Genesis 28:16-22 True blessing begins with total consecration of the heart and tithing

Genesis 28:16-22  True blessing begins with total consecration of the heart and tithing

16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
18 So Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on its top. 19 He called the name of that place Bethel; however, previously the name of the city had been Luz. 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, 21 and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord will be my God. 22 This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”

Background

Jacob, in a dream received the revelation of God’s kingdom on earth. In response, he consecrated himself in worship and tithe to God all that he possessed. Today’s devotion teaches us the importance of self-consecration and the giving of the tithe. Jacob experienced God’s blessing because he consecrates himself and honours God continually. It is one thing to receive a promise, and quite another to experience it. The people of Moses had Abraham’s promise given to them, but they did not mix it with faith and pass up on the blessing. If we are to see true blessing in our lives and in our future generations, we must do as Jacob did: to give ourselves fully to God’s purposes and to tithe.

Observation

Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.

The notion that God’s appearance or presence is tied to geographical location is an ancient concept among people of the Old Testament. Even during the days of the gospel, the Samaritan woman’s fixation on the place of worship revealed this well entrenched paradigm (see John 4:20). However, Jesus taught that the presence of God follows true worshipers irrespective of the place of worship (see John 4:23). In other words, worship that pleases God has to do with the posture of the heart, not location.

Jacob in saying, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it” was clearly astounded for he had indeed stumbled upon the gate of heaven. To Jacob, the elements and setting of the dream unmistakably points to a place of worship: This is none other than the house of God. The dream had a positive effect on Jacob apart from the fact that he was also visibly shaken because he met God face to face. The scripture throws up numerous records of men who trembled when they came face to face with the all-knowing God, their deeds, and intents of the heart laid bare before them. Such men are acutely aware of their sins and their unworthiness to stand before a holy God. For Jacob, it was not all fear, the love of God was present to enable him to face up to his own darkness. Here, God’s holiness and love works in tandem leading Jacob to the heart of worship.

Jacob … took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on its top.

Because Jacob has come to the conclusion that the place where he rested and dreamed was God’s abode, he proceeded to mark the place as holy, a sanctuary where he would someday return. Much as one would cleanse and “sanctify” his house, Jacob set up a pillar of stone, poured oil on it and renamed the place as Bethel (the house of God). In giving the place a new name, Jacob established for it a new purpose according to God’s sovereign will. This purpose begins with the worshiper through the acts of consecration and tithing.

This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.

Jacob’s vow comprises his commitment towards consecration (This stone, which I have set up as a pillar) and tithing (and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You). Men vow in order to properly motivate all parties to fulfil their part of the bargain. As it is not possible for God to lie, it is needless for Jacob to ingratiate himself with God through a vow. What is Jacob’s intention in making a vow? Jacob’s vow expressed his gratitude towards God for the unmerited favour towards him. As God vowed to return him safely home as heir of Abraham’s promise, Jacob responded with a vow to consecrate himself and to tithe. Thus, Jacob’s vow is not transactional in substance but of gratitude and honour towards God.

Truth

True blessing begins with total consecration of the heart and tithing

Because Jacob encountered God and received a promise despite his vile behaviour, he responded with worship. The fact that God did not bring to mind or accuse Jacob of the sins he committed against his father and brother attests to God’s lovingkindness. When we retrace the narrative through the eyes of Jacob, we will appreciate the enormity of God’s grace and favour. Jacob’s spontaneous act of worship is but a righteous response to an unmerited favour freely received. Now, the acts of worship are consecration and tithing.

When Jacob poured oil over the pillar of stone, he consecrated the place as holy, fit for God’s dwelling. Thus, consecration is the process of setting apart something (land, object or person) out of the common. Jacob, in pouring oil on the pillar of stone consecrated himself as well as the place wholly as God’s possession. How does Jacob’s act of consecration relate with Abraham’s promise and eventual blessing to the nations. God’s salvation plan for the world begins with the consecration of Jacob and the land (Judah). In a vision given to prophet Zechariah, God said,

“Many nations will join themselves to the Lord in that day and will become My people. Then I will dwell in your midst, and you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. The Lord will possess Judah as His portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem. Zechariah 2:11-12. 

Jacob’s dream is in fact a new revelation of a kind of heavenly kingdom on earth where its inhabitants live under God’s rule according to justice, mercy and godliness. Jacob and the place where he rested and dreamed will be the seat of man’s salvation. In our case, when we respond to God in consecration and tithing, our family and career begin to manifest the blessing of the kingdom. When man consecrates his heart to live for God wholeheartedly, God sanctifies his desires from lust and addictions of the flesh. He aligns his dreams and goals with God’s. In so doing, he becomes holy and blessed to be a blessing to the world. As we shall later see, God used Laban (Jacob’s uncle), a man of trickery and unscrupulousness to sanctify Jacob.

The consecration of the heart must necessarily express itself in concrete acts of worship and honour towards God. Jacob, in recognising that truth committed himself to tithe all that he possessed. Tithing began in the days of Adam when Abel tithed to God and was blessed. Abraham tithed to Melchizedek, the priest, the king of Salem (see Genesis 14). Tithing is an act of giving honour to one who is superior. The people of Israel tithe to the Levites, the priests of the nation. And the Levites in turn tithe to God. When the believer tithes to his church, it becomes a channel through which the blessing flows to the tither. A tithe is 10% of one’s income, the first fruit of the harvest, the best of the produce. Believers tithe as a concrete act of honouring God. In doing so, he honours God as the most important Person in his life, as One who gives him the ability to create wealth.

Put in a nutshell, worship involves total consecration of the heart which expresses itself through the act of tithing. When believers tithe with a heart of total consecration, not only will they not subject their possessions to the devil who comes to steal and to destroy, they will continue to increase in wealth. When Jacob lived for God and honoured Him with his tithes, God kept him and brought him back, this time as Israel, heir of God’s kingdom.

Many believers suppose that God being infinitely rich does not bother with the little that they tithe to Him. Hence, they become sloppy with their tithing. And some tithe out of greed, supposing they may receive many times in return as promised in the word. However, in order for man’s tithe to be accepted, they must consecrate their hearts by loving God with all their heart and to love others as themselves. Abel’s offering was accepted and Cain’s rejected because Abel honoured God and but Cain did not.

Here, Jacob teaches us that in order to experience God’s blessing in full, one must continually consecrate his heart and honour Him through his tithes.

Application

Do you give 100% of yourself to God? Or do you reserve a part of your life for yourself? God demands 100% of us, 99.99% will not do. Unless believers deal with their self-centred agendas, and their seemingly “trivial and harmless” sins, there will be no abundant living. Believers can consecrate and sanctify themselves by identifying the demonic influences and casting them out by the authority of Jesus Christ. Here are some examples: demons of lust, nicotine addiction, alcohol, and unforgiveness, anger, self-condemnation, depression and suicide, sickness, rebellion, and homosexuality. We can also identify the demons by the work they do. We can say: “You! The one who  causes confusion . I cast you out of my body in Jesus’s name.” Or “You! The demon of  cancer ….” Or, “You! The one who entered my life when my relatives  abused  me….” When you make a vow like Jacob’s and consecrate your life wholly for God’s purposes, He sanctifies you by His power and sets you free to experience His blessing.

Do you offer tithes to God regularly? The attitude of tithing speaks unmistakably of the position of God in your life. Do you serve God or money? And the church that you tithe to will be one whom you receive your spiritual nourishment. For it is only right to tithe to the church who disciples you and takes care of your spiritual needs. The tithe or the first fruit involves prioritising God’s portion as holy, as above all other needs.

Dear Lord, forgive me for being sloppy in my worship life. I consecrate my desires and life goals to fulfil your kingdom purposes. I thank you for giving your life as a sacrifice for my salvation and perfection. I commit myself to honour you through my tithes and offerings. Bless me abundantly so that I may become a blessing to my church, my community and to the nations. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.