DEVOTION: May Be You Have Never Looked At It From This Perspective!
One of the joys of studying God’s Word is the realization that you will never be able to exhaust it. No matter how many years and how many times you have read the Bible, you will always find something new. There is always something new to learn. Part of this is because it depends on the revelation and teaching of the Holy Spirit. He teaches us according to what our spiritual needs are for the day.
As I was studying yesterday about tithes, I found a description of tithes that I had never seen before. I know I have read this passage several times, at least no less than 20 times, yet I never saw it. Interesting! Read for yourself this description.
A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.Leviticus 27:30
Did you see how this tithe is described in this passage? It is holy to the Lord. In other words, the tithe has already been set aside and consecrated to the Lord whether you give to Him or not; it is a holy thing. If you do not know how dangerous it is to mess with a holy thing of the Lord, read the story of Achan in Joshua 7.
In this story, Achan steals what is dedicated to the Lord. Like the tithes, it had not been brought into the house of the Lord. But the Lord had already given instructions that it should be set aside for His house. Just as He has given instructions to us that 10% of what we own or earn belongs to Him.
The consequence of Achan’s sin cost Israel 36 soldiers and eventually cost Achan his life; His family and all that belonged to him were burned in a fire.
One thing is clear from this passage, “Thou shall not mess with the holy things of the Lord”. It is dangerous!
So if you are not giving your tithes, guess what you are doing to yourself?
May be you have never looked at tithes from this perspective. I believe now you agree that looking at it from this perspective changes everything else you ever thought about tithes.
APPLICATION:
1. Now that you know this, how will this change how you give your tithes?
2. This lesson reminds me of the story of the Ark of God in the Philistine’s hands. Read this story in its entirety so you can get the full impact of this lesson. It is only 12 verses.
After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon. 3 When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4 But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained. 5 That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.
6 The Lord’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation on them and afflicted them with tumors.[a] 7 When the people of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is heavy on us and on Dagon our god.” 8 So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked them, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?”
They answered, “Have the ark of the God of Israel moved to Gath.” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.
9 But after they had moved it, the Lord’s hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.[b] 10 So they sent the ark of God to Ekron.
As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel around to us to kill us and our people.” 11 So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send the ark of the God of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it[c] will kill us and our people.” For death had filled the city with panic; God’s hand was very heavy on it. 12 Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven. I Samuel 5:1-12
3. What are some of the lessons, you have learned from this story?
4. How has this lesson impacted your life today?
A tithe of everything from the land,
Whether grain from the soil
Or fruit from the trees,
Belongs to the Lord;
It is holy to
The Lord.
Leviticus 27:30
Now
MAY BE YOU HAVE NEVER LOOKED AT IT FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE!
By Pastor Shadrack Ruto
DEVOTION: May Be You Have Never Looked At It From This Perspective!
