The Honor Due to God

CHURCH EXPENSES.

Although the tithe was set apart for the support of those who were connected with the tabernacle, it was not use for the running expenses, nor for repairs. In Exodus 30:20-16 the find a statement as to how the running expenses of the sanctuary were met. The Lord had a special claim on every one of the people, and therefore it was required that each one should make an offering to the Lord of half a shekel, as a sort of ransom for himself. The rich were not to give more, nor the poor to give less. This offering was applied thus: “And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of accommodation.” If this were not needed to meet the expenses of the service, it could be used, as it was in the first instance, to adorn the sanctuary itself. Exodus 38:25-28. When Nehemiah restored the Jewish worship, besides bringing up the tithes he made provision for the temple service: “Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God; for the showbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths, of the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.” Nehemiah 10:32, 33. HDTG 30.2

As the temple was built by offerings, so was it repaired. The case is so plainly stated in 1 Chronicles 24:4-13 that no comment is needed; but lest some should fail to look up the reference for themselves, we quote a portion of it: “And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the Lord. And he gathered together the priests and Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.... And at the king’s commandment they made a chest, and set it without at the gate of the house of the Lord. And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the Lord the collection that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel in the wilderness. And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end. Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the king’s office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king’s scribe and the high priest’s officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance. And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the Lord, and hired masons and carpenters to repair the house of the Lord, and also such as wrought iron and brass to mend the house of the Lord. So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.” HDTG 31.1