The Strand Study Bible

GENESIS

128

GENESIS

* Tithing must come from the people of God and no other source (Num 18:24). According to both the Old (Lev 27:30-32) and New Testaments (Lk 11:42), the tenth of all produce, flocks, and cattle was commanded to be set apart for God, who strictly speaking is the owner of the land and the producer of the ground. To withhold the tenth from God was to renounce His sovereign authority and to defraud Him of what was rightfully His. Although the law did not specify the various fruits and trees that were to be tithed upon, the Maaseroth included everything edible (Mt 23:23). The law stated that every tenth beast, whether good or bad, that passed under the staff when the shepherd counted his flock, was to be set apart for the LORD (Lev 27:32-34). This law forbids any attempt to substitute one animal for another. Even if the person offering the animal wished to give God a “better” animal than the one that had passed under the staff, he was not allowed to substitute it (Lev 27:9-10). Reason being: God demands the tenth! NOTE - In order to master this twelfth law ( support the work of God ), we are going to have to learn to support the ministry by supporting the minister via the tithes. 13. Set yourself apart for God - Gen 17:9-14 and Exo 4:24-26 (Lev 12:1-3) Moses had thoughtlessly neglected to circumcise his son Gershom after the covenant given to Abraham (Gen 17:9-14), and as a result God confronted Moses and was about to kill him (Exo 4:24-26). Reason being: God takes the sanctification of His people very seriously. According to the Scriptures, circumcision (an illustration of sanctification - Deut 30:6, Jere 4:4 and Colo 2:11) had a two-fold significance: * It was a sign to Abraham of God’s covenant (promise) with him and that he would be set apart for God. * It was a sign to the world that God’s people were to be different (a mark of lifetime separation). Circumcision, therefore, was God’s way of marking us as His own and setting us apart from the world. In essence, to be circumcised was to be sanctified, i.e., set apart for God “position ally” and set apart from the world “continually.” God said to Moses, “I did my part by giving your ancestors the sign of circumcision. Now you do your part and get yourself circumcised!” Again, God takes the sanctification of His people very seriously. As in the case of Moses, God will confront any believer who thoughtlessly (or worse, willfully) neglects to sanctify himself from the world (Jms 4:4 and I Jn 2:15-17), and eventually discard him, if the problem is not corrected (I Cor 9:24-27). NOTE - In order to master this thirteenth law ( set yourself apart for God ), we are going to have to learn to give God our minds on a daily basis (Rom 12:1-2). Remember, sanctification is a process, a lifelong venture. However, the day we stop progressing spiritually, whether thoughtlessly or willfully, is the day we will be confronted and possibly discarded, depending on our response ( I Thess 4:3,4,7 ). 14. Live to see others succeed - Gen 38:8-11 (Deut 25:5-10) Living one’s life just to see others succeed in life appears to be a rare event in any society. Because man is so self-centered by nature, he normally lives to see himself succeed, not others. Yet, living to see others succeed was written upon men’s hearts long before there was a law directing men to do so (Gen 4:9). According to Joshua 1:8, God’s will for our life is that others succeed ( that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein ) before we do ( for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success ). According to God, we only succeed whenever others (including God) succeed around us. According to Matthew 22:34-40, there are five parts to the OT law. Four parts were written to see God succeed (the moral, ceremonial, personal, and separation laws) and one part was written to see others succeed (the civil laws). God’s Law was written for the sake and success of others, not self ( Ruth 3:10,11 & 4: 1- 5,6 ). There is not one law written within God’s laws that deal with making self succeed. Not one. NOTE - In order to master this fourteenth law ( live to see others succeed ), we are going to have to learn to meditate upon the Scriptures on a daily basis (Josh 1:8 and Psa 1:1). 15. Love your enemies - Gen 50:15-21 & Job 31:29-30 (Exo 23:4-5) Christ said of those who hated Him in Luke 23:34, “ Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do .” There is nothing more meaningful to God than to love those who hate, i.e., to show those who hate some genuine love (Rom 12:20-21, Jn 3:16 and Acts 9:1-6). Those desiring to take the next step toward spiritual maturity and adulthood must learn to love their enemies and to look for ways to become a blessing to them (Prov 24:17-18 &Mt 5:43-48). Just as there are three stages within every human life, there are three stages within every Christian life: * Infancy (I Pet 2:2) NOTE - In order to master this fifteenth law ( love your enemies ), we are going to have to bless our enemies, look for opportunities to do them good, and pray for them, on purpose, everyday. To do so is to take a step toward spiritual maturity and adulthood as a believer. 16. Care for the poor and needy - Job 22:6-7 & 31:16-22 (Exo 22:25-27) Care for strangers, widows, and orphans - Job 22:9 & 29:12-13 & 31:31-32 (Exo 22:21-24) Care for the handicapped - Job 29:15 (Lev 19:14) Interestingly enough, God put this law on men’s hearts from the very beginning, warning them repeatedly not to take advantage of the disadvantaged. Note the list that makes up the list of the disadvantaged: strangers, widows, and orphans, the poor and needy, and the handicapped . Notice that the list did not include the lazy, idlers, the undisciplined, panhandlers, freeloaders, slackers, and people who * Adolescence (Heb 6:1-2) * Adulthood (Heb 5:12-14)