2 CHRONICLES 31
3 The contribution of the king from his own possessions was for the burnt offerings: the burnt offerings of morning and evening, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, the new moons, and the appointed feasts, as it is written in the Law of the Lord. 4 And he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the Law of the Lord. 5 As soon as the command was spread abroad, the people of Israel gave in abundance the firstfruits of grain, wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field. And they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything. 6 And the people of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep, and the tithe of the dedicated things that had been dedicated to the Lord their God, and laid them in heaps.7 In the third month they began to pile up the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. 8 When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and his people Israel. 9 And Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites about the heaps. 10 Azariah the chief priest, who was of the house of Zadok, answered him, “Since they began to bring the contributions into the house of the Lord, we have eaten and had enough and have plenty left, for the Lord has blessed his people, so that we have this large amount left.”
RESPONSE BRINGS RESULTS
Along with Josiah, King Hezekiah was a wonderful king. In fact he was one of the last was one of the last things of Judah, for soon the Nation of Israel would to be taken into captivity in Babylon.
Giving to the Lord is often a challenge for Christians. Most believers refuse to tithe, claiming that this form of giving is based on the Old Testament. This claim raises an interesting question? If the Israelites gave a tithe of their substance during a time in which goats and lambs were offered, how much should we give in honor of the sacrifice of the spotless Lamb of God, Jesus Christ?
In this passage, King Hezekiah gives a command to the people to provide for the Levites; note the response of the people, and secondly the results of their giving.
Their Response:
Their response was immediate: The words AS SOON AS, the people heard the order by King Hezekiah, they responded immediately. How quick do you respond to God’s commands, especially the hard ones?
They gave in abundance: Maybe they had little, but that did not prevent them from giving abundantly. Does their response describe us, or does it convict us?
They gave of everything: They did not hide anything. They gave with a cheerful heart. Are we like Ananias and his wife who tried to hide a portion of their offering from God?
Their giving was consistent: It was consistent and continuous giving, lasting from the third to the seventh month. Do we give on a one-time basis? Do we give to a special event, but neglect to give to ministries and to our home church?
Look at the response of the King, the people were willing to give, because they had seen the example of Hezekiah in Verse 3. If you are a pastor, you need to be the example to your church in the area of giving.
The Result:
But look at the result of their giving in verse 10: “Since they began to bring the contributions into the house of the Lord, we have eaten and had enough and have plenty left, for the Lord has blessed his people, so that we have this large amount left.”
Malachi 3 tells us to bring our tithes and offerings into God’s house; it goes on to say that the Lord will open the doors of heaven and pour out a blessing so great that we not have room enough to receive it. We think that if we keep our money, we will have more, but in reality, if we come and pile our offerings and tithes in heaps, we will experience the promise found in the Book of Malachi.
God never gives His children “enough.” He always gives us more than we could ever need!
Sometimes, ministries will host telethons on TV to raise money for a project and then someone will match the amount raised. The point is that when we give to God, he doesn’t just match it, he gives so much more! God is not in the “matching” business…He is in the blessing business!
Don’t be afraid to give your best. Trust God, and experience His blessings in your life.
God bless you
KK