Worship In Giving Part 1
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Introduction
Introduction
Greetings...
As most of you are aware we have been examining lessons based on the theme “Fundamentals.”
In other words those things we must understand before we can “move on to solid food” ().
Most recently we have been looking at “worshiping God” as we should in “spirit and truth” ().
We have examined God’s expectation of us in worship concerning prayer.
We have looked at God’s expectation of our worship in song.
Today we are going to begin looking at “Worship In Giving.”
As you can see from your handout, if you have one, we are going to look at “worshiping in giving” first from God’s perspective in the Old Testament.
With this in mind let’s begin our study for this morning.
Why Study The Old For The New?
Why Study The Old For The New?
Over the years I have been asked this question.
Over the years I have been asked this question.
As we will clearly see in tonight’s lesson, we are not under the Patriarchal Law or the Law of Moses so why would we go to the O.T. to make points relating to the N.T.?
Why would God tell us to go to the O.T. and learn from it if we aren’t under it?
4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.
Our lesson this morning is the perfect case study for this.
A Christian simply cannot understand “worship in giving” fully today without first understanding giving in the past and God’s “mind” on the subject throughout time.
Yes we are given instruction about giving today, but the instructions in the New Testament “assume” you have studied the Old Testament on the subject and know it.
Tithing In The Old Testament
Tithing In The Old Testament
Tithing during the Patriarchal Law.
Tithing during the Patriarchal Law.
The first mention of tithing is in where we find Abram giving a tithe to Melchizedek.
In the N.T. the Hebrew writer would use this to point out that tithing represented the concept of “lesser to greater.”
6 But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior.
The second mention of tithing is found after Jacob’s Ladder () wherein we see Jacob creating an altar for worship to God and dedicated a “tithe” or “tenth” of all God gave him back to God.
This is the first time we find tithing and worship to God connected and it is after a dream meant to reinforce the “promise to Abraham and his decedents.”
So we have tithing connected to the promise of Christ.
Tithing during the Law of Moses.
Tithing during the Law of Moses.
There are so many “principles of giving to God” that we find in this great law.
In the book of Numbers we find two concepts.
We find the concept of using tithes as a way of supporting God’s workers.
21 “To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service that they do, their service in the tent of meeting,
We also find the concept of “those supported by tithes” giving a tithe back.
26 “Moreover, you shall speak and say to the Levites, ‘When you take from the people of Israel the tithe that I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall present a contribution from it to the Lord, a tithe of the tithe.
Num 18:
28 So you shall also present a contribution to the Lord from all your tithes, which you receive from the people of Israel. And from it you shall give the Lord’s contribution to Aaron the priest.
In the book of Leviticus we find important information.
We learn that tithing was not limited to “the best” but the first.
30 “Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord.
Lv 27:33
33 One shall not differentiate between good or bad, neither shall he make a substitute for it; and if he does substitute for it, then both it and the substitute shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.”
32 And every tithe of herds and flocks, every tenth animal of all that pass under the herdsman’s staff, shall be holy to the Lord.
Lv 27:
We also learn that tithing was based on the physical blessings of God that could be “gained from” i.e. broken down into tithes.
30 “Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord.
32 And every tithe of herds and flocks, every tenth animal of all that pass under the herdsman’s staff, shall be holy to the Lord.
Lv
It the book of Deuteronomy we find important information.
We learn that God determines when and where the tithe is to be offered.
11 then to the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name dwell there, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution that you present, and all your finest vow offerings that you vow to the Lord.
Deut 12:
We learn that the tithe was meant to be used to help the less fortunate.
Deut 14:
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.
We learn that the tithe was meant to make you reflect on God’s mercy and rejoice.
Deut 26:
10 And behold, now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, O Lord, have given me.’ And you shall set it down before the Lord your God and worship before the Lord your God. 11 And you shall rejoice in all the good that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the sojourner who is among you.
We learn that the tithe was meant to please God that He may give more abundantly to those that gave according to the Word.
14 I have not eaten of the tithe while I was mourning, or removed any of it while I was unclean, or offered any of it to the dead. I have obeyed the voice of the Lord my God. I have done according to all that you have commanded me. 15 Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel and the ground that you have given us, as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.’
Deut 26:
As you can see there are many great things we are expected to learn and thus know about God concerning “worship in giving” from the Old Law and it’s these principles that help us better understand giving under the Law of Christ.
Conclusion
Conclusion
There’s a reason why the Old Testament is quoted so much in the New Testament.
It was to instruct and teach based on principles that could and should be carried over by us today.
Let me be clear, worshiping God in spirit and truth cannot be fully grasped without having a thorough understanding of our God from the Old Testament.
God is merciful and judges rightly based on maturity but for those that “ought to be teachers” by now He expects us to worship Him based on a full understanding of the Word.
Remember the words of God concerning “all Scripture...”
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Though our giving is based on the authority found in the Law of Christ, that authority is based on an understanding of the principles that foreshadowed the New Law.
Next week when we examine the authority for giving let us not forget the beautiful principles of this lesson.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.