As we’ve learned from the previous sharing, the principal of tithing is giving God the firsfruit of our earnings or increases. In this opportunity, I would like to show you that behind the story of the conquest of the old city Jericho, this tithing principal was truly being applied figuratively.
Jericho is the first city that the Israelites encountered when they were entering the Promised Land. After the Israelites crossed over the Jordan River, they came upon this fortified city. As you know the story following that, the Israelites marched around the city for seven days then conquered the city after its walls collapsed.
Let us see Joshua 6:17-18. “17And the city and all that is in it shall be devoted to the Lord [for destruction]… 18But you, keep yourselves from the accursed and devoted things, lest when you have devoted it [to destruction], you take of the accursed thing, and so make the camp of Israel accursed and trouble it. 19But all the silver and gold and vessels of bronze and iron are consecrated to the Lord; they shall come into the treasury of the Lord.”
We could see here that God asked the Israelites to give Him the whole city and all of its riches. The Lord asked them to bring Him all of the precious metals for His tabernacle. After Jericho, never again God asked the Israelites to bring Him the whole spoils from any other cities conquered! Rather they could enjoy and keep the riches for themselves. When the Israelites gave God their firsfruit, God was delivering them the whole Promised Land!
Therefore let us also learn from this historical account that God really values tithe. In fact, tithes belong to Him. When we tithe, we are allowing God to bless us and bring the whole lot of what have been promised to us!
July 22nd, 2009 at 6:37 am
Cal, waktu di comcel, remember cici pernah nanya about firsfruit? dari pengertian cici, kayaknya Rical bilang, doesnt have to karena agak susah to apply kr ada orang yang incomenya weekly, monthly or even daily, (kalau cici gak misunderstood ya)
tapi dari yang Rical tulis diatas, benar juga sih give back firstfruit is good, tapi juga agak bingung sih ya to tell which one is the firstfruit, apalagi kalau udah lewat lama firstfruitnya. i guess, then may be masing2 tanya Tuhan kali ya?
July 29th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Halo ci,
maksud saya firstfruit yg di atas ini melambangkan tithe. Kalau sekarang kita ini, ya the thumb rule is 10% from all our income.
But if you believe giving the whole of your very first salary as the tithe, I think you can do that as well..