GRAIN, NEW WINE, OIL AND HONEY...: Almost a casual
suggestion that Judah had been richly blessed (Deu 7:13).
A TITHE OF EVERYTHING: There is no doubt that the Bible
supplies examples of tithing. To give such a proportion of one's goods requires
a specific discipline: Gen 14:20; Lev 27:30-32; Deu 12:11.
"Those of us who do not give of a tenth of our abundance
should perhaps think of giving God a tenth of our time. A tenth of 24 hours is 2
hours and 24 minutes. I suppose most days we are awake for around 16-18 hours
and a tenth of this would be between 1 hour 36 minutes and 1 hour 48 minutes.
Could we each find that amount of time each and every day to serve our Lord? We
would still only be giving a tithe of our time. Not much to ask really, is it?"
(PC).
2Ch 31:21
2Ch 31:21.
HE... WORKED WHOLEHEARTEDLY. AND SO HE PROSPERED: "This
is no unusual occurrence; it is the general rule of the moral universe that
those men prosper who do their work with all their hearts, while those are
almost certain to fail who go to their labour leaving half their hearts behind
them. God does not give harvests to idle men except harvests of thistles, nor is
He pleased to send wealth to those who will not dig in the field to find its hid
treasure. It is universally confessed that if a man would prosper, he must be
diligent in business. It is the same in religion as it is in other things. If
you would prosper in your work for Jesus, let it be heart work, and let it be
done with all your heart. Put as much force, energy, heartiness, and earnestness
into religion as ever you do into business, for it deserves far more"
(CHS).