Daily Devotions
Ephesians
"And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma."
Text: Ephesians 5:2
THE CONCEPT OF “AN OFFERING”
Paul was one who was well schooled in the religion of the Jews. He studied under the famous Rabbi Gamaliel. One of the subjects he would have studied well would have been the Old Testament system of giving of offerings to God. Let us take time to ponder the following things concerning the offering system:-
1. Worship was never meant to be of our own making
A clear statement was made with reference to this matter.
You shall not at all do as we are doing here today-
every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes-
DEUTERONOMY 12:8
2. Worship was carefully prescribed
Moses took great pains to describe the kind of worship that God would be pleased with.
Then there will be the place where the LORD your God
chooses to make His name abide. There you shall bring
all that I command you:
your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes,
the heave offerings of your hand, and all your choice offerings
which you vow to the LORD.
And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God,
you and your sons and your daughters…
DEUTERONOMY 12:11-12
3. Note the different types of offerings mentioned
a) Burnt offerings
b) Sacrifices
c) Tithes
d) Heave offerings
e) Choice offerings (vows)
4. Spirit of worship
Moses emphasized the spirit of worship and offering, in the following phrase. (This spirit is relevant to us today)!
And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God…
DEUTERONOMY 12:12