Need Some Help With Scripture

InHisLove · 02-26-2008, 12:03 AM

This past weekend I heard a pastor teaching about first fruits and tithing. During his teaching he explained the Old Testament instructions of offering first things to God. The first of the crops and the first born male of every animal was sacrificed to God, but first born human males were not sacrificed to God. They were redeemed through the sacrificing of certain animals.

Then, this pastor said that when Hannah had her first born son she did not redeem him she just gave him to the Lord. That didn’t sit well with me because that would mean Hannah disobeyed God’s instructions concerning the redeeming of first born males. That would mean she just disregarded God’s instructions and did things her own way.

I think in I Samuel 1:24-25 it is explained that Hannah did redeem her first born son, but she didn’t redeem him until he was weaned . . .

“Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh. And the child was young. Then they slaughtered a bull, and brought the child to Eli.”

Wouldn’t the slaughtering of this bull be considered the required sacrifice for redeeming her son?

This pastor also said that God doesn’t necessarily require the best things, however He doesrequire the first things. But, I have always believed that God wants our best; whether first or last.

What do some of you think concerning all of this?

smellycat · 02-26-2008, 12:16 AM

God has no favorites.just to do good things.tithing is very low on the goodness chart,and even harder in developed world not seeing first hand,and also we do not trust people anymore.

KitsapGirl · 02-26-2008, 12:55 AM

It's not the giving that God desires...it's the heart condition that causes you desire to give. It's the attitude.

Quote:

Genesis 4:2 ...Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 So the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."

Cains sacrifice wasn't pleasing to God because it wasn't his first or his best. Why wasn't it his first/best? Because he didn't want to give God his first/best...he allowed sin to rule him...

smellycat · 02-26-2008, 01:03 AM

same with satan his father,the spirits of good he wanted,for himself.then all sorts of evil ensued.and the only way you get away is from Jesus.tell all who need to hear.

Who am I · 02-26-2008, 02:15 AM

There are 17 verses that use the term, “lamb of the first year”, and 31 verses that use the term “lambs of the first year. KJV.

I would say it isn’t necessarily the first lamb, but a young sheep less than a year old, and of course it needs to be “without blemish“. If the first born has any deformities, I don’t think they were to use that one for a sacrifice.

But of course God does want the first of some things. When we tithe, God wants us to tithe first, and then pay our bills. If we pay our bills first, it’s like God is getting the leftovers. Even if it’s still 10%, it’s the leftovers. For instance… if a mother hasn’t seen her son for a while and he is due home for a reunion. The house is full of people, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, neighbors… the son goes around and gives everyone a hug, but hugs his mother last. She still gets a hug, but it would mean so much more if her son ignored everyone in the room and went straight to his mother and gave her the “first” hug. When we think about God first, it means something.

InHisLove · 02-26-2008, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Who am I

There are 17 verses that use the term, “lamb of the first year”, and 31 verses that use the term “lambs of the first year. KJV.

I would say it isn’t necessarily the first lamb, but a young sheep less than a year old, and of course it needs to be “without blemish“. If the first born has any deformities, I don’t think they were to use that one for a sacrifice.

Now that makes more sense. Thank you.

Boanerges · 02-26-2008, 02:05 PM

Hannah gave what some would consider an ultimate sacrifice- she offered her firstborn to God wholly. Ask any mother if this was a sacrifice.

InHisLove · 02-26-2008, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boanerges

Hannah gave what some would consider an ultimate sacrifice- she offered her firstborn to God wholly. Ask any mother if this was a sacrifice.

Yes, I understand it was a difficult sacrifice as a mother, but it wasn't a sacrifice unto death. It wasn't a sacrifice of shedding blood for redemption.

Boanerges · 02-26-2008, 03:53 PM

1Sa 1:20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.
1Sa 1:21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

It seems apprent that Elkanah took care of this obligation as any good Jewish dad would.

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