Church People Care for Church Ministry - Leviticus 10-12

 Leviticus 10:12-15 (ESV)

Moses spoke to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar, his surviving sons: “Take the grain offering that is left of the LORD'S food offerings, and eat it unleavened beside the altar, for it is most holy. You shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your due and your sons' due, from the LORD'S food offerings, for so I am commanded. But the breast that is waved and the thigh that is contributed you shall eat in a clean place, you and your sons and your daughters with you, for they are given as your due and your sons' due from the sacrifices of the peace offerings of the people of Israel. The thigh that is contributed and the breast that is waved they shall bring with the food offerings of the fat pieces to wave for a wave offering before the LORD, and it shall be yours and your sons' with you as a due forever, as the LORD has commanded.”

Perhaps, lost on today’s New Testament church, is the understanding of the many “offerings” that were required of the nation of Israel and the responsibility of those offerings by the priest (and his family).   The “grain offering” not only served as an expression of thanks to God by the offerer, it also provided the food needs of the Aaron priestly line and their families.  Aaron’s family has not inheritance with Israel in regard to the promise land.  Their inheritance was the priesthood.   That was to be their lot when they entered into the promise land.   So, the only way they could survive was through the offerings of the people of God.   This was to be the way things worked for the priest throughout their generation.    This is why when the nation quit offering sacrifices in the correct way to God, they also, inadvertently, denied the priest their daily needs.   This caused the priest to find other ways to sustain their lives and become worshippers of idols, because that is what the people wanted.  As went the hearts of the people, so went the hearts of the priestly line.  

We may not understand that through the lens of the church age, but that is exactly what happens with those we identify as “full-time” ministry servants of the church.    When the members of the Body of Christ meet in community, they give of their tithes and their offerings.   The point of that giving is no less than in the book of Leviticus.  It is to show the grateful heart of the believer to come in faith toward God in obedience.  It is NOT for salvation (anymore than it is in the book of Leviticus).  It is for expression of thanks through faith.    But, those tithes and offerings are also for the welfare of those who serve.   Remember what Paul stated about this to the church at Ephesus when writing instructions to young Pastor Timothy:

1 Timothy 5:18 (ESV)

For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”

He was writing to the church to remind them that the elders, pastors and servants of the Church should partake of the offerings made to God in the church.  That was God’s full-time ministry compensation package.  God compensates His servants through His people. Disobedient people injures their relationship with God, but also does great damage to the welfare and care of God’s servants.