Numbers 18:25-32: a reflection

25The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 26“Moreover you shall speak to the Levites, and tell them, ‘When you take of the children of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall offer up a wave offering of it for the LORD, a tithe of the tithe. 27Your wave offering shall be credited to you, as though it were the grain of the threshing floor, and as the fullness of the wine press. 28Thus you also shall offer a wave offering to the LORD of all your tithes, which you receive of the children of Israel; and of it you shall give the LORD’s wave offering to Aaron the priest. 29Out of all your gifts, you shall offer every wave offering to the LORD, of all its best parts, even the holy part of it.’ 30“Therefore you shall tell them, ‘When you heave its best from it, then it shall be credited to the Levites as the increase of the threshing floor, and as the increase of the wine press. 31You may eat it anywhere, you and your households, for it is your reward in return for your service in the Tent of Meeting. 32You shall bear no sin by reason of it, when you have heaved from it its best. You shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, that you not die.’”

The Levites received the tithes of the people as their portion, since they had no land of their own. But God gives them an instruction: they too are to give. From the tithe they receive, they are to set apart a tithe for the LORD, and specifically the best of it, its finest and holiest part. Even those who received the offerings were themselves to give, and to give God the best.

Notice two things here. First, that even the Levites, who received the tithes, were themselves to give a portion back to God; no one was exempt from giving to the LORD, not even those who lived from what others gave. And second, that what they gave was to be the best of what they had received, the finest part, not the leftovers. Everyone gives, and everyone gives God the best.

Both truths speak to us. No one is exempt from giving to God; whatever we have received, even if we ourselves receive much from others, we are to give back to God a portion. And what we give him is to be our best, the finest of what we have, not our leftovers or our second-rate offerings. Do not think yourself exempt from giving to God because of your circumstances; even those who received the tithes were to give. And do not offer God the leftovers, the least and the worst; give him the best of what you have, as the Levites were to give the finest of what they received. Everyone gives to God, and everyone gives him the best; hold nothing back from him, and give him your finest, not your leftovers.

Lord, the Levites, who received the people's tithes as their portion, were themselves to give a tithe back to you, and specifically the best of it; even those who received the offerings were to give, and to give you the best. Speak to me through both truths. No one is exempt from giving to you; whatever I have received, even if I myself receive much from others, I am to give back to you a portion. And what I give you is to be my best, the finest of what I have, not my leftovers or second-rate offerings. Keep me from thinking myself exempt from giving to you because of my circumstances; even those who received the tithes were to give. And keep me from offering you the leftovers, the least and the worst; help me give you the best of what I have, as the Levites were to give the finest of what they received. Everyone gives to you, and everyone gives you the best; help me hold nothing back, and give you my finest, not my leftovers.