In this message we will consider those general statutes and judgments which are concerned with the worship of God.
After speaking about taking care of the needy ones, Moses came to the matter of taking care of God's need, a matter which concerns the worship of God.
In their worship of God, the children of Israel were required to give tithes of all the produce of both their cattle and their crop (14:22-27). They had to give God one-tenth of their income from the field or from their cattle.
"You shall eat before Jehovah your God, in the place where He will choose to cause His name to dwell, the tithe of your grain, of your new wine, and of your fresh oil and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear Jehovah your God always" (v. 23). Here we see that the children of Israel did not have the right to offer their tithes at any place of their choice. Rather, they were to bring the tithes to the place where Jehovah would choose to set His name and to have His habitation. This means that the tithes were to be offered at the unique center for the worship of God.
In the place of God's choice, the place for God's name and habitation and the place of the altar, the offerings were to be eaten by the people before God with joy (vv. 23, 26). This means that the tithes were to be enjoyed with God. To eat "before Jehovah" is to eat with Him. The children of Israel offered the tithes to God and then they enjoyed before God and with God what they had offered to God. This indicates that God wants us to enjoy His Christ with Him at His chosen place. Whenever we come together in the Lord's name, in the spirit, and with the cross (the altar), we meet with God through Christ. We come together to enjoy Christ with God.
"You shall not forsake the Levite who is within your gates, for he has no portion nor inheritance with you" (v. 27). This verse shows us that God does not forget the Levites, those who serve Him full-time and who, not having inheritance and employment, live on Him. Therefore, in offering the tithes to God and in enjoying the tithes with God, God's people were to include the Levites. They were to enjoy the tithes with the Levites who lived with them.
The children of Israel were to eat the tithes before God in the place of His choice so that they might learn to fear God always (v. 23). Suppose an Israelite had said, "There is no need for me to bring this one-tenth to the place God has chosen. I can enjoy it at home with the Levites in my town." To have such an attitude is to offend God and not to fear Him. The people had to give their tithes exactly according to God's regulations. If they did this, they would learn to fear God always.