Neh 10:35-37 | KingComments | STEP | The willing people continue their consecration to the LORD. They are not content with partial surrender. They want to obey the law in everything. Therefore they also want to offer the first fruits of the land to the LORD ( ; ). The land belongs to the LORD and they may enjoy the fruit of it. But they do not want to enjoy it without Him. Enjoying all God’s good gifts, whether they are blessings from the earth or blessings in heaven, is only real enjoyment if we involve Him from Whom we have received everything. That is what He wants as well. He has a right to it. The bringing of the first fruits is the acknowledgment that everything belongs to the LORD. After the first fruits are offered to the LORD in His house, they are given to the priests and Levites for their sustenance ( ; ). Thus the LORD deals with all that He gives us. If we give it to Him, He gives it back to us as food to perform our priestly service and to be able to perform our task as Levites (our gift). After the first proceeds of the land, the first-born are brought to the priests in the house of God ( ). These are both the first-born of the people and the first-born of cattle. They are brought to the priest. Priests bring offerings. That is why we see here in the picture that new life is consecrated and sacrificed to God. He is the Giver of new life and is entitled to it. Whoever has learned the mercies of God and thereby received new life, will want to make his body available to God “for a living and holy sacrifice” ( ). Further sacrifices are brought. These sacrifices are brought to the priests, not so that they may sacrifice them or that they may serve for their sustenance, but to bring them into the rooms of God’s house. This emphasizes the enduring nature of these sacrifices before God. They are constantly in God’s presence, before His attention. Then the tithes are brought to support the Levites. If God gets His share, there will also be care for His servants.

‏ Nehemiah 10:35-37

The First Fruits for the House of God

The willing people continue their consecration to the LORD. They are not content with partial surrender. They want to obey the law in everything. Therefore they also want to offer the first fruits of the land to the LORD (Exo 23:19 ; Exo 34:26; Lev 19:23-24). The land belongs to the LORD and they may enjoy the fruit of it. But they do not want to enjoy it without Him.

Enjoying all God’s good gifts, whether they are blessings from the earth or blessings in heaven, is only real enjoyment if we involve Him from Whom we have received everything. That is what He wants as well. He has a right to it. The bringing of the first fruits is the acknowledgment that everything belongs to the LORD.

After the first fruits are offered to the LORD in His house, they are given to the priests and Levites for their sustenance (Num 18:13; Deu 26:1-11). Thus the LORD deals with all that He gives us. If we give it to Him, He gives it back to us as food to perform our priestly service and to be able to perform our task as Levites (our gift).

After the first proceeds of the land, the first-born are brought to the priests in the house of God (Exo 13:11-15). These are both the first-born of the people and the first-born of cattle. They are brought to the priest. Priests bring offerings. That is why we see here in the picture that new life is consecrated and sacrificed to God. He is the Giver of new life and is entitled to it. Whoever has learned the mercies of God and thereby received new life, will want to make his body available to God “for a living and holy sacrifice” (Rom 12:1).

Further sacrifices are brought. These sacrifices are brought to the priests, not so that they may sacrifice them or that they may serve for their sustenance, but to bring them into the rooms of God’s house. This emphasizes the enduring nature of these sacrifices before God. They are constantly in God’s presence, before His attention. Then the tithes are brought to support the Levites. If God gets His share, there will also be care for His servants.