The Missionary by Stephen Nelson Haskell

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 8, 1885

The Missionary.

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

Thoughts on Proverbs 3:9, 10.

"Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase; so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine."

First, We are told to honor the Lord. It is a principle in the nature of things to pay respect and honor to position. The display that is made when some great man passes through the country is not so much because of the man as of the position he may hold. Any person who would not respect position is in no sense worthy to hold it. "Honor" is esteem due or paid to worth; when applied to the Supreme Being, reverence, veneration, a nice sense of what is right, just, and true, with a course of life corresponding thereto; a token of esteem paid to worth; a sign of veneration. All persons in any position should honor God, for he is their Creator, preserver, and constant benefactor. "A son honoreth his father and a servant his master; if then I be a father where is mine honor?" These are the words of God. Certainly all should honor him. "Them that honor me I will honor."

Secondly, We are told with what we should honor God,—our substance, with all that relates to our temporal interests. This includes all of our increase, everything that we may rightfully call our own.

Thirdly, The Scriptures state with what portion we should honor God. "With the first fruits of all thine increase." Of everything that is received, before appropriating it for our necessities, or for any purpose whatever, the first and best should be set apart for God. To wait until our wants are supplied, and then appropriate to God what we can spare, would be placing ourselves first and God second. The Scriptures abound in expressions showing that man should give his first and best to God. "The first of the first fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy God;" "a cake of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the Lord;" "the first fruits also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep shalt thou give him;" "of all the first fruits of the earth," "and the first of all the first fruits of all things, and every oblation of all, of every sort of your oblations;" "the first of your dough that he may cause the blessing to rest in thine house." Every offering made of the first fruits was a "heave offering," which was a thank offering. This was to be a voluntary or "free-will offering." See Ex. 23:19; 34:26; Num. 15:20, 21; Deut. 18:4; 26:2; Eze. 44:30. No increase or income of whatever nature or character was exempt. Nothing could be more explicit, and there can be no misunderstanding upon the part of any of what the first fruits were to be taken from. This is not a tithe, but a thank offering to God. By withholding it we rob God. It is as much his as the tithe or the Sabbath. Mal. 3:8. By pursuing this course it is positively said that we can honor God. "Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase."

Fourthly, It is distinctly stated that in proportion as we do this we shall be blessed. "So shall thy barns be filled," etc. Webster defines so to mean "for like reason; with equal reason; in such manner; to such degree." As we thus honor God we shall be blessed, for it shows that we respect God as the author of all good.

Fifthly, The blessings here promised pertain to this life. "So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine." David says, "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." Of the righteous he said, "The righteous showeth mercy and giveth," "he is ever merciful and lendeth." Ps. 37:25, 21, 26. Underlying this is a principle, a reason which would be well for us to consider.

There was a time when sin separated man from God so that there was no connection between a holy God and sinful man. It was then that the plan of salvation was devised in the courts of glory. Christ, the first and best, the archangel, God's only Son, voluntarily offered to give himself for a fallen race. The first religious duty ever made known to man after his fall was that of sacrifice. By this he was to show how much he appreciated what Heaven had done for his salvation. All that we receive in this life comes to us through the providence of God. Could we realize this, we would be anxious to give to God a free-will offering of all the first fruits of our increase as a token of appreciation of God's goodness to us. How many of those who read these lines will commence with 1885 to honor God in the way he has appointed? S. N. HASKELL.