2 Chronicles 31: 4
In addition, he required the people in Jerusalem to bring the prescribed portion of their income to the priests and Levites, so they could devote themselves fully to the law of the Lord.
This is the continuing story about Hezekiah and his efforts to restore the temple and the people of God. It puts me in remembrance of a ministers’ conference I attended a couple of years ago. I was shocked at the number of ministers who either worked a second job or were building a multi-level marketing company as a means of making ends meet. It is a very sad commentary that our pastors, the people who look after us are in such need. It seems to me that ministers ought to be some of the highest paid people in society.
Part of Hezekiah’s restoration of the people was the restoration of the tithe. It worked too. When he got the people to do what God commanded them to do, they prospered as did the priests and the temple. Verse 10 reads, “Since the people began bringing their gifts to the Lord’s Temple, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare for the Lord has blessed his people.” As they began giving their ten percent tithe to the church, the Lord prospered them and thus the ten percent grew. It became ten percent of much rather than ten percent of a little, so everyone prospered and had enough to share.
I believe this would work in our society today. Hezekiah was able to rally the people around a cause. What would inspire that kind of devotion today? Statistics show that most people in the church do not tithe. People take and take from the church and from pastors and give little to nothing in return. It surprises me that they expect ministers to give their time and expertise for nothing, but it is reality. Let’s not be that people. Let’s find a rallying point and be faithful to the Lord and to those whom He has called into service. Then our pastors can devote themselves fully to the Word, as God has called them to do. It is the way to prosperity for us all. It is God’s success path and I know He will be very proud of us too.
