FIRST Fruits

But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the LORD; they shall come into the treasury of the LORD. (Joshua 6:19)

Giving God the first fruits of our increase was first practiced when Joshua and the Israelites entered the Promised Land. When they crossed the Jordan, their first victory was Jericho. God set a precedent with Jericho by instructing them not to take any spoils from it. Unlike future battles, the fruits from this victory were to go 100% into His treasury as a remembrance of their first victory in the Promised Land. Achan stole some of God’s property and as a result Joshua lost the next battle with the rather insignificant Ai (Joshua 7). Achan was caught and he and his entire house were stoned for stealing God’s property, for touching what was holy to God which are accursed (Joshua 7:13). YES, if you keep what belongs to God, you are under a curse and must pay like Achan.

In addition, the city of Jericho was to be a lasting monument to God’s faithfulness for it is holy, set apart for Him. God instructed Joshua never ever to rebuild the city for it is His. If anyone attempted to rebuild the city, the life of his firstborn would be required (verse 26). Years later, Ahab attempted to rebuild this city and his firstborn died as a result. Recently, Arafat demanded Jericho as the first city in the West Bank to be given back by Israel to his Palestinian Authority. We can only wait and see the sad fate that awaits Yassir Arafat for taking God’s city FIRST, exalting himself into Gods’ place. God is faithful and never forgets to enforce His Word. In fact, He watches over His Word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12) and His Word will not return to Him void.

Likewise, your FIRST fruits or your tithes are the FIRST 10% from your increase that God ALLOWED you to have are holy for they belong to God. If God allows you to make $1000, the FIRST $100 belongs to God, not the taxman or your wife. The FIRST fruit principle also applies to the time that God expects you to spend with Him DAILY in prayer, meditation on His Word and Bible study. God gave you 24 hours a day. Do you only spend time with God on Sunday or the sabbath? Is God FIRST in your checkbook and your datebook? I myself spend much more than the 2.4 hours minimum that belongs to God every day and I have been blessed richly for doing so.

Do you want the Malachi 3 windows of heaven to open over you? I long for the day when God blesses me with so much that I can live on 10% and give the rest to finance the preaching of the gospel. Is your job, business and dealmaking a monument to God’s faithfulness in your life? Is it bringing glory and praise to your heavenly Father? Are you giving the FIRST fruits of ALL your increase to God ALL the time, or hardly at all? God has commanded us through Jericho to give the FIRST fruits of our increase to Him so that He will be glorified and for us to acknowledge that God is the SOURCE of all our blessings for it is He, not US, who gives us the power to get wealth (Deuteronomy or Devarim 8:18). We are to give God what is right, not what is left.

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