Commentary on "Priests and Levites"

STEVE PITCHER

 

Day 7: Friday, November 20, 2009

 

As with all Day Seven lessons prior to this, a passage from Ellen White is provided. This passage is specifically about “God’s plan in the tithing system [as] beautiful in its simplicity and equality.” Although the plan is simple and equitable, it does not necessarily make one “a vigilant and faithful treasurer for God.”

Jesus was very clear about this in his teaching. Mt. 6:20-21 says to “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

The idea that our material wealth is an important part of “carry[ing] forward the great work of sounding the last message of warning to the world” attempts to show how our financial support of missions and evangelism can be used by God, but there is no “last message of warning to the world.” When Jesus ascended to heaven, we entered the last days, as attested to by numerous New Testament passages. (See Acts 2:17; 2 Tim. 3:1; Heb. 1:2; James 5:3; 2 Pet. 3:3) We are in the last days and the message of salvation in Christ Jesus is the “last message of warning to the world.”

May we suggest that, rather than going to a “lesser light” (Evangelism, chapter 8) that you go straight to the Bible itself. See what Jesus and the New Testament writers reveal as to the way, truth and life.

Ellen White wrote, “Little heed is given to the Bible, and the Lord has given a lesser light to lead men and women to the greater light.” (Colporteur Evangelist, p. 37) If she truly is a lesser light, and you are not avoiding the Bible, then Ellen White must be put down since you have a greater (the greatest) light in your very hands.

We can store up treasure for ourselves in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, by investing all we have, not just our finances, to the work of God.

 

Summary

1. We are not all called to be “vigilant and faithful treasurers for God.”
2. We are all called to store up our treasure in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy. Since we cannot store our worldly finances in heaven, we are called to use them for God in this world. Our treasure in heaven is something much more than just our worldly finances and material goods.
3. Ellen White referred to herself as a “lesser light” to lead men to the greater light. We have the greater light. We are not avoiding it. Therefore, we no longer need a “lesser light” to lead us; we should go straight to the Bible for God’s message to us.

 

* All scripture quotes this week are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated 1995 (NASB) unless otherwise indicated.

 

 

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