2 Chronicles 31:5-19 - Homilies By T. Whitelaw

A nation's liberality; or, a lecture on tithes.

I. THE IMPOSITION OF THE TITHES . Done by the commandment of Hezekiah ( 2 Chronicles 31:5 ), not, however, acting in his own name and by his own authority, but merely publishing the Law of Jehovah for the maintenance of those who conducted the temple service. Under the old economy Jehovah was the sole Head of the Church, as Christ is under the new. For the Hebrew Church the exclusive source of legislation was not the sovereigns or prophets of the nation, but Jehovah; as for the Christian Church it is neither kings nor parliaments, neither Church dignitaries nor Church courts, but Jesus Christ. That which gave binding authority to Hezekiah's commandment was not that it was "the word of a king" ( Ecclesiastes 8:4 ), but that it was the ordinance of Jehovah as declared by Moses ( Exodus 23:19 ; Le 27:30-33; Numbers 18:12 , Numbers 18:13 , Numbers 18:21 , Numbers 18:24 ; Deuteronomy 26:2-4 ). That which lends weight to human legislation in the Christian Church is the circumstance that it accords with the teaching of Christ in the New Testament Scriptures.

II. THE PAYING OF THE TITHES , ETC .

1 . Promptly. "As soon as the commandment came abroad," the children of Israel began to pour in their contributions ( 2 Chronicles 31:5 ). The absence of delay, showed their zeal was not fanatical, but religious, and not seeming, but real—the last thing to be affected by a man's religion being his purse; perhaps also it proved that the king's liberality had been not without its influence ( 2 Chronicles 30:24 ), as certainly it imparted additional value to their gifts. Qui cito dat bis dat.

2 . Faithfully. Nothing was omitted or evaded that the Law enjoined. The people presented "the firstfruits of corn, and wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field;" paid in the tithes or tenth parts Jehovah had assigned as a portion for the whole tribe of Levi ( 2 Chronicles 31:5 ), as well as the tenth parts of such things as were dedicated to the Lord ( 2 Chronicles 31:6 ); and rendered free-will offerings to Jehovah over and above what had been directly commanded ( 2 Chronicles 31:14 ).

3 . Unweariedly. It was no sudden fit of liberality which had overtaken them and quickly expended itself. The firstfruits presenting, tithe-paying, and free-will offering went on for four months ( 2 Chronicles 31:7 ). Many can do a generous deed when seized by a momentary impulse, but are wholly unable to bear the strain of continuous giving. That these ancient givers grew not tired of their liberality was a proof that it proceeded from principle rather than from impulse—showed they were acting more from respect to the Divine Law than from a desire to gratify their own feelings.

4 . Abundantly. So extraordinary was the outburst of liberality, that not only had the priests and Levites obtained the most ample maintenance, having had enough to eat and plenty over ( 2 Chronicles 31:10 ), but so fast came the people's offerings in that they were obliged to be piled up in heaps ( 2 Chronicles 31:6 ), while so liberal had they been that, when the tithe season ended, so great a store remained ( 2 Chronicles 31:10 ), that the priests and Levites were guaranteed against want throughout the rest of the year. The Christian Church might herein find an example. It is poor policy, besides being unscriptural ( Luke 10:7 ; 1 Corinthians 9:14 ), for Churches or congregations to starve or underpay their ministers.

5 . Generally. Most likely there were those who refused to comply with the king's commandment, acting from a spirit of avarice which could not bear to part with their goods, or a spirit of unbelief which secretly hankered after the false gods they had formerly worshipped, or from a spirit of indifference, because they had no real interest in religion; and doubtless there were those who gave grudgingly and of necessity, adhering strictly to the letter of the Law, never going beyond the bond if they could help it, and certainly never throwing in any free-will offerings; but manifestly also the main body of the people, in the northern kingdom ( 2 Chronicles 31:5 ) no less than in the southern ( 2 Chronicles 31:6 ), yielded obedience to the king's commandment, and fell in with the order of the day.

III. THE STORING OF THE TITHES .

1 . The chambers for their reception. These were prepared in the house of the Lord ( 2 Chronicles 31:11 ), in accordance with instructions from Hezekiah, but whether they were old cells or new cannot be determined.

2 . The officers for their supervision.

IV. THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE TITHES , ETC .

1 . The distributors.

2 . The distribution.

Learn:

1 . The duty of Christ's people to support the ministers of religion.

2 . The voluntary character of all acceptable payments towards religion.

3 . The necessity of order and system in Church finance.

4 . The excellence of Christian liberality.—W.