Giving Gifts for the Temple

July 28, 2013 Background Scripture: Ezra 8:24 – 36 Lesson Passage: Ezra 8:24 – 35 It is strange how some local congregations have major disagreements over questions such as what color carpet to install. Should we use pews or chairs? How many and what kind of tables should we use to receive offerings and administer the Lord’s Supper? Should we use offering baskets or offering trays? Or what is the proper amount for a freewill offering that should be given to the church? With all that is lacking in mission, evangelism, and ministry today, it is disappointing how easily a local church can become distracted with such trivial matters. The fact that there is such a tremendous difference in furnishings, color schemes, and ministry financing plans from one local church to another is a clear indicator that no single answer was found to those questions. Thanks to the instructions provided by God through Moses, Israel never had to “figure out” what would be the proper gifts to bring for the house of God or how should it be furnished. God spelled it out in details. Everything from the furnishings and vessels to the gifts that were intended to sustain the Levites whose ministry it was to care for the temple and administer the required sacrifices was detailed. For Israel, it was only necessary that they get back to God’s plan. One step was to return the silver and gold vessels that were taken from the temple during the Babylonian conquest. God had seen to it that those vessels were returned when He acted on the heart of the Persian king after the Persians conquered the Babylonians. For Israel’s part, they were given the vessels but it was up to them to return them to their proper place. An accounting was made of each of the items (material, weight, and quantity) and then they were delivered to the Levites who were responsible for their upkeep and use. Once the temple was furnished according to God’s plan, then it was a matter of requesting the freewill offering. The individual freewill offering was to be given in proportion to the blessings the Lord had given the individual. This was similar to the tithe in that it was to be in proportion to what the person had received. However, unlike the tithe, the freewill offering was to come out of the ninety percent left after the tithe and the proportional amount was determined by the giver. God has declared the tithe to be His and therefore all we can do is surrender it to God as an act of obedience. On the other hand, the freewill offering is just that—an offering given freely as an act of one’s will. After freewill offerings are received, then God has declared that they too then become holy. Those who were appointed to receive those gifts were set apart by God and therefore they were holy. After the vessels were returned to their appointed place and freewill offerings had been given, then the burnt offerings were presented before God. Burnt offerings were acknowledgments of sin and were used vicariously in the stead of the one bringing the offering. They were totally consumed by fire and the ashes were handled according to instructions in the Law. Everything had its proper order and place and was not done haphazardly. It was a solemn act of worship to give gifts for the temple. Robert C. Hudson July 1, 2013