1 Chronicles 29: 9 "Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered freely to the LORD."
That is a beautiful statement written in God's Word. The reality of offering to God willingly is throughout the Old Testament. When Moses was commanded to build the sanctuary in Exodus 25, the LORD commanded an offering be brought to Him "from everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering." After the defeat of Jabin, king of Canaan, in Judges 4&5, Deborah praised The LORD for "the people willingly offering themselves." Look up the words "willingly offered," and you will find that most passages in Scripture are about people's hearts toward the LORD. The people understood as David said in 1 Chronicle 29:14, "but who am I and who are my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, and of Your own, we have given You." David summarizes a heart that offers to God willingly. It is one that understands nothing is his or her own, and all is God's.
Unfortunately, today many Pastors attempt to compel members of their fellowships to give. That is probably one of the top five complaints about the institutional church today. Tithing is held over the head of people like an anchor resting in the hull of a vessel waiting to be dropped. And if they'd only understand that tithing in the New Covenant is unnecessary. However, people use Malachi and even Jesus' Words concerning the Pharisees, "you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices... But you have neglected the more important matters of the law - justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former." The Pharisees were commanded to pay the tithe tax because the Temple still existed, and they were still under the Old Covenant. The Levites also continued caring for it and needed themselves to be cared for. In Deuteronomy 18:1-2, the Levites were not provided land as an inheritance. They were to "eat the LORD's food offerings as their inheritance." They were given cities within the other tribes' territory. They were chosen to oversee the worship of Israel as a Nation. The priests were provided for through the services God assigned them. In Numbers 18, the tithe went to the Levites and was given for the work they provided. Once Jesus came to earth, died, and put an end to this system spiritually, it was coming to a physical end that he warned them about. In AD 70, through the destruction of the Temple, this system was physically put to rest. The Old Covenant tithe was for the care of something and someone specific.
The offering of yourself and your stuff was always the plan and continued through the New Testament and is what God wants today. All of us, and nothing is left to ourselves. A slave owns nothing and understands anything in their possession is on loan from the Savior. We get to hold on to some of it. That is a privilege. As the Master asks for His possessions, we give cheerfully and willingly.
Let's begin by examining David's words of worship again, "For all things come from You, and of Your own, we have given You." David, now king of Israel, is about to die and is setting up the material for his son Solomon to build the Temple. This was not the same one that existed when Jesus walked the earth. A command can still precede the need to offer willingly to God. There is a need, and those willing to help is where the need gets fulfilled. God's needs among men, where He tests our hearts towards Him, will always have hearts willing to offer whatever is needed cheerfully. The coerced and manipulated may also fulfill the need, but which do you think God honors? And each has its own reward.
We see willing giving to the LORD while Moses led the people. When they departed from Egypt, the people were given treasures from the Egyptian people. This was not for them to prosper personally. It would be the treasures God would require from them to build a holy place later; God's presence would dwell with them. What they had to give was understood not to be theirs. They gave over and above what was needed; God freely poured into them, and they returned what He gave. Exodus 35:1-10, not only did the people give of the goods they had but also of their talents. "Everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work of the tent of meeting." There was no coercion, and it was offered willingly.
Of course, we see the willingness to give for David to prepare all that was necessary for the Temple that Solomon was to build. The book of Ezra speaks of those who willingly gave to rebuild the Temple. The idea of giving to The Lord fills the pages of Scripture, and doing that willingly is key. In Nehemiah 10:35, the Temple was completed, and the need to care for the Levites and the Temple was necessary. This was separate from the freely offered gifts to build the Temple. This now, the tithe was for the continued care of the newly built Temple. "And we made ordinances to bring the firstfruits of our ground and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, to the house of the LORD... 38 And the priest, the descendant of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive the tithes... 39b and we will not neglect the house of our God." Even this came with a willing heart. This was the Temple that would be around during Jesus' time on earth.
Sadly, in most places of worship, none of this is taught. We hear about tithing, which can be debated, but I stand on the fact that it is not a New Testament command. There is no Temple and no Priest or Levites to care for. The modern church is more like the synagogues the Jews met to hear the reading of the word, more so than being on balance with The Old Covenant Temple prior to its destruction in AD 70. This is not a debate over tithes; it's a reminder that God desires willing and cheerful givers for His Kingdom's work on the earth, 2 Corinthians 9:6-7.
There was always an ask for giving to be the test of the heart. There is nowhere in Scripture where there needed to be manipulation. God's people give. God's people give willingly and freely. Those with plenty are reminded "not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. Be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share" 1 Timothy 6:17-19. If our hearts are free from the love of money and we remain, content giving becomes an easy way to show God our faith is genuine. The love of money becomes a test we find ourselves moving far from as we give freely. There are always traps where money is concerned. If we take David's understanding that all of it belongs to God and we give of what is His, we stay humble in our relationship with money.
With all God's Word says about offering and giving back to Him willingly, it's so sad the pressure so many churches with a small "c" do to manipulate the attendees in order for them to give. I know there are buildings to maintain, salaries to pay, and programs to finance, but perhaps that was never how it was supposed to be. Is it possible that we are doing things so far from what was outlined in Scripture that faith is no longer where we can leave giving? Knowing God will supply every need is supposed to be the heart of God's people. He provided for the tabernacle, then the temple, then the rebuilt temple. Yes, he commanded those willing to give. And none of the places His presence dwelt went without the needed finances to be built or maintained. To add to this, people gave over and above what was needed each time. People had to be told not to give anymore. Why isn't that happening today?
If those checks need to go out every two weeks so that the pressure of the tithe and the manipulation of giving has superseded allowing the heart of God's people to give cheerfully and willingly, something unbiblical has perniciously crept into the buildings we worship in. I don't think cheerful givers have disappeared. I believe man has taken the place of God moving the heart to manipulate the purse strings, so it is harder to get people to give cheerfully. But cheerful and heartfelt giving still happens. Nothing will ever stop those who truly love God from giving. The thing is that giving may be directed to places concerned more with Kingdom work than personal prosperity. Yes, I am sure those are not the only two options, though sometimes it seems to be. Here's where we land, God loves a cheerful giver.
If this devotion made you focus on what the Church may not be doing right with money, you've missed the point. You should look in a mirror and ask yourself, "what am I doing with God's property? After all, like David says, '"For all things come from You, and of Your own we have given You.' " How is that helping you to willingly give into God's Kingdom building work? That's the question we should both be examined by. How are you doing?
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