I wanna expand a little bit more on the firstfruits concept that while everything belongs to God, not everything is devoted to Him.
This Scriptural principle is a much more serious matter than you think.
When we study about holy war in the Book of Joshua, we need to keep in mind that the rules governing God’s holy property play a central role in the narrative.
To illustrate, let me ask you…
…did you ever have a parent, a father or a mother, who was really hyper sensitive about some particular material possession in the home?
In my case, it was my dad’s 100% maple syrup (an import purchase from Canada) that was placed in a special upper corner in the family fridge.
When it was pancake time, us kids had permission to use the cheaper and generic Aunt Jemima syrup (which wasn’t that bad actually) but papa got to use the expensive, special maple syrup.
We knew better not to touch his precious maple syrup bottle or else there would be hell to pay.
Well, in the same way, the Lord’s holy property belongs to Him and Him alone…
…and if one were to steal His “maple syrup” so to speak, there would be serious consequences to pay.
Going back to our discussion, the firstfruits of everything belong to God whether we choose to give it to Him or not.
If we rebel and decide to wrongly keep the firstfruits to ourselves, it doesn’t change the fact that it still belongs to God.
We are simply misusing or misappropriating (to use a 10 dollar word) what rightfully belongs to God.
This is precisely the sin Achan committed.
Are you catching this?
If you steal an item devoted to God, just because you decided to NOT physically turn it over to the Lord doesn’t change anything spiritually.
The item you stole hasn’t lost its holiness and its ownership still remains with Hashem.
It’s a perspective difference we’re talking about here.
For instance, it ain’t that the firstfruits of your income should be turned over to God, it’s that by definition according to the divine laws of the universe the Lord has established, the firstfruits of your income already belong to Him…whether you’re aware of that fact or not.
This issue is…
…are you going to physically turn over what rightfully belongs to Him or not?
If you have a firstborn son, he already belongs to God as the the firstfruits from your loins or womb.
If you’re a farmer, the same principle applies to what you grow in the field.
Let me wrap up by stating once again a point I mentioned yesterday.
Yes, EVERYTHING belongs to God, but it is the firstfruits that must be turned over to Him.
Why?
Because first-fruits fall under the category of holy property.
Everything else God has given us permission to use.
But when you decide to take God’s holy property, it’s a sin.
And it’s the same sin Achan committed.
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