The Widow's Mite

Book:  Money and Possessions:  The Quest for Contentment

Pages: 71-72

Scripture: Mark 12:41-44

Instead of answering the leading questions for today, let's take a different approach.  Let's begin reading at verse 38:

"And in His teaching he was saying, 'Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes and like respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues, and places of honor at banquets, who devour widows' houses, and for appearance's sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation.'"

Before the widow's mite story, Jesus is addressing the prideful hearts of the scribes.  Note that He comments on how the scribes devour widows' houses.  To drive home this point about the scribes' taking advantage of widows, of all the people who were putting money into the treasury, Jesus comments to His disciples on the poor widow (whom the Scribes made poor perhaps by their oppressive teachings?).  

Tithe

I enjoyed a little study this afternoon on tithing. 

Looking at tithing in the O.T., I see that God provided Himself as an Inheritance to the Levites (Numbers 18:20); therefore, they had no land on which to grow food to feed themselves.  So God instructed the other tribes to give a tenth of their food to the Levites (Numbers 18:21-24).  And under the Law, the Levites then took a tenth of that tenth and gave it to the Lord (Neh 10:38).

But the best part of this study was Genesis 14:20 coupled with Hebrews 7 where Paul reminds the Hebrews that the Levites had the right to receive a tenth from each tribe (Hebrews 7:5), according to the Law.  Paul goes on to tell the Hebrews (and us) that there has been a change in priesthood and, therefore, a change in the law (Hebrews 7:12, 18).  Jesus is a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:17) because the Law made no thing perfect (7:19); He is the guarantee of a better covenant (7:22).

Since there is a change in the priesthood and the law, we must look to the N.T. for the teaching on tithing.  There is none. The tithe does not apply to the priesthood (that's us with Jesus as the High Priest) of today.

Thank You, Lord, for this revelation.

Linda

Moderator

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TruthHimself/

Cherry Blossoms

We were so blessed to spend some time with friends enjoying the cherry blossoms in Washington D.C.

Contentment, Part 2, a prophecy from Malalchi 1

Book:  Money and Possessions:  The Quest for Contentment

Pages: 66-67

Scripture: Malachi 1:1-2a, 11-14

This post is Part 2, a prophecy, from the study from MalachI 1.  

Some personal findings unrelated to the questions for this day:

As I studied this section of Malachi, I found a prophecy in verse 11 that really blessed me:

"For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name will be great among the nations," says the Lord of hosts."

Contentment: Week 5, Day 1

Book:  Money and Possessions:  The Quest for Contentment

Pages: 66-67

Scripture: Malachi 1:1-2a, 11-14

Hello, everyone!

Thanks for your grace in postponing this week's study as I took a few days to visit Patricia and her family.  We thoroughly enjoyed our time together.  The weather was perfect for viewing the peak cherry blossoms in D.C.   I'll try to get some photos posted when I can.

Now to Week 5 of our study.  I'll post in two parts: 

• Part 1;  Answers to the questions from the book
• Part 2:  An insight about a prophecy in Malachi 1

I had never done in inductive study on the Book of Malachi, so this was all new to me and so enlightening.

Who is speaking in this passage and to whom?

God is speaking to His people.  Malachi is the conduit who is writing down God's Words.