Servants of the Lord deserve to be supported by His people
August 12, 2021
Commentary
The principle emphasized in this passage is clear and is often given in Scripture. Those who serve the Lord and His people should be supported from the material blessings God gives to His people. An example is where Jesus said “The laborer is worthy of his hire” (Luke 10:7). Paul also wrote “Even so, hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel” (I Cor. 9:14). The priests and Levites, as servants of God, deserved to be cared for by the people of God. The Lord tells Aaron that he will not receive any land in Israel as his own but he will give him whatever he needs (v. 20). He goes on to say that since the Levites won’t be given any land in Israel as their own, they will be given the crops and newborn animals that the Israelites offerings. There were 12 different tribes that made up the nation of Israel. Eleven of these 12 tribes were given land to settle in.
Unlike the other tribes, Levi would have no inheritance in the Promised Land (the land of Canaan) for the Lord was their inheritance (v. 20). Instead they were given 48 towns to live in (Num. 35:1-8) and were to work full time in the tabernacle making sure the worship of God stayed active and true in the community. Both the priests and Levites were to be cared for by means of sacrifices, offerings, and tithes. Even the Levites, who were ministers, had to tithe to support the Lord’s work (vv. 25,26). This principle is still relevant as God expects all His followers (even those in the ministry) to supply the material needs of those who devote themselves to meeting the spiritual needs of the Church.
Application
If the Jews under the Old Covenant could give 10 percent of their income (produce) to the Lord, should Christians under the New Covenant do less? If I am to grasp the meaning of II Corinthians 8:9 I need to practice “grace giving” which should go beyond the tithe.
Numbers 18:20– 32 (NET)
20 The Lord spoke to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any portion of property among them—I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites. 21 See, I have given the Levites all the tithes in Israel for an inheritance, for their service that they perform—the service of the tent of meeting. 22 No longer may the Israelites approach the tent of meeting, or else they will bear their sin and die. 23 But the Levites must perform the service of the tent of meeting, and they must bear their iniquity. It will be a perpetual ordinance throughout your generations that among the Israelites the Levites have no inheritance. 24 But I have given to the Levites for an inheritance the tithes of the Israelites that are offered to the Lord as a raised offering. That is why I said to them that among the Israelites they are to have no inheritance.”
25 The Lord spoke to Moses: 26 “You are to speak to the Levites, and you must tell them, ‘When you receive from the Israelites the tithe that I have given you from them as your inheritance, then you are to offer up from it as a raised offering to the Lord a tenth of the tithe. 27 And your raised offering will be credited to you as though it were grain from the threshing floor or as new wine from the winepress. 28 Thus you are to offer up a raised offering to the Lord of all your tithes that you receive from the Israelites; and you must give the Lord’s raised offering from it to Aaron the priest. 29 From all your gifts you must offer up every raised offering due the Lord, from all the best of it, and the holiest part of it.’
30 “Therefore you will say to them, ‘When you offer up the best of it, then it will be credited to the Levites as the product of the threshing floor and as the product of the winepress. 31 And you may eat it in any place, you and your household, because it is your wages for your service in the tent of meeting. 32 And you will bear no sin concerning it when you offer up the best of it. And you must not profane the holy things of the Israelites, or else you will die.’”