Steadfast, Immovable, Abounding

Understanding the concept of tithing has seemingly been a long journey for me. Granted, I have hopefully come a long way since I was five (and believed that our tithes were placed in the coffins of departed church members, where they would be carried to heaven). But even once this belief was shattered, and I learned that pastors have a salary and church bills must be paid, there was a lot that I didn’t fully get about this ten percent we give to the Lord. Lately though, He has been showing me so much that I am excited to share with you all.

            In Revelation 14, the Apostle John describes the song of the one hundred and forty-four thousand believers from the people of Israel—twelve thousand from each tribe. He says in verses 3-4: “And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth. These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.” As I was studying this passage, it stood out to me that these consecrated people are not described as giving their “first fruits”. No, the passage says they are first fruits to God.

            The concept of “first fruits” is originally discussed in Deuteronomy 26, where God commands the newly freed Israelites to give a portion of the first and best of all their produce in service to the Lord. This sacrifice was an act of trust that God would provide for every need and a proclamation that all good things come from Him and ultimately belong to Him. While we are still called to give back a portion of God’s blessings to Him for the furthering of His Church (see 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13), this is not the complete new covenant fulfillment of the old covenant command. If we allow ourselves to be satisfied with simply giving our ten percent faithfully, we are missing out on the full grace of our adoption.

            The point of the giving of the first fruits is that a portion of the amount produced was to be holy and set apart for service to God. It was not to be used for the same purposes as other ordinary things. So for the one hundred and forty-four thousand Israelite believers – and through the “grafting in” of the gentiles, the Church as well – to be described as first fruits, means the same purpose applies to us. We aren’t to just give our first fruits, we are to be first fruits. We are to be holy, set apart, consecrated sons and daughters of the Most High, no longer meant for the ordinary, but called for the extraordinary. As James describes, “In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures” (James 1:18). In one sense, we are the tithe of the earth—the people who have responded in faith to Christ’s urge for all peoples to come and be cleansed.

            What’s extra exciting is that the new covenant fulfillment doesn’t stop there. Back in Deuteronomy, the Lord continues His command to give first fruits: “You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him, ‘I declare this day to the Lord my God that I have entered the land which the Lord swore to our fathers to give us.’ Then the priest shall take the basket from your hand and set it down before the altar of the Lord your God.” During the time of the Levitical priesthood, an ordinary Hebrew could not give his offering directly to the Lord. It must be presented first to the priest, who would in turn offer it to God.

            The same applies today—but who is now our great High Priest? Who is our Intercessor? Who is our holiness and our defense before the perfect justice of God? Christ, and Christ alone—our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, glorious Lord, and coming King.

            Hebrews 7:26-27 says, “For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; and does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.” Under old covenant theology, we must present our possessions, through the mediation of a human priest, for service to God. Under the new covenant, we are called to offer our very selves, through the perfect priesthood of Christ, to a God who has invited us to call Him “Father.”

            So next time you slip some amount into the offering plate, let your heart turn towards gratitude. God doesn’t just want your ten percent, He wants you. You are chosen to be a part of His story. You are no ordinary creation. You are called for something greater.

Would I gladly be made nothing

That Christ would be made more?

Would I seek the only kingdom

That far outweighs them all?

I will stand before my Father,

Where the faithful saints have stood.

And with joy, my heart shall praise Him,

For His glory and my good.

CityAlight