Exodus 23.19

“The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God.”

Proverbs 3.9, 10

Our text emphasizes that the best of our first fruits are to go to the Lord. This required a process of selection, comparison, and “sanctification” of the first fruits, setting apart the best for the Lord. Giving to the Lord must not be a mindless or automatic task. We should think and pray over our giving, make sure that we are investing in the best Kingdom enterprises, and consecrating our gifts to the Lord with prayer and rejoicing.

This instruction might seem to be contrary to what we saw previously about not differentiating in our giving. Rather, these two ideas must be kept in mind. Sorting, selecting, and sanctifying offerings would be required; at the same time, the people were to give promptly, without trying to make sure that they were giving the very best of every kind of crop or creature.

The way we practice giving to the Lord says as much, and perhaps more, about our relationship with Him as the mere fact that we give.

Order a copy of The Law of God from our online store, and begin daily reading in the commandments, statutes, testimonies, precepts, and rules of God, which are the cornerstone of divine revelation. Sign up at our website to receive our thrice-weekly devotional, Crosfigell, written by T. M. Moore.