In what ways can we emulate the Israelites' generosity today? The Biblical Snapshot of Extravagant Giving • “In the third month they began laying the foundation of the heaps, and they finished in the seventh month.” — 2 Chronicles 31:7 • The context: Hezekiah reopened temple worship, and “the Israelites and Judahites living in the cities… brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep and the tithe of the dedicated things” (v. 6). • Four solid months of piling up offerings show both sheer volume and steady, sustained obedience. Key Traits of Their Generosity • Cheerful—They gave “abundantly” (v. 5). No hint of reluctance. • Systematic—There was a set place (temple storehouses) and a set time (beginning with the harvest). • Proportional—Tithes were percentage-based, honoring God first. • Community-minded—Offerings supported priests, Levites, and the poor, ensuring worship and welfare flourished together. Translating Ancient Faithfulness into Modern Practice 1. Prioritize firstfruits: • Set aside the first portion of every paycheck before any other expense. • Proverbs 3:9: “Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your harvest.” 2. Give consistently: • Automate regular giving to church and missions just as Israel kept the heaps growing month after month. 3. Support gospel workers: • Galatians 6:6: “The one who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.” • Consider designated gifts for pastors, missionaries, seminaries. 4. Fuel benevolence: • Acts 2:44-45 shows believers selling property to meet needs. • Keep a “mercy fund” in your budget for sudden needs in the body of Christ. 5. Celebrate visible piles: • Share testimonies of what collective giving accomplishes—church plants, baptisms, relief projects—so faith is stirred just as Hezekiah rejoiced over the heaps (v. 8). Guardrails for God-Honoring Giving • Integrity: Keep records; the Levites were appointed “faithfully to distribute” (v. 15). • Free from coercion: 2 Corinthians 9:7: “Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion.” • Humility: Avoid showiness; Matthew 6:3: “Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” Promises That Still Stand • Malachi 3:10: “See if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing.” • Luke 6:38: “Give, and it will be given to you… running over.” • 2 Corinthians 9:8: “God is able to make all grace abound to you… having all you need, you will abound in every good work.” Taking the Next Step Right Now • Inventory current income and set a starting tithe or generous percentage. • Identify one ministry or family in need and sow a special offering this week. • Mark a date on the calendar—three or four months out—to look back at how the “heaps” have grown and how God has provided. |
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