Deuteronomy 26

This book is now starting to trend away from laws and back toward rules concerning offerings and tithes. We have a reiteration here of the command to bring the firstfruits of all the produce and livestock raised in the promised land to the Lord, as well as a reminder that the third year (of each seven year sequence, if I remember correctly) was to be donated to the poor and the Levites.

The chapter ends with a call to remember the Lord, and what He has commanded the Israelites. I suspect this marks a transition back to historical narrative, but we'll have to see tomorrow.

Numbers 18

This chapter covered the use of all kinds of offerings made to the Lord as the sustenance of the Levites, the priests of Israel. It is very similar to how tithing works in churches today - we give a portion of what we make so that the pastor and other church staff can be paid, and so that the facilities can be maintained. It is quite a logical setup, and when done correctly it scales quite well: with more people, more ministers are needed and larger buildings... but more money is also provided. I imagine the same was true in Israel: as the community as a whole grew, so would the Levite population and the amount of offerings that they were given as their portion.

One other interesting thing to note here is that the Levites were not to have any other part of the inheritance with their brothers. I wonder if that meant they could not own land at all, or if it just meant that when the time of the Year of Jubilee rolled around they had no "native" lands of their own.

Exodus 35

The neatest thing about the gathering of goods God arranged for His tabernacle is that it was all voluntary: the text repeats in many places that only those who felt it appropriate gave donations, and that was what Moses relayed as God's instructions. How many other ancient religions do you suppose made giving to their gods optional? Even today, groups and cults like Scientology basically require giving of their members - but every church I've gone to portrays tithing as optional. Mind you, in that case God does command it (both in the old and new testaments); the difference, though, is that no one but you and God know how much or how little you give in church. You won't get kicked out of any real Christian church for not giving, though you may find that God will bless you tenfold for donations that come from the heart.

Genesis 14

Ah, the first account of war in the Bible! Those who know me well will remember that I am a student of the art of war, and though not many details are given here there are a couple of things I find interesting. The main observation, though, is that an army of four allied kings, which had just gone on quite a campaign of conquest throughout the region and defeated five kings arrayed against them at Siddim, was routed by Abram with his 318 trained men and a few allies. That seems quite a feat, though of course Abram had God on his side. I wonder what sort of troop numbers there were involved - and did Abram defeat the entire enemy army or was just a section of it guarding the captured people and goods?

The other neat thing in this section is the appearance of Melchizedek, who is described as the king of Salem and a priest of the Lord. Abram's gift of "a tenth of all" (NAS) to this priest-king is the first example of tithing I know of. He is made mention of again in the New Testament, when it is said that Jesus was "a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" (NAS). What does that make Melchizedek? I seem to recall in high school Bible classes that he was a "type" of Christ - not an incarnation of Him, but an example of what Christ's leadership would be like. His place of kingship is also interesting, as Salem seems to be identified with the city we now know as Jerusalem! Even in the most ancient of times it seems that place was a center for worship, as it should still be today (and will be in the end times).

This chapter in:
New America Standard, New King James, New International