Deuteronomy 12:19 Cross References

Deuteronomy 12:19

19: Be very careful never to forget the Levites as long as you live in your land.

In addition, he required the people in Jerusalem to bring the prescribed portion of their income to the priests and Levites, so they could devote themselves fully to the law of the LORD.
The people responded immediately and generously with the first of their crops and grain, new wine, olive oil, honey, and all the produce of their fields. They brought a tithe of all they owned.
The people who had moved to Judah from Israel, and the people of Judah themselves, brought in the tithes of their cattle and sheep and a tithe of the things that had been dedicated to the LORD their God, and they piled them up in great heaps.
The first of these tithes was brought in late spring, and the heaps continued to grow until early autumn.
When Hezekiah and his officials came and saw these huge piles, they thanked the LORD and his people Israel!

But all the priests and Levites living among the northern tribes of Israel sided with Rehoboam.
The Levites even abandoned their homes and property and moved to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons would not allow them to serve the LORD as priests.

"We have cast sacred lots to determine when--at regular times each year--the families of the priests, Levites, and the common people should bring wood to God's Temple to be burned on the altar of the LORD our God, as required in the law.
"We promise always to bring the first part of every harvest to the LORD's Temple--whether it be a crop from the soil or from our fruit trees.
We agree to give to God our oldest sons and the firstborn of all our herds and flocks, just as the law requires. We will present them to the priests who minister in the Temple of our God.
We will store the produce in the storerooms of the Temple of our God. We will bring the best of our flour and other grain offerings, the best of our fruit, and the best of our new wine and olive oil. And we promise to bring to the Levites a tenth of everything our land produces, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all our rural towns.
A priest--a descendant of Aaron--will be with the Levites as they receive these tithes. And a tenth of all that is collected as tithes will be delivered by the Levites to the Temple of our God and placed in the storerooms.

Wasn't he also speaking to us? Of course he was. Just as farm workers who plow fields and thresh the grain expect a share of the harvest, Christian workers should be paid by those they serve.
We have planted good spiritual seed among you. Is it too much to ask, in return, for mere food and clothing?
If you support others who preach to you, shouldn't we have an even greater right to be supported? Yet we have never used this right. We would rather put up with anything than put an obstacle in the way of the Good News about Christ.
Don't you know that those who work in the Temple get their meals from the food brought to the Temple as offerings? And those who serve at the altar get a share of the sacrificial offerings.
In the same way, the Lord gave orders that those who preach the Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it.

And do not forget the Levites in your community, for they have no inheritance as you do.
"At the end of every third year bring the tithe of all your crops and store it in the nearest town.
Give it to the Levites, who have no inheritance among you, as well as to the foreigners living among you, the orphans, and the widows in your towns, so they can eat and be satisfied. Then the LORD your God will bless you in all your work.

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