Hebrewsw 7:8

As we have seen, there were complex arrangements in place amongst the Israelites to ensure that the Levitical priesthood was properly looked after and provided for. So, each town had its storehouse and all members of the community who traded or owned land and flocks were obliged to set aside one tenth of their produce. This was the result of hard work and making good use of the resources that the Lord God had provided. Obviously, a man could only keep giving whilst he was alive, the responsibility then passed on to his successors. That was the role model for the mortal Aaronic priests and the people they lived amongst.

A different scenario unfolds when it comes to Melchizedek who, it is claimed, is declared to be living! This again adds fuel to the argument that Melchizedek was in fact Yeshua in His pre-incarnate state. No human being fits the criteria of being declared to be living, only Christ possesses this honour. Take that a step further and we deduce that Abraham was, in fact, giving to the Lord, and he recognised this and attributed to the King / Priest the honour and respect He deserved. What a joyous, remarkable occasion this was, a window into heaven and man’s relationship with God and His Son, Jesus Christ. It reminds us that our giving only makes sense if it is to Him; the demands of churches and organisations are never-ending, but we can be guilty of pouring our resources into the coffers of a mortal priesthood instead of ensuring that they are given directly to the Lord and to His service. We need to think and pray carefully about who we give to and why!

So much of our giving is spent on buildings and facilities, things that Christ Jesus has no interest in. We need to be careful that we make a distinction here, is the building about His identity or is it about ours? Are we making a statement about us or are we telling the community about Him? It can be a difficult conundrum but we need to be careful if we pour money and resources into things that will not last and we neglect to care for those who may have an eternal destiny. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Psalm1:5       Our earthly journey will allow us, at times, to stand with the redeemed in holy awe and worship exhilarated by the presence of our Father.  In the Psalmists’ day these “assemblies of the righteous” would have been joyful times of worship at God’s sanctuary where music played, choirs sang and the people joined in the excitement and corporate wonder of being together in God’s presence. If our own church worship is anything, it should be a prelude to the time when we will join with a numberless throng and sing the praises of the Lamb and the One who sits upon the throne of heaven. Many go to events like Spring Harvest, Keswick Convention, New Day and the rest, primarily for this experience of joy and exhilaration.  Our earthly, joyful experiences are but a foretaste of what is to come and we are promised that we will join with heavenly choirs and our song will be “Worthy is the Lamb.”   Such music and exalta...
Read more

Psalm 119:83

Psalm 119:83 Wineskins in the smoke Well, this verse has caught us by surprise! What does it mean? As we will be aware, in ancient times, wine was not stored in purpose-made glass bottles but in animal skins. In order to keep the skin pliable and soft it must not be allowed to dry out for it would soon shrivel and crack. It follows that the last thing you would do with your treasured wineskins is to hang them up over a smoky fire, not only would they quickly wither but the smoke would clearly ruin the flavour and texture of the wine!  What does the author mean when he says that he is like such a wineskin?  It denotes the uncomfortable condition he was in or at least thought himself to be in; being caught in the midst of smoke is very uncomfortable, and he considered himself to be in darkness with sin and afflictions, like a wineskin in smoke, black and sooty. He felt like an empty wineskin with nothing in him. Maybe he was worn out with cares and old age and had become pale an...
Read more

Psalm 119:10

Psalm 119:10 I seek You with all my heart ““Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord.”  So says Jeremiah 29:12-14a. This “seeking after God” is a feature of the Scriptures and was the life goal of many of the great saints of old. However, these are not words to be spoken glibly, to promise to seek God with all our hearts is a daunting undertaking. Over the years there have been many songs and hymns that have encouraged wholehearted devotion to the quest, but few actually achieve it. Do you remember singing “I surrender all?” Is it possible to surrender all? Is it possible to seek God with all of my heart? The author of this Psalm obviously saw his commitment to the quest as being realised in his commitment to the laws and promises of God. If he could embrace these and obey them then he would embrace and obey the Lord God Himself. God’s law...
Read more