How does Numbers 18:11 connect to New Testament teachings on giving? “This also belongs to you and your sons and daughters: the personal offerings that the Israelites present to the LORD; everyone who is ceremonially clean in your house may eat them.” What the Verse Teaches - God designates a portion of every “personal offering” for the priestly family. - Those offerings are first presented to the Lord, then released for the support of His servants. - The arrangement is “perpetual,” establishing an ongoing pattern of provision for ministry. - Participation requires cleanliness—approach to God’s gifts is never casual. Timeless Principles Embedded Here • Giving is directed to God before it benefits people. • God cares for those who devote themselves to spiritual service. • Holiness governs both the offering and the use of the offering. New Testament Echoes 1. Support for Gospel workers • 1 Corinthians 9:13-14—“Do you not know that those who perform the services eat the food of the temple... In the same way, the Lord has prescribed that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.” • Luke 10:7—“The worker is worthy of his wages.” • 1 Timothy 5:17-18—Elders “worthy of double honor” and “the worker is worthy of his wages.” 2. Offerings still belong to the Lord first • Philippians 4:18—Paul calls the Philippians’ gift “a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.” • Hebrews 13:16—“Do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” 3. A broadened priesthood, same giving heartbeat • 1 Peter 2:9—All believers are “a royal priesthood,” yet God still sets apart some for vocational ministry who rely on the generosity of the body (Ephesians 4:11-12). • Galatians 6:6—“The one who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.” Practical Takeaways for Today - Recognize every gift as first handed to God, then stewarded to meet ministry needs. - Honor those who labor in word and doctrine by faithful, material support. - Give freely and cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:6-7), confident you are participating in a pattern God established long ago. - Keep the heart clean—holy motives matter as much as the amount given. Numbers 18:11 isn’t an isolated ritual; it sets a trajectory the New Testament affirms: God’s people worship through giving, and God’s servants live from those gifts so the work of ministry flourishes. |
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