Tithing - Part 2 -- Keeping the First Thing First

Tithing – Part 2
Keeping the First Thing First

By Pastor Gary Wayne

Loaded question: Is a test for the student or for the teacher?
A test is simply to let the student know if I have learned the material.
So money is simply a test so I can track where my heart is. God already knows, but I need tests to let me know if I am learning.
Tithes and offerings are not about money, but about my heart.
Bringing my tithes to God and how I give offerings is all about my heart.

Text: Genesis 4:3-5, Proverbs 3:9-10
Firstfruits is a biblical way of saying that I tithe first—before I do anything else with my money.

Remember the principal of first mention that I talked about last week – when a principal is introduced in scripture, it follows that principal from then on.
Last week we looked at the first mention of a “tithe.” Abram gave Melchizedek tithe.
Let’s look at the first time Scripture talks about the “principal of bringing God firstfruits”. Gen.4:3-5

Why did God accept Abel’s and not Cain’s offering?
Here is what I think – ver.3 “Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground”
And “Abel brought of the firstborn of his flock…”
God is VERY detailed in His instructions with a purpose.

Did you know Jericho was a firstfruits city? It was the first fortified city they conquered.
Before they took the city, do you remember God’s instructions about the city?
God gave them very specific instructions that all the loot they captured from Jericho belonged to Him. (Jos.6:18-19)
All the other cities they concurred they could have, but God wanted this first one, so Jericho is a “firstfruits” city.

Here is some fun information concerning the “feasts of Israel.”
“Passover” is followed by the “Feast of Un-leavened bread,” followed by the “Feast of Firstfruits.”

If you study the timing of the taking of this city, you will discover in chapter Jos.5, that this was the time of Passover, the barley harvest.
Before God gave them victory, in ver.7 Joshua circumcised the sons that had not been circumcised, then they celebrated Passover, which is followed by the “Feast of Unleavened bread.”
That places the falling of Jericho during the season of the “Feast of Firstfruits.”

After the fall of Jericho, what event lets us know how serious God was about marking Jericho as His firstfruits city? What was the sin of Achan in Josh.7? He took a Babylonian garment, some silver and gold, and hid them in his tent. What was the result? The next battle Israel fought, they lost. When they asked God why, He said, Israel has sinned, taken the accursed things, stolen and deceived.
All of Achan’s family and possessions were executed and burned.

Did you know that Jesus was the Father’s firstfruits? 1Co 15:20

More Fun Facts - In Leviticus 23 we find the Feasts of the Lord introduced.
In Ver.9 it talks about the feast of First Fruits.
To set up this feast, the Priest would go out into the field at planting time and place 3 hoops on the ground in the field that had just been sown.
At harvest time the priests would come back and gather the grain inside those hoops in his arms and stand ready with a sickle to cut it.
While he is waiting, another priest stood watching the sun as it set so at the exact time the sun was setting, he began cutting the firstfruits.
Then they return to the temple and take the sheaf of grain they harvested and do a wave offering before the Lord in the sign of a cross. Why all this detail?

What happened at the moment Jesus died? The sun went dark.
Jesus was crucified and buried at Passover, became the “unleavened bread” and rose from the dead on the third day, On the feast of First Fruits.
Jesus was God’s tithe - His firstfruits.

As you study this topic in Scripture, notice it says to “bring” the tithe, not give.
"The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God. Ex 23:19
I can’t give what doesn’t belong to me. It’s not mine.
Let’s say my cars break down and someone loans me theirs for a while. When I bring it back, I say something like, “I feel God wants me to give you this car.” “THAT”S WEIRD Gary, because it wasn’t yours it’s mine, I just loaned it to you!”

When I get paid, which is the first?
In this electronic age, where the paycheck goes to the bank, then I distribute it electronically, which part of my income is the first, is the tithe? The first is.

When I tithe before spending the rest of my money, I’m making it a priority instead of an afterthought. I’m bringing firstfruits instead of leftovers.
I honor God, before I pay my bills, not waiting to see if I have anything left over.
A tithe is a specific amount (10% of my increase) that I give first, and an offering is anything extra that I give beyond the tithe.

Who is first in my life? "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Mt 6:21 Nothing speaks louder than money as to the answer to this question.