Taking the Offering
By Terance Clark March 1, 2025 5 Minute Read
Week 19
This Weeks Passage: Exodus 25:1 – 27:19
A number of years ago while I was a pastor we collected our regular tithes and offerings one Sunday morning and before I prayed I said to the congregation we are about take the offering and then went through the process. After the service I was approached by a visitor who let me know that we should never take the offering, but instead we should always receive the offering. I was just about to give him a Hebrew and Greek lesson on the subject when the Lord told me to just be quiet. I listened to the visitor and kindly nodded while thanking him for pointed out this error on my part. This week we are privileged to read through the passages that begin with God asking for a contribution from the people. Not a requirement, but a gift from those who chose to do it. The Hebrew term is a Terumah and I hope it helps give you a new perspective on giving.
Giving and Taking
In Exodus 25:2 God commands Moses to tell Israel to take a contribution (Terumah) for me. The root of the word Terumah means to uplift and so the word implies to separate a portion of ones resources for a higher or uplifting purpose. It means that when we give to the Lord we are raising it above the mundane. We are spiritually elevating ourselves like one who climbs ever higher into the presence of God.
What is interesting is the literal word says to “take a contribution” for God, doesn’t that seem strange, because if you are making a donation shouldn’t you be giving not taking? Why is God not asking them to give a contribution rather than take a contribution? I’m glad you asked, now hold on to something for the answer. When someone contributes to God’s work he is actually receiving more than he is giving. So, even though you are giving from your own personal resources you are receiving a huge spiritual benefit because you are taking from the blessing of God. Are you understanding that a free gift to God is not giving its actually taking! When we look at things from our worldly perspective we see ourselves as givers, but when we see into the spiritual realm we understand that we are getting so much more than we could ever possibly give and that puts us in to a completely different mindset. Let’s go deeper!
The Cheerful Giver
When God asked Israel to give he made it voluntary because He knew only those with hearts to see would understand what they were truly doing and nothing has changed today. That is why Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9:7 “Each should give according to what he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” A true giver is not motivated to give because he anticipates some kind of return. A generous person gives to the kingdom because he loves God and wants to do everything he can to further the work of God on the earth.
“He regards all he has as belonging to the Lord“
A true giver does not see their money and resources as something belonging to them, he regards all that he has as belonging to the LORD, so he has no reason to feel regret and/or pained in anyway when giving it. It is their greatest joy to do it. There is one caveat, this person sees this life and world from a completely different perspective and they know that they really are not giving at all. They understand that every thing they have ever given to God is completely undervalued in comparison to what they are taking from Him. It’s like a $1000 investment into Apple stock when it opened in 1980 would today return to you millions. The true giver always knows that God’s multiplication process is so far higher than anything we could ever count. The next time someone says, let’s receive an offering you can chuckle under your breath because you know in reality you are taking the offering!