Ex. 10:24-26). The gods of the nations, including Egypt's gods, could be brutal in their oppressive demands of people, even demanding that they sacrifice their children in the flames. Israel did not know whether or not Jehovah would prove to be the same. They had to be ready to offer Him all that was theirs.

Facing this unknown, Moses could not agree to Pharaoh's demand that the Israelites leave their herds behind while they went to meet with Jehovah. What if, Moses wondered, when Israel arrived at Mount Sinai, God required them to sacrifice every cow, goat, and sheep in their possession? He could justly demand that they surrender everything they own because He created all things, and everything Israel possessed was from His merciful hand. Everything belongs to the Creator. So, when the Israelites left Egypt, they left with everything they owned, just in case God demanded it of them. When they came to the foot of fiery Mount Sinai, "the mountain of God", they came trembling. Fear shook Moses himself to the bone (Heb. 12:21).

When the terrified Israelites heard God's commandments at Mount Sinai, they must have been astonished at how little He demanded of them. A tithe-a tenth-of all their increase, and then some offerings at certain times, was all that God required of them. Misinformation about the Old Testament in our time has prevented this generation from realizing that God's Old Testament people failed in their walk with God, not because God was so heavy-handed and demanding but because He required so little of them that they could not believe it was enough. Ironically, a main reason that Israel failed in her walk of faith was that she was more religious than God was. One simple place of worship was not good enough for the Israelites. One simple altar and a few simple sacrifices were not enough. One God, as it turned out, was not enough for Israel.

What if God required of His people one half of all our increase instead of a tenth? That would still be merciful of Him. That would still be more gracious than we deserve. But the Creator of the universe, who holds our next breath in His hands, demands that we honor Him with just a tenth part of all our increase. In spite of that, the heart of the covetous among God's children feel that the tenth is too much to demand. Their own greed makes them suspicious that the servant of God is scheming to take away their money. They cannot be happy bringing God His tenth, and yet they can't be happy stealing it. In time, they will fall away.

Idolatry among God's Old Testament people undermined the government of God with the borders of Israel. Idolatrous priests took from God's people the goods that should have been taken to Jehovah's servants, and the nation was eventually destroyed. Idolatry stole the hearts of God's people and stole God's money from God's servants. Paul said that covetousness is the spirit of idolatry (Col. 3:5). Covetousness is kin to the spirit of Satan, the rebel cherub, and it is a principal reason that many fail to obey God in tithes and offerings. Avoid it. Be thankful and rejoice for what God gives you, and do not envy what belongs to another, whether it belongs to God or anyone else.

"DESPISERS OF GOVERNMENT"

The second evil that prevents people from rendering to God His tithes and offerings is a proud, rebellious spirit. To bring tithes to a man of God is to confess that there is government in the assembly of saints and that you are submitting yourself to it. To an unruly heart, that confession is difficult to make. The saints are always to render tithes to those who are "over you in the Lord", to men who by God's choice rule among the saints. A proud, government-despising spirit cannot humble itself to do that. It is distasteful to a rebellious man to confess, "You are over me in the Lord", by bringing tithes to a man of God because pride and stubbornness reign in his heart instead of Christ.

Those children of God who despise the government that God has instituted among His people will be the first to receive damnation, for "judgment begins at the house of God" (2Pet. 2:9-10). Having been washed of sins by the blood of Christ, believers are the most blessed of all people, and yet because of ingratitude and self-will, some of them are of all people most deserving of God's wrath.

When Abraham brought to Melchizedek the tithe of all that he had recovered from the slaughter of the kings (Gen. 14), he was making a confession that Melchizedek was higher up on the spiritual ladder than he. The author of Hebrews points this out by reminding his readers that Melchizedek blessed Abraham, not vice-versa, and "without all contradiction, the less is blessed by the better" (Heb. 7:7). My friends, if you are bringing your tithes and offerings to a man who is unable to bless you, then you are bringing them to the wrong person. If a man is not able to bless you with something from God, why would you even consider bringing God's tithes and offerings to him? Store up your tithes and offerings until you find a man who is close enough to God to be able to "bless you in the name of the Lord". Why would you do anything else with God's money?

Jesus said to render to Caesar (earthly government) the things that are Caesar's (taxes) and to God the things that are God's. One of the things that is God's is the tenth of all your increase with which He has blessed you, along with offerings that he demands. There has never been a government on earth so stupid that it would tolerate its citizens refusing to pay their taxes. Every earthly government understands that citizens who withhold their taxes are undermining the government itself. Those people are, in fact, enemies within the house, using finances instead of swords to bring down the government. No society on earth can have peace without having government, and no government on earth can exist without receiving taxes from its citizens.

Those in the assembly of saints who refuse to bring to God His tithes and offerings make themselves the enemies of His kingdom and government of God. If earthly governments are wise enough to recognize that rebellion against taxation is a threat to the safety of the nation, shouldn't we assume that God is wise enough to recognize that those who refuse to render tithes are a threat to the peace of His people?

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Covetousness and rebelliousness. These are the two principal unclean spirits that I have seen cause people to fail to bring to God what belongs to Him. If there is another reason that I have overlooked, it too, is evil. It is the will of God that His people bring to His tithes and offerings to His anointed servants, and whoever among the saints refuses to obey that commandment can only be following an ungodly spirit.

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