WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE?

Exodus 32:26

In the spiritual life, there is no neutral ground. We are either for Christ or against Christ. We either gather together with Christ or we scatter abroad (Matthew 12:30). There is no halting between two opinions. We either serve Baal or we serve the Living God (1 Kings 18:21). We cannot serve two masters. We either serve mammon or we serve God (Matthew 6:24).

There is the necessity of making a choice. The Thessalonians made a choice to turn from their dead and false idols to serve the Living and the True God (1 Thessalonians 1:9).

Israel backslid when Moses went to receive the Law from God. However on his return, he called the people to a decision. Each had to choose a camp – on the Lord’s side and live or on the Devil’s side and get wiped out (Exodus 32:1-35).

It may be in a different way, in a different context, in a different era, but the same question comes to us today: “Who is on the Lord’s side” (Exodus 32:26).

Of course everybody will answer yes to the question but their lifestyles and action speak to the contrary. There are yardsticks with which to measure whether we are on the Lord’s side or not.

BUILDERS OF GOD’S TABERNACLE

Exodus 25:8; 26:1; 29:45; Leviticus 26:11; Numbers 5:3; Haggai 1:2-15; 2:18,19; Matthew 6:33; Luke 14:23; John 2:17; Psalm 69:9.

God delights to fellowship with man. He came to fellowship with Adam at the cool of the day (Genesis 3:8). This divine desire abides till today. As a result God wants us to build a tabernacle that He might dwell among us (Exodus 25:8; 26:1; 29:45; Leviticus 26:11; Numbers 5:3).

Those who are on the Lord’s side are those who are committed to helping realize this divine desire. They are those who are committed to building God’s tabernacle so that He may dwell among us.

At the time of Haggai, the Jews were selfishly engrossed in their personal pursuits. However, their efforts and the results did not match. God afflicted them with drought, wasted their harvest, blasted off their efforts because they did not build God’s tabernacle (Haggai 1:2-11). However when they repented and decided to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, divine favour and blessing returned into their lives (Haggai 1:12-15; 2:18,19; Matthew 6:33).

Are you committed to building God’s tabernacle? What is your commitment to the building fund for the conference centre and for the local church building? What is your commitment to evangelism and the extension of God’s Kingdom? Are you going into the highways and the hedges and compelling sinners to come in that God’s house may be full? (Luke 14:23). Has the zeal of God’s house consumed you? (John 2:17; Psalm 69:9).

BRINGERS OF GOD’S TITHE

Malachi 3:8-12; Proverbs 3:9,10; Deuteronomy 26:1-15; Ezekiel 44:30; 1 Kings 17:13; Leviticus 27:30-34;

Exodus 25:1-9; 2 Corinthians 9:6,7.

Apart from the tithe being our gratitude for the Lord’s provision and mercy, it provides an avenue of furnishing God’s house with the necessary resources: “Bring ye all the tithe into the storehouse, THAT THERE MAY BE MEAT IN MINE HOUSE” (Malachi 3:10).

Whoever is on the Lord’s side will delight in making sure that God’s house is full of the necessary resources. To refuse to pay your tithe and yet declare that you are on the Lord’s side is to profess a false profession.

Every willing person was commanded to bring an offering towards the building of the sanctuary. God loves a cheerful and willing giver (Exodus 25:1-9; 2 Corinthians 9:6,7).

We are not meant to appear before God empty. We are supposed to give according to ability, in proportion to God’s blessing upon our lives (Deuteronomy 16:16,17; 1 Corinthians 16:2).

There are misconceptions about the tithe that need to be cleared:

(1)The tithe is God’s money

The tithe is not our money. It belongs to the Lord and it is holy unto the Lord (Leviticus 27:30-34). Whether we pay the tithe or not does not alter the nature of the tithe. Paying our tithe makes us to be obedient unto God. Withholding our tithe makes us to be labeled robbers by God (Malachi 3:8-12).

(2)The tithe is the FIRST tenth of all our increase

The tithe is not just a tenth, any tenth. It is the FIRST tenth (10%). If it is not the FIRST tenth, it is not the tithe. God desires, demands and deserves the CREAM at the top and not the DREG at the bottom of the barrel. God’s portion comes FIRST (Proverbs 3:9,10; Deuteronomy 26:1-15; Ezekiel 44:30; 1 Kings 17:13).

(3)We are bring ALL the tithe

We are not to bring part of the tithe but ALL the tithe. We are not mandated to bring the offering but the TITHE (Malachi 3:8-12; Proverbs 3:9,10; Deuteronomy 26:1-15).

(4)We are BRING all the tithe personally

“BRING all the tithe” (Malachi 3:10). Don’t send the tithe. The importance of personal presence cannot be over-emphasized. The tithe is meant to be presented personally (Deuteronomy 26:1-15). Personal declaration is to be made. The peculiar proclamation cannot be made by another person for you “A Syrian ready to perish was my father …” (Deuteronomy 26:5).

Bring all the tithe into the storehouse. Bring it yourself and come to worship and praise God for His blessings upon your life. The pastor is not meant to be going to your house to collect the tithe. Bring it yourself to the storehouse.

(5)We are to bring all the tithe into the STOREHOUSE

Don’t give the tithe to the community project. Don’t use your tithe for the “Yoruba Parapo Club”. Bring it to the storehouse. Don’t send your tithe to the Rotary Club. Don’t distribute to a thousand places as you like. Bring it to the storehouse. Don’t give the tithe to needy families or use for funeral needs. Bring it to the storehouse (Deuteronomy 26:13,14).

Make sure that where you are putting your tithe is a true storehouse – a place where the Lord has put His name – a proper sanctuary, a divine storehouse. Some people take their tithe to the mortuary instead of the sanctuary! (Deuteronomy 26:2; 12:5-7; 14:22-29; 15:19-23; 16:2; 17:8-12; Exodus 20:24).

(6)There is no secrecy about the tithe

The tithe is God’s money, not our money. The priest can demand to know how much the tithe you have brought is. Some unfaithful believers who do not want to be discovered quote the Bible as saying we should not let our left hand know what our right hand is doing. So they use this as an excuse for not declaring their tithe if challenged.

The priest saw the tithe that was brought (Deuteronomy 26:1-4). It was not done in secret and it was God who commanded it. We are expected to give to the priest the first of our dough. The priest will know. It is open (Ezekiel 44:30). The priest is meant to examine the offering (Malachi 1:6-8,14). The priests inspect both the animals and the people in order to give the people a clean bill of health (Luke 17:14).

BELIEVERS OF GOD’S TRUTH

Hebrews 3:17-19; 4:11,12; Psalm 119:54,97; Joshua 1:8; Isaiah 53:1; 7:9; Luke 11:28; 2 Chronicles 20:20

The children of Israel provoked God to anger with their unbelief. They didn’t believe God’s word (Hebrews 3:17-19; 4:11,12). They didn’t believe God’s truth that “I am God and beside me there is no other” (Deuteronomy 4:35; 32:39; Exodus 8:10).

They sang about it in Exodus 15 when they came out of Egypt and passed through the Red Sea but they didn’t believe it. Otherwise they will not have made an idol and called it God (Exodus 32:1-5).

Their singing was superficial. It was not with grace in their hearts (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). Hearing and keeping God’s word brings blessing. Believing God’s word establishes and prospers us (Luke 11:28; Isaiah 7:9; 2 Chronicles 20:20).

Isaiah cried “Who hath believed our report?” (Isaiah 53:1). Caleb and Joshua were on God’s side because they believed God’s promise and acted accordingly. The other ten spies were not on God’s side because they didn’t believe God’s word and they brought discouragement and doubt unto God’s people. God eliminated the ten of them (Numbers 13:28-33; 14:1-36).

Do you believe God’s word on salvation, sanctification, restitution, marriage, commitment, worldliness, etc.? Do you argue with every word of God? Do you have your set opinion? Do you pick and choose what to believe? Are you really on God’s side? If you are, His word will be your meditation all day. You will not depart from it (Psalm 119:54,97; Joshua 1:8).