Deuteronomy 12:6
And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks: And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:
God chose a single place to put His name and dwell among His people, and all burnt offerings, sacrifices, tithes, heave offerings, vows, freewill offerings, and firstlings of herd and flock were to be brought there before Him rather than offered wherever men pleased or eaten within their own gates. That chosen place was Jerusalem, selected under divine direction as the capital and religious center where regular worship and sacrifice belonged at the central sanctuary. The tithe named here is the second tithe, kept at the owner's disposal for religious, hospitable, and charitable use and brought for two years to the sanctuary for the sacred meals at the three annual feasts. It was to be eaten there before the Lord by the giver with household, sons, daughters, servants, and the Levite within the gates, so that sharing with the Levites both supplied the feast and provided for others in a season of rejoicing for all. The regular first tithe belonged wholly to the Levites for the support of those serving in the Lord's house, from which those in sacred ministry lived, and Israel was to assemble on appointed days setting aside unnecessary work, bringing gifts according to God's blessing and never coming before Him empty in joyful gratitude shared with servants, strangers, orphans, and widows.
Chosen Place and Offerings
Thither Israel was to bring burnt offerings and sacrifices, tithes and heave offerings of the hand, vows and freewill offerings, and the firstlings of herds and flocks, to the place God would choose to put His name. That place was His habitation where the sanctuary was located, the place chosen for His name and presence and for His sanctuary. They were not to worship wherever they pleased, nor to eat these holy portions within their own gates, but only before the Lord in the chosen place. Bringing offerings to the sanctuary recognized God's presence in a particular place, and failing to do so was evidence of idolatrous worship, so acceptable worship and presentation of offerings were linked to the place of His presence.
The chosen place was later identified as Jerusalem, chosen under divine direction by David as the capital and religious center. Regular temple worship and sacrifice belonged at that central sanctuary in Jerusalem. That restriction to the central sanctuary was not regarded as binding outside Palestine, as shown by the Elephantinê Jews' appeal to offer sacrifices at their own temple.
In the surrounding directions, peace-offering flesh was to be eaten, with any remainder burned if left until the third day. The permission to eat what was desired did not include animals specifically forbidden as unclean in the same law. The chapter belongs to the Levitical law given to the children of Israel that was abolished by Christ.
Second Tithe and Support
The gifts named were to be carried to a fixed place for the treasury under an orderly arrangement, not handed out at random wherever one pleased. The tithe in this list is the second tithe, distinct from the first tithe that was given wholly to Levi. It stayed in the landowner's hands for religious, hospitable, and charitable uses. It was to be taken for two years to the sanctuary and spent for the sacred meals kept at the three yearly feasts.
There before the Lord it was to be eaten by the one who brought it together with his household, sons and daughters, servants, and the Levite within the gates, when many from all the tribes came up to the yearly gathering. It was not to be eaten inside their own gates, but only before the Lord in the place He chose. The regular first tithe belonged to the Levites for the upkeep of those serving in the Lord's house, and the Levites in turn carried their own tithe of it to the priests at the house of God. These tithes were among the temple provisions on which those engaged in sacred ministry lived, and they were to be brought to the appointed assemblies of God's people along with sacrifices, offerings, vows, freewill gifts, and firstborn animals.
What was brought in this way both met the needs of the feast and supplied the wants of others through sharing with the Levites. By that sharing the gathering became a time of rejoicing for all who were present.
Joyful Assembled Worship
Israel was to bring its offerings and sacrifices to the place God chose to put His name, His habitation and presence, rather than worshiping wherever it pleased. The list brought there included burnt offerings and sacrifices, tithes, heave offerings, vows, freewill gifts, and the firstborn of herds and flocks. Bringing offerings to the sanctuary in this way recognized God's presence in a particular place, and acceptable worship and the presentation of offerings were thus linked to the place of His presence. Failure to bring them there was evidence of idolatrous worship.
The directions belong to God's call for Israel to assemble before Him at the place He chose on appointed special days. For those gatherings unnecessary work was to be set aside in order to consider His blessings. The people were to bring gifts and offerings in keeping with how He had blessed them, and not to come before Him empty. These assemblies were occasions for joyful gratitude shared by servants, strangers, orphans, and widows. The offerings showed how highly each person valued God's blessings and revealed the heart.