Tithing
Alright, I’m in a bit of a mood to take things out of order
today. Yes, I’m still going to deal with
Genesis 47, but I’m not going to deal with the passage in order has become my
routine. So let’s talk about Joseph’s
requirement of servitude.
When the people come and spend all their money, Joseph asks
for their livestock on Pharaoh’s behalf.
When the livestock is sold, the next year the people offer up their land
and service. Within this context, I
think we see an amazing teaching. Notice
that when Joseph sets up the arrangement with the people – servants, or
vassals, if you will – Joseph requires 20% of the product of the land to become
Pharaoh’s share. Joseph buys the land
from the people and allows them to remain and use the land so long as they give
20% to Pharaoh.
Why is this so amazing?
Well, because our God only asks for 10%!
Granted, the average person in America doesn’t even give 2% of their
possessions to charitable causes, much less God and thus 10% thus it sounds
like a tremendous amount! But from the
perspective of what the world requires of us, 10% is not that much.
Think about it. Here
Joseph sets up a 20% tribute to Pharaoh.
In a similar line of thinking, how much does our American government
take in the form of taxes? Keep in mind
that we pay both income tax and many states in America have an additional sales
tax. The world requires so much more of
us than God asks, yet we are so willing to give to the world and so unwilling
to see God’s offer as a generous one.
What does the world give to us for what it takes away? What does God give us for what he asks us to
return to Him? Which one is the better
arrangement?
The Hebrew People Settle
Now let’s return to the hanging thread I left yesterday: the
issue of Joseph’s people and the land of Goshen. Did you pick up as you read today’s passage about
how prime this land called Goshen is? Did
you hear the condition that Pharaoh states in Genesis 47:6?
Pharaoh is sending the Hebrew people into Goshen to be in
charge of not only their own livestock but also Pharaoh’s livestock! Pharaoh is certainly not sending the Hebrew
people into a desolate country so they can live peaceably apart from the
Egyptians. Rather, he is sending them
into the prime land to become the chief shepherds! Pharaoh is shrewd, and the Hebrew people also
benefit from Pharaoh’s generosity. This
is a win-win for Pharaoh and the Hebrew people.
Jacob
Although there is much more that could be commented upon, I
am going to only speak of one more thing.
Notice Jacob’s perspective and how it has really changed as he
aged. In youth, he was all about leaving
home and finding a wife … well, wives. Jacob
was all about making a name for himself and increasing his wealth. Jacob was all about finding ways to manipulate
Esau and take what was by right Esau’s blessings, feelings, and
possessions.
But now as Jacob ages he testifies that his days are cut
short by the evil he has done. As his
life is coming to an end suddenly other things become more important than his
stuff. Suddenly his relationship with
Joseph becomes very important. Jacob
wants to be buried with his father and grandfather under God’s providence. As he ages, we really get a sense of what has
happened to Jacob to make him become Israel.
That is a pretty neat thing to watch, especially when we
realize that this occurs over the process of a lifetime. Jacob has to grow into becoming Israel, and
that is something I enjoy recognizing because most of the people I know are the
same way. Most people that I know do not
flip some sort of spiritual switch and become a brand new person over
night. Most people I know grow a little
bit each day, even backsliding once and a while.
I am growing gradually in my faith – as are the spiritual
people around me. Sure, some days we
grow more than others. Periodically we
might even make a leap of faith rather than a baby step of faith. But most of life is spent understanding the
slow growth of faith that happens as we remain faithful to God’s ways and God’s
desires. As Israel’s life comes to a
close, let’s reflect on how good God is to allow us the time and the space to
make our share of mistakes while growa into true faith.
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