Numbers 7:1-7 - Tithes and Offerings
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Numbers 7:1-7
Numbers 7:1-7
1 On the day Moses finished setting up the tabernacle, he anointed and consecrated it and all its furnishings, along with the altar and all its utensils. After he anointed and consecrated these things, 2 the leaders of Israel, the heads of their ancestral families, presented an offering. They were the tribal leaders who supervised the registration. 3 They brought as their offering before the Lord six covered carts and twelve oxen, a cart from every two leaders and an ox from each one, and presented them in front of the tabernacle. 4 The Lord said to Moses, 5 “Accept these from them to be used in the work of the tent of meeting, and give this offering to the Levites, to each division according to their service.” 6 So Moses took the carts and oxen and gave them to the Levites. 7 He gave the Gershonites two carts and four oxen corresponding to their service,
Numbers 7 Describes the contributions that the 12 tribal chieftains bring to the tabernacle in honor of its consecration. We didn’t read all of it today because it it a repetitive number. 6 carts and 12 oxen for transporting its structural components (vv. 1–9); silver and gold vessels; and implements filled with flour, oil, or incense. These tribal leaders are first identified in 1:5–16. The majority of the chapter records what each tribe gave; tribe-by-tribe, they gave identical gifts (vv. 12–83). The leaders are listed in the order of the camp as described in 2:3–31. The chapter closes with a grand total of all goods donated and depicts Moses resuming his role as intermediary before Yahweh (vv. 84–89).
The Tabernacle was built almost a year after the exodus event From Egypt. This first part of Numbers is a theological presentation not a chronological one.
The Dedication ceremony recorded here took place one month prior to the military census of chapter 1.
On successive days a representative of one of 12 tribes presented the items required in the Israelite celebration.
3 types of offerings here
Whole Burnt - Lev 1:3-17
Sin offering - Lev 4:1–5:13
Fellowship/Peace offering - Lev 3:1-17
The tedious (to us) repetition of identical sets of gifts underscores the participation of each tribe in providing for the needs of the sanctuary with its various celebrations and commemorations. This was important to note as a statement of the tribes’ unity in the covenant with the Lord. The collective tribes contributed equally to the support of the priesthood, a pattern that is broken in the Korah rebellion of chaps. 16–17.
A Grateful Heart
A Grateful Heart
This was a spontaneous response of grateful hearts to the goodness and grace of God.
Do You give out of the grateful heart?
If not are you missing Gods Goodness and Grace that He is offering?
Where people are conscious of the blessing of God in their lives, they will give spontaneously—and keep on giving. Finance in the church is directly related to faith and consecration. An attitude of glad-hearted consecration on the part of the people of God will always provide a sufficiency, and indeed an abundance.
One thinks of the similar spirit of generosity shown in the giving for the construction of the tabernacle in Exodus 35, when the people’s response was so great that Moses was obliged to appeal to them to stay their hand (Ex. 36:6). It could hardly be said to be usual in our day for people to be restrained from giving! It is what the apostle Paul would call “abounding more and more” (1 Thess. 4:1, 10; cf. 2 Cor. 8:1–5).
Individually Noted By God
Individually Noted By God
The offerings were identical.
Each one is recorded separately and in detail.
This is done not merely to draw attention to the identity of the offerings but—far more important—to show that each one was noted individually by God.
When an earthly father receives gifts from his children he does not lump them together in a heap and say, you all very much.” Rather, he acknowledges them individually, one by one, expressing his personal pleasure and gratitude in personal terms.
How much more The Father up in Heaven
Do you feel ignored By God?
Tithes and Offerings
Tithes and Offerings
8 Will a human dare to rob God? Yet you are robbing me! And you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In the tithes and the contributions!
There is a truth in the Bible that Tithes and offerings are an essential part of our Christian life.
We should be giving.
Giving is an outward, material expression of a deep spiritual commitment.
7 Each one should give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or from compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
We Give out of the grateful heart
10 Bring the whole tithe to the storehouse, so that there will be food in my house, and test me please in this,” says Yahweh of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour forth for you an overflowing blessing.
A bad reason to give is to Get. But God does promise that if we give for the right reasons he will bless us.
You Can’t bribe God though.
We don’t give out of fear
We don’t give to impress others or even to impress God.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
We Give to give God our hearts
The treasure of God is more than just money. It is time and attention as well.
Some are great about tithing their money but not their time. Some are the opposite. and some just don’t give at all.
5 and not just as we had hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us, by the will of God.
That is why we begin by giving first ourselves to God. Giving begins first by surrendering to God.
When we give to God we because we has surrendered to him give freely. Tithing should always be a voluntary act.
How Much
How Much
Tithe means tenth
“There are several additional offerings described as the “tithes of your increase” in Deuteronomy. These were special offerings meant to care for the priests, the poor, the sick, and the elderly. It is not possible to come up with an amount, but I calculate these total “regular” gifts to be approximately 23 percent per year. That excludes nonregular gifts to meet specific needs.”
But Tithe means tenth
A family that finds itself unable to make a commitment of a tenth of its resources to God should realistically examine its spending and living habits. Perhaps that will require a critical examination of spiritual values as well. If more funds were needed for family conveniences, the average family would somehow find the means to buy what they wanted.
But I don’t get legalistic with it. We aren’t going to talk before taxes or after. I want you to give your heart. When you surrender to God Giving to his ministry is a natural outcome of it.
If you say I want to know where my money goes the church budget is on the board.
Make it easy. Pass plate, Text, Online, bucket in the back
Next Steps
Next Steps
Giving To God?
What is your excuse?
Bibliography
Bibliography
Barry, John D., Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, Michael S. Heiser, Miles Custis, Elliot Ritzema, Matthew M. Whitehead, Michael R. Grigoni, and David Bomar. Faithlife Study Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016.
Cole, R. Dennis. “Numbers.” Page 172 in CSB Apologetics Study Bible. Edited by Ted Cabal. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017.
Philip, James, and Lloyd J. Ogilvie. Numbers. Vol. 4. The Preacher’s Commentary Series. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1987.
Burkett, Larry. Giving and Tithing: Includes Serving and Stewardship. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 1998.