Deuteronomy 12:11
Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:
Before Israel crossed the Jordan they had not yet entered the rest and inheritance, but after dwelling securely in Canaan with rest from all their enemies round about God would choose a place to cause His name and presence to dwell where they must bring all He commanded in burnt offerings, sacrifices, tithes, heave offerings, and choice vows. The city He chose was Jerusalem, and the place of His name was the temple, with David's choice of Jerusalem as capital divinely directed to this end. Worship there was exclusive and centralized, forbidding altars on hilltops after the manner of the heathen and requiring recognition of God's personal presence in that place rather than in idol worship or rival sanctuaries such as Mount Gerizim. Tithes and offerings were to be brought there and delivered to appointed treasurers among the priests and Levites for distribution to those who served in holy things, a pattern for the support of gospel ministers by tithes and contributions though without animal sacrifices. This rest of peaceful possession is not the weekly Sabbath but a type of the true rest and inheritance remaining for God's people, which Joshua did not fully provide and which is fulfilled in Christ.
Chosen Place and Promised Rest
While Israel stood east of the Jordan it had not yet come to the rest and the inheritance, and that rest would come only after going over Jordan, dwelling in Canaan, and settling securely in the land given to them. The promise looked forward to the time when God would give rest from all enemies round about so that they dwelt in safety and inherited the land, and then centralized worship would be established.
The promised rest means secure, peaceful possession of the inheritance and dwelling in safety with rest from all enemies round about. Rest from enemies was as much part of the promise as the land itself. It is the same rest from oppression contained in the promise that Abraham's seed would possess the gate of his enemies.
Only after God gave that rest would He choose a place to cause His name and presence to dwell, and there the people must bring all that was commanded — burnt offerings, sacrifices, tithes, the heave offering of the hand, and choice vows with other commanded gifts — so they could meet with Him. Bringing worship to that sanctuary recognized His personal presence in a particular place, while failing to do so was evidence of idol worship, and the instruction bears on the question of the proper place of worship as between Jerusalem and Mount Gerizim. The city chosen was Jerusalem, and the specific place where He caused His name to dwell was the temple. David's choice of Jerusalem as the capital was divinely directed in line with this instruction, and the direction to bring offerings to the central sanctuary was understood as binding within Palestine only.
The rest in this setting is the peaceful possession of the land, not the weekly Sabbath. This land-rest was a type of the true rest and inheritance that remains for God's people, which Joshua did not fully provide and which is fulfilled in Christ.
Central Worship and Tithe
God chose a particular place for his name and presence to dwell and commanded Israel to bring all offerings there in order to meet with him. That command required exclusive centralized worship and forbade worship at unauthorized high places, prohibiting the building of altars on hilltops, a practice adopted from heathen nations and later followed by backsliding Israelites. Bringing worship to that sanctuary recognized God's personal presence in a particular place, while failing to do so was evidence of idol worship. The place chosen by God for his name to dwell was the place where Israel was to bring its offerings and vows, and it bears on the question of the proper place of worship as between Jerusalem and Mount Gerizim.
This direction belongs to Israel's ritual and ceremonial law of worship and service given to the children of Israel, distinguished from the perpetual law of God. Tithes and offerings were to be brought to the place the Lord chose for his name to dwell, that is Jerusalem, rather than used at the giver's discretion. The people were not free to choose where the tithe was paid or who benefited from it, but were to deliver it to appointed treasurers among the priests and Levites for distribution to their brethren. These provisions supported those who served in holy things. That same pattern applies to the support of gospel ministers, who are likewise to be supported by tithes and contributions, though Christian worship does not offer animal sacrifices.
Jerusalem was set as the central sanctuary for Israel's worship with direction to bring offerings there, yet this restriction was understood as binding within Palestine only, as shown by the temple and regular sacrifices of the Elephantine Jews outside the land.