108 Offering and Tithes

Think about this: Christ loved us so much that he gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering to God.¹ He made the ultimate sacrifice for you on the cross, loving you to death and beyond. Even as time marches on, His love stays constant.

It's so important for you to grasp that the biggest sacrifice has already been made. But now, you get to be a pleasing offering to God, too. Let your service, your honor, and your giving be a delight to your Heavenly Father. Know that Jesus has given you everything, and anything you offer pales in comparison to His love.

Giving to God, supporting His work, it's an expression of love. Don't see it as a burden or an obligation, but as a response to God's love and Jesus' sacrifice. It's a way of saying "thank you" for everything Heaven has poured into your life.

¹Ephesians 5:2

and their sins and their lawlessnesses I will never remember any more.But where there is remission of these, there is no longer a sacrifice for sin.

Honour Jehovah with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase;

These words spoke he in the treasury, teaching in the temple; and no one took him, for his hour was not yet come.

Bring the whole tithe into the treasure-house, that there may be food in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith Jehovah of hosts, if I open not to you the windows of the heavens, and pour you out a blessing, till there be no place for it.

And Jesus says to him, See thou tell no man, but go, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses ordained, for a testimony to them.

and walk in love, even as the Christ loved us, and delivered himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.

His lord said to him, Well, good and faithful bondman, thou wast faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.And he also that had received the one talent coming to him said, My lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hadst not sowed, and gathering from where thou hadst not scattered,

each according as he is purposed in his heart; not grievingly, or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

And Jesus, having sat down opposite the treasury, saw how the crowd was casting money into the treasury; and many rich cast in much.And a poor widow came and cast in two mites, which is a farthing.And having called his disciples to him he said to them, Verily I say unto you, This poor widow has cast in more than all who have cast into the treasury:for all have cast in of that which they had in abundance, but she of her destitution has cast in all that she had, the whole of her living.

And as to every tithe of the land, of the seed of the land, and of the fruit of the tree, it is Jehovah's: it is holy to Jehovah.

But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation is of Jehovah.

who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all lawlessness, and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous for good works.

He who, yea, has not spared his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him grant us all things?

each shall give according to that which is in his power to give, according to the blessing of Jehovah thy God which he hath given thee.

for where thy treasure is, there will be also thy heart.

Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall be given into your bosom: for with the same measure with which ye mete it shall be measured to you again.

For if the readiness be there, a man is accepted according to what he may have, not according to what he has not.

Take from among you a heave-offering to Jehovah: every one whose heart is willing, let him bring it, Jehovah's heave-offering — gold, and silver, and copper,

Give unto Jehovah the glory of his name; bring an oblation and come into his courts;

But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer willingly after this manner? for all is of thee, and of that which is from thy hand have we given thee.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the compassions of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your intelligent service.

But of doing good and communicating of your substance be not forgetful, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, the produce of the field, year by year.And thou shalt eat before Jehovah thy God in the place which he will choose to cause his name to dwell there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy new wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear Jehovah thy God continually.

On the first of the week let each of you put by at home, laying up in whatever degree he may have prospered, that there may be no collections when I come.

And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the Most High ·God possessor of heavens and earth.that they made war with Bera the king of Sodom, and with Birsha the king of Gomorrah, Shinab the king of Admah, and Shemeber the king of Zeboim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.And blessed be the Most High ·God who has delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him the tenth of all.

It is well with the man that is gracious and lendeth; he will sustain his cause in judgment.

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is right, but it tendeth only to want.The liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye pay tithes of mint and anise and cummin, and ye have left aside the weightier matters of the law, judgment and mercy and faith: these ye ought to have done and not have left those aside.

Offer unto God thanksgiving, and perform thy vows unto the Most High;

And he looked up and saw the rich casting their gifts into the treasury;Then he said to them, Nation shall rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom;there shall be both great earthquakes in different places, and famines and pestilences; and there shall be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.But before all these things they shall lay their hands upon you and persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors on account of my name;but it shall turn out to you for a testimony.Settle therefore in your hearts not to meditate beforehand your defence,for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your opposers shall not be able to reply to or resist.But ye will be delivered up even by parents and brethren and relations and friends, and they shall put to death some from among you,and ye will be hated of all for my name's sake.And a hair of your head shall in no wise perish.By your patient endurance gain your souls.but he saw also a certain poor widow casting therein two mites.But when ye see Jerusalem encompassed with armies, then know that its desolation is drawn nigh.Then let those who are in Judaea flee to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of it depart out, and those who are in the country not enter into it;for these are days of avenging, that all the things that are written may be accomplished.But woe to them that are with child and to them who give suck in those days, for there shall be great distress upon the land and wrath upon this people.And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the nations until the times of the nations be fulfilled.And there shall be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roar of the sea and rolling waves,men ready to die through fear and expectation of what is coming on the habitable earth, for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.But when these things begin to come to pass, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws nigh.And he spoke a parable to them: Behold the fig-tree and all the trees;And he said, Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow has cast in more than all;when they already sprout, ye know of your own selves, on looking at them, that already the summer is near.So also ye, when ye see these things take place, know that the kingdom of God is near.Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall in no wise pass away until all come to pass.The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but my words shall in no wise pass away.But take heed to yourselves lest possibly your hearts be laden with surfeiting and drinking and cares of life, and that day come upon you suddenly unawares;for as a snare shall it come upon all them that dwell upon the face of the whole earth.Watch therefore, praying at every season, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things which are about to come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.And by day he was teaching in the temple, and by night, going out, he remained abroad on the mountain called the mount of Olives;and all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple to hear him.for all these out of their abundance have cast into the gifts of God; but she out of her need has cast in all the living which she had.

and brought in the heave-offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully; and over these Cononiah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was second.

Offer sacrifices of righteousness, and confide in Jehovah.

He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed, for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

I have shewed you all things, that thus labouring we ought to come in aid of the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

But I have all things in full supply and abound; I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things sent from you, an odour of sweet savour, an acceptable sacrifice, agreeable to God.

They that sow in tears shall reap with rejoicing:

And whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

Is not this the fast which I have chosen: to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the thongs of the yoke, and to send forth free the crushed, and that ye break every yoke?Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring to thy house the needy wanderers; when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thy hand to do it.Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give, when thou hast it by thee.

Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teaches in all good things.

What shall I render unto Jehovah, for all his benefits toward me?

Enjoin on those rich in the present age not to be high-minded, nor to trust on the uncertainty of riches; but in the God who affords us all things richly for our enjoyment;to do good, to be rich in good works, to be liberal in distributing, disposed to communicate of their substance,laying by for themselves a good foundation for the future, that they may lay hold of what is really life.

Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me a heave-offering: of every one whose heart prompteth him, ye shall take my heave-offering.

And it shall be when thou comest into the land that Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein,And now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruits of the land, which thou, Jehovah, hast given me. And thou shalt set it down before Jehovah thy God and worship before Jehovah thy GodAnd thou shalt rejoice in all the good that Jehovah thy God hath given to thee, and to thy house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is in thy midst. When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thy produce in the third year, the year of tithing, thou shalt give it to the Levite, to the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, that they may eat in thy gates, and be filled;and thou shalt say before Jehovah thy God I have brought away the hallowed things out of the house, and also have given them to the Levite, and to the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandment which thou hast commanded me; I have not transgressed nor forgotten any of thy commandments:I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I brought away thereof in uncleanness, nor given thereof for a dead person; I have hearkened to the voice of Jehovah my God I have done according to all that thou hast commanded me.Look down from thy holy habitation, from the heavens, and bless thy people Israel, and the land that thou hast given us as thou didst swear unto our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey!This day Jehovah thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and ordinances; and thou shalt keep and do them with all thy heart and with all thy soul.Thou hast this day accepted Jehovah to be thy God and to walk in his ways, and keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his ordinances, and to hearken unto his voice;and Jehovah hath accepted thee this day to be a people of possession to him, as he hath told thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments,so that he should make thee high above all the nations which he hath made, in praise and in name and in honour; and that thou shouldest be a holy people to Jehovah thy God as he hath said.that thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which thou shalt bring of thy land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place that Jehovah thy God will choose to cause his name to dwell there;

For this Melchisedec, King of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from smiting the kings, and blessed him;For he was yet in the loins of his father when Melchisedec met him.If indeed then perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, for the people had their law given to them in connexion with it, what need was there still that a different priest should arise according to the order of Melchisedec, and not be named after the order of Aaron?For, the priesthood being changed, there takes place of necessity a change of law also.For he, of whom these things are said, belongs to a different tribe, of which no one has ever been attached to the service of the altar.For it is clear that our Lord has sprung out of Juda, as to which tribe Moses spake nothing as to priests.And it is yet more abundantly evident, since a different priest arises according to the similitude of Melchisedec,who has been constituted not according to law of fleshly commandment, but according to power of indissoluble life.For it is borne witness, Thou art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedec.For there is a setting aside of the commandment going before for its weakness and unprofitableness,(for the law perfected nothing,) and the introduction of a better hope by which we draw nigh to God.to whom Abraham gave also the tenth portion of all; first being interpreted King of righteousness, and then also King of Salem, which is King of peace;

He coveteth greedily all the day long; but the righteous giveth and spareth not.

Whatsoever Jehovah pleased, he hath done in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all deeps;Who causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; who maketh lightnings for the rain; who bringeth the wind out of his treasuries:

Let your light thus shine before men, so that they may see your upright works, and glorify your Father who is in the heavens.

But God is able to make every gracious gift abound towards you, that, having in every way always all-sufficiency, ye may abound to every good work:

But thou shalt remember Jehovah thy God that it is he who giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he swore unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

And I know, my God that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart have I willingly offered all these things; and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, offer willingly to thee.

The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again; but the righteous is gracious and giveth:

Sell what ye possess and give alms; make to yourselves purses which do not grow old, a treasure which does not fail in the heavens, where thief does not draw near nor moth destroy.For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may have glory from men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust spoils, and where thieves do not dig through nor steal;for where thy treasure is, there will be also thy heart.The lamp of the body is the eye; if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body will be light:but if thine eye be wicked, thy whole body will be dark. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great the darkness!No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and will love the other, or he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.For this cause I say unto you, Do not be careful about your life, what ye should eat and what ye should drink; nor for your body what ye should put on. Is not the life more than food, and the body than raiment?Look at the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, nor reap, nor gather into granaries, and your heavenly Father nourishes them. Are ye not much more excellent than they?But which of you by carefulness can add to his growth one cubit?And why are ye careful about clothing? Observe with attention the lilies of the field, how they grow: they toil not, neither do they spin;but I say unto you, that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed as one of these.But thou, when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand does;But if God so clothe the herbage of the field, which is to-day, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, will he not much rather you, O ye of little faith?Be not therefore careful, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we put on?for all these things the nations seek after; for your heavenly Father knows that ye have need of all these things.But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.Be not careful therefore for the morrow, for the morrow shall be careful about itself. Sufficient to the day is its own evil.so that thine alms may be in secret, and thy Father who sees in secret will render it to thee.

Treasures of wickedness profit nothing; but righteousness delivereth from death.

And this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house; and of all that thou wilt give me I will without fail give the tenth to thee.

for Macedonia and Achaia have been well pleased to make a certain contribution for the poor of the saints who are in Jerusalem.

Then Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed through the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the heave-offering of the sanctuary! So the people were restrained from bringing;for the work they had was sufficient for all the work to do it, and it was too much.

I will freely sacrifice unto thee; I will praise thy name, O Jehovah, because it is good.

But the noble deviseth noble things; and to noble things doth he stand.

Do ye not know that they who labour at sacred things eat of the offerings offered in the temple; they that attend at the altar partake with the altar?So also the Lord has ordained to those that announce the glad tidings to live of the glad tidings.

Who giveth to the cattle their food, to the young ravens which cry.

Jesus said to him, If thou wouldest be perfect, go, sell what thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.

And in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to Jehovah.And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of their fat. And Jehovah looked upon Abel, and on his offering;and upon Cain, and on his offering, he did not look. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

Give unto Jehovah, ye families of peoples, give unto Jehovah glory and strength;Give unto Jehovah the glory of his name; bring an oblation and come into his courts;

Give unto Jehovah the glory of his name; worship Jehovah in holy splendour.

He goeth forth and weepeth, bearing seed for scattering; he cometh again with rejoicing, bearing his sheaves.

He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually to God, that is, the fruit of the lips confessing his name.

— The first of the first-fruits of thy land shalt thou bring into the house of Jehovah thy God Thou shalt not boil a kid in its mother's milk.

Let the elders who take the lead among the saints well be esteemed worthy of double honour, specially those labouring in word and teaching;for the scripture says, Thou shalt not muzzle an ox that treadeth out corn, and, The workman is worthy of his hire.

Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the bread of my daily need:lest I be full and deny thee, and say, Who is Jehovah? or lest I be poor and steal, and outrage the name of my God

all the day he is gracious and lendeth, and his seed shall be a blessing.

And the King answering shall say to them, Verily, I say to you, Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it to me.

And know also ye, O Philippians, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I came out of Macedonia, no assembly communicated anything to me in the way of giving and receiving save ye alone;for also in Thessalonica once and even twice ye sent to me for my need.

Jehovah is my shepherd; I shall not want.He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside still waters.

He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack; but he that withdraweth his eyes shall have many a curse.

And moreover, in my affection for the house of my God I have given of my own property of gold and silver, for the house of my God over and above all that I have prepared for the house of the sanctuary:

distributing to the necessities of the saints; given to hospitality.

and thou proffer thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul: then shall thy light rise in the darkness, and thine obscurity be as midday;

Blessed is he that understandeth the poor: Jehovah will deliver him in the day of evil.But thou, Jehovah, be gracious unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.By this I know that thou delightest in me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.But as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever.Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, from eternity to eternity! Amen, and Amen.Jehovah will preserve him, and keep him alive; he shall be made happy in the land; and thou wilt not deliver him to the will of his enemies.

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust spoils, and where thieves dig through and steal;When therefore thou doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may have glory from men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust spoils, and where thieves do not dig through nor steal;for where thy treasure is, there will be also thy heart.

Thou shalt bountifully give unto him, and thy heart shall not be evil-disposed when thou givest unto him; because for this thing Jehovah thy God will bless thee in all thy works, and in all the business of thy hand.

The blessing of Jehovah, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow to it.

He scattereth abroad, he giveth to the needy; his righteousness abideth for ever: his horn shall be exalted with honour.

But we make known to you, brethren, the grace of God bestowed in the assemblies of Macedonia;And I give my opinion in this, for this is profitable for you who began before, not only to do, but also to be willing, a year ago.But now also complete the doing of it; so that as there was the readiness to be willing, so also to complete out of what ye have.For if the readiness be there, a man is accepted according to what he may have, not according to what he has not.For it is not in order that there may be ease for others, and for you distress,but on the principle of equality; in the present time your abundance for their lack, that their abundance may be for your lack, so that there should be equality.According as it is written, He who gathered much had no excess, and he who gathered little was nothing short.But thanks be to God, who gives the same diligent zeal for you in the heart of Titus.For he received indeed the entreaty, but, being full of zeal, he went of his own accord to you;but we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the glad tidings through all the assemblies;and not only so, but is also chosen by the assemblies as our fellow-traveller with this grace, ministered by us to the glory of the Lord himself, and a witness of our readiness;that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty has abounded to the riches of their free-hearted liberality.avoiding this, that any one should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us;for we provide for things honest, not only before the Lord, but also before men.And we have sent with them our brother whom we have often proved to be of diligent zeal in many things, and now more diligently zealous through the great confidence he has as to you.Whether as regards Titus, he is my companion and fellow-labourer in your behalf; or our brethren, they are deputed messengers of assemblies, Christ's glory.Shew therefore to them, before the assemblies, the proof of your love, and of our boasting about you.For according to their power, I bear witness, and beyond their power, they were willing of their own accord,begging of us with much entreaty to give effect to the grace and fellowship of the service which was to be rendered to the saints.And not according as we hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord, and to us by God's will.

And blessed be the Most High ·God who has delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him the tenth of all.

And the people rejoiced because they offered willingly, for with perfect heart they offered willingly to Jehovah; and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.

and delight thyself in Jehovah, and he will give thee the desires of thy heart.

or he that exhorts, in exhortation; he that gives, in simplicity; he that leads, with diligence; he that shews mercy, with cheerfulness.

To him that asks of thee give, and from him that desires to borrow of thee turn not away.

Who executeth judgment for the oppressed, who giveth bread to the hungry. Jehovah looseth the prisoners;

only that we should remember the poor, which same thing also I was diligent to do.

And when I am arrived, whomsoever ye shall approve, these I will send with letters to carry your bounty to Jerusalem:and if it be suitable that I also should go, they shall go with me.

because of your fellowship with the gospel, from the first day until now;

He that is gracious to the poor lendeth unto Jehovah; and what he hath bestowed will he repay unto him.

enriched in every way unto all free-hearted liberality, which works through us thanksgiving to God.

That thou givest unto them, they gather; thou openest thy hand, they are filled with good.

And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance for ever.

If therefore ye, being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much rather shall your Father who is in the heavens give good things to them that ask of him?

as to brotherly love, kindly affectioned towards one another: as to honour, each taking the lead in paying it to the other:

Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee: he will never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Be not deceived: God is not mocked; for whatever a man shall sow, that also shall he reap.

to do good, to be rich in good works, to be liberal in distributing, disposed to communicate of their substance,

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust; from the dung-hill he lifteth up the needy,To set him among nobles, among the nobles of his people.

Now consider how great this personage was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth out of the spoils.

Prayer