Nehemiah's Call: Ensuring Support for God's Ministers
Nehemiah 13:10-11a
And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field. Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken?...
There are many today who do not feel as if a Minister should be well taken care of from a financial standpoint. However, the principle of taking care of God’s men can be found throughout the Word of God, and here is no exception. Here was a time when the finances of the house of God were forsaken so badly that the Levites and the singers (God’s ministers of His Word and of music) had to go back to their fields of occupation in order to provide for their families. Why? Because the portions of the Levites had not been given them! What was their portion? The tithe.
The first thing Nehemiah did was to have all Judah bring their tithes unto the treasury for distribution to the men of God in order that they might be able to do the work of the Lord. Make no mistake about it; I am a strong advocate of New Testament tithing, as it was given to us by the Old Testament as a foreshadowing of things to come. Furthermore, those who do not believe that tithing is even a New Testament doctrine need to read what Jesus said in Matthew 23:23.
That being said, when we take a look at Malachi 3:10, we are instructed to “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Now, most people think that the tithe itself is the main issue. However, the issue is not the tithe itself, but what it is used for. The tithe is used to provide meat for the house of God. In other words, to make provisions for the Ministers of God who do the work of the Lord.
So, when we do not tithe, we bring a curse upon ourselves, because we are not blessing God’s man. If, however, we do obey and tithe, we bless God’s house by blessing God’s man, therefore bringing a blessing upon ourselves. The truth is, if you don’t tithe, God knows exactly how much His house and His man lacks as a result of your disobedience. Therefore, tithe and God will bless!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field. Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken?...
There are many today who do not feel as if a Minister should be well taken care of from a financial standpoint. However, the principle of taking care of God’s men can be found throughout the Word of God, and here is no exception. Here was a time when the finances of the house of God were forsaken so badly that the Levites and the singers (God’s ministers of His Word and of music) had to go back to their fields of occupation in order to provide for their families. Why? Because the portions of the Levites had not been given them! What was their portion? The tithe.
The first thing Nehemiah did was to have all Judah bring their tithes unto the treasury for distribution to the men of God in order that they might be able to do the work of the Lord. Make no mistake about it; I am a strong advocate of New Testament tithing, as it was given to us by the Old Testament as a foreshadowing of things to come. Furthermore, those who do not believe that tithing is even a New Testament doctrine need to read what Jesus said in Matthew 23:23.
That being said, when we take a look at Malachi 3:10, we are instructed to “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Now, most people think that the tithe itself is the main issue. However, the issue is not the tithe itself, but what it is used for. The tithe is used to provide meat for the house of God. In other words, to make provisions for the Ministers of God who do the work of the Lord.
So, when we do not tithe, we bring a curse upon ourselves, because we are not blessing God’s man. If, however, we do obey and tithe, we bless God’s house by blessing God’s man, therefore bringing a blessing upon ourselves. The truth is, if you don’t tithe, God knows exactly how much His house and His man lacks as a result of your disobedience. Therefore, tithe and God will bless!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill