Scripture
26 “When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance and have taken possession of it and live in it, 2 you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from your land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket, and you shall go to the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name to dwell there. 3 And you shall go to the priest who is in office at that time and say to him, ‘I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our fathers to give us’’ 4 Then the priest shall take the basket from your hand and set it down before the altar of the Lord your God.
11 And you shall rejoice in all the good that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the sojourner who is among you. 12 “When you have finished paying all the tithe of your produce in the third year, which is the year of tithing, giving it to the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your towns and be filled. Deuteronomy 26:1-4, 11-12 ESV
Observation
Today’s reading picks up with Chapter 26, where Moses continues his instructions on the Promised Land conquest by concisely recounting Israel’s early history, religion, and economy. Rightfully, he begins with a directive to offer the “first fruit of the ground” to Yahweh by gathering it in the third year, the “year of tithing” (v. 12), in memorial baskets and taking it to the place the Lord will choose to “make his name dwell there” (v. 2), referring to the future resting site of the tabernacle (Jerusalem). There, each man will present his gift and say to the priest, “I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come into the land that the LORD swore to our fathers to give us” (v. 3) with rejoicing (v. 11). The priest will then receive the produce basket and place it before the altar (v.4). The tithe will support the Levites, the sojourner, the orphan, and the widow (v.11).
Takeaway:
As theologian Earl Kalland contends, while similar to the regular offering of first fruits, this is not the same. It is an inaugural offering presented after the first harvest. Indeed, representing an epoch in Israel’s history, a ceremony expressing gratitude is in order. Similarly, twelve hundred years later, as the church entered its new Promised Land, its members devoted themselves to the leadership by selling their possessions and presenting the proceeds as gifts for the benefit of all. And they, too, praised God with words of gratitude (Acts 2:42-47).
Our Takeaway
It’s pretty much the same. When our Lord graciously leads us to new phases of life, whether a spouse, newborn, job, house, or retirement, we would do well to commemorate these occasions with our offering of gifts and expressed gratitude. It is also an occasion to unite the community of believers, whether for a marriage or renewal of vows ceremony, a baby dedication or baptism, a house or business blessing, or a retirement celebration. And with each observance, we will bless our Lord if we keep the focus on him and his goodness rather than ourselves.
Our Part
Amid the celebration, we need to pause and give thanks, offer prayers, and pledge our gift(s) related to the occasion that furthers the growth of our Lord’s kingdom. What does this look like? As mentioned on occasion in these devotionals, one way Ruth and I apply this principle is by sponsoring four Compassion International as an expression of gratitude for blessing us with our four lovely children. Also, above our tithe, we give an additional offering when we receive gifts (e.g., inheritance, scholarship, etc.). And God willing, when we retire, we will pledge a portion of our time above our commitment to our adult children and grandchildren to support other Christian charities.
Prayer: Father God, thank you for leading us into the eternal Promised Land of your Son’s kingdom. So, please inspire us to commemorate each special occasion that marks your goodness and grace toward us with heartfelt gifts of gratitude that glorify your name and grow your kingdom. Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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