Genesis - Abraham
Genesis - Jacob
The Levitical Tithe - Intro
Levitical Tithe - Background
The Levitical Tithe - Basics
The Levitical Tithe - Advanced
Malachi - Robbing God
The Other Tithes
Church History of Tithing
PREREQUISITE #3 - DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOD'S LABOR AND MAN'S LABOR
Before we continue our study of the Levitical tithe, we need to understand the difference between God's labor and man's labor.
Philippians 4:19 (KJV):
19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
God will supply all our needs. What are our basic needs? WATER - FOOD - CLOTHING - SHELTER.
Where does water come from? GOD GIVES US WATER. God made this earth with oceans and lakes full of water. Water condenses from atmospheric vapor, forming in the clouds, giving us rain. The water comes from God - from God's labor.
Where does our food come from? GOD GIVES US CROPS AND ANIMALS. A seed grows into a vine or tree, giving us fruit. These are miracles of God, or you can say the fruit comes from God's labor. We get meat from animals; again, miracles of God, or from God's labor.
Our clothing comes from cotton and other fibers from the soil, from God's labor.
Our homes come from lumber and other materials that God has furnished to us from His labor.
God supplies us with all our needs - everything we need to sustain life on earth, from HIS labor.
Now let's look at Deuteronomy 8:18 (KJV):
18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
And from the NIV:
18 But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.
God gives us the power, or ability, to get or produce wealth. In other words, God gives us the ability to work and earn a living. God gives us the ability to work - to labor. When we work, it is our labor doing the work, not God's labor. He gave us the ability to do the work ourselves.
God supplies the crops with His labor. Man harvests the crops with man's labor.
God supplies the cotton and other fibers and materials to make clothes from His labor. Man supplies the labor to cut, sew, and put together our garments.
God supplies the wood from trees, and all the other materials needed to build our homes, from His labor. Man supplies the labor to put the materials together, to build the homes.
It is important in our bible studies to understand the distinction between God's labor and man's labor.
Now let's continue to The Levitical Tithe - Background by clicking here.