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Deuteronomy 14 (ESV)
22 “You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year. 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. 24 And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, when the Lord your God blesses you, because the place is too far from you, which the Lord your God chooses, to set his name there, 25 then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand and go to the place that the Lord your God chooses 26 and spend the money for whatever you desire—oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your household. 27 And you shall not neglect the Levite who is within your towns, for he has no portion or inheritance with you.
28 “At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your towns. 29 And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.
REFLECTION:
As already described, Deuteronomy is a covenant renewal, reaffirming the relationship between the Great King, Yahweh, and his servant people, Israel. Here we see that the people are to bring tribute to their King. This tithe, or a tenth of the yield (or its monetary equivalent), was to be used in the worship of God, and every third year the tithe was to be used for the support of those who were not able to work the fields themselves (Levites, whom God set apart for special service to him, widows, orphans, and resident aliens). Although the NT might not have specific instructions on tithing, we ought to remember that Jesus did not simply “tithe” his life for us, but rather gave it all. As Tim Keller says, “tithing is a minimum standard for Christian believers. We certainly wouldn’t want to be in a position of giving away less of our income than those who had so much less of an understanding of what God did to save them” (Counterfeit Gods, 62).
PRAYER:
Merciful Heavenly Father, thank You for teaching me through today’s scripture how to give my possessions. You said that I should tithe all of my possessions to You, and You will open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings that will overflow my cup. Merciful Heavenly Father, You are an abundant God who lacks nothing, and You do not need earthly possessions. How much more are You like a human father who asks his child for a toy, which the child regards as a precious possession? What use is this toy to the father? I know that You do this to cultivate an unselfish giving heart in Your child, to teach Your child Your great love, so that the child’s life can continue to grow and mature into a person who can bring you joy. Heavenly Father, I understand that Your grace and love are all in Your earnest expectation of Your children’s growth. I am willing to follow Your teachings and repay Your love by tithing all of my possessions to You, for I understand that my life is created by You, my path is led by You, and everything I have is given by You. Amen!
HYMN:
All To Jesus I Surrender – youtu.be/SW8EA7DEQ2M
