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Chosen no: R-5789 a, from: 1915 Year. |
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TOO MUCH MONEY--FURTHER OFFERINGS REFUSED
--NOVEMBER
7.--2 KINGS 11:21-12:16.--
A
LESSON FROM THE FAR PAST ON GIVING FOR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES--TREASURERS
WITHOUT BONDSMEN – THE TEMPLE REPAIRED -- TYPICAL APPLICATION OF
THIS EVENT – NECESSITY FOR A RETURN TO BIBLE STUDY – DOING OUR
PART IN THE REBUILDING OF THE WALLS OF SPIRITUAL ZION.
"God
loveth a cheerful giver."--2
Corinthians 9:7.
SIXTEEN
years passed after the incidents of our previous Study and found King
Joash in his twenty-third year. Already he had made suggestions to
the priests respecting the repairs of the Temple, which was
considerably dilapidated; for the people were still half-hearted in
the worship of Jehovah. The influence of the idolatry of the
surrounding nations was yet upon them. Some of them continued to burn
incense upon the altars for Baal worship.
PRIESTS
POOR BUSINESS MEN
King
Joash found that allowing the priests to collect the money wherewith
to repair the Temple showed no results. Not every good-hearted man
has executive ability. The record does not tell that the priests were
dishonest in the use of the money collected for their affairs; nor
does it say that they spent the money unwisely. Possibly the people
did not have confidence in the priests, and did not give so freely on
that account.
However,
the king noted the fact that the Temple continued to be dilapidated.
He called for the priests and said to them, "Why repair ye not
the breaches of the Temple?" The answer of the priests is not
given. But the king's mandate was, "Now, therefore, take no more
money from your acquaintances." The king passed over the matter
as lightly and courteously as possible, without charging the priests
with embezzlement or neglect.
A
new procedure was to have an especially prepared money-chest inside
the Temple Court, convenient to the worshipers who passed in and out,
and under the care of the priest who served as doorkeeper. This
method proved successful. The money speedily accumulated. Ere long
there was a sufficiency to make the repairs and more. Further
donations for this purpose were refused. The Temple was put into good
order, and a general blessing followed the experience.
There
is a lesson in this matter for us. People like to see results. They
wish to know that moneys donated for benevolent purposes are not all
absorbed for office expenses. Volunteer offerings have the approval
of both God and man, rather than offerings that are importuned,
coaxed, begged, wheedled from saints and sinners. Whoever gives to
the Lord's Cause is advantaged thereby. He not only forwards a
benevolent Cause, but cultivates generosity in his own heart. Our
Lord said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive"--where
the giving is willing and voluntary.
Church
begging is undoubtedly doing great harm. Some one has remarked that
in some churches the chief item of religion is begging for
money--private solicitation, and also public solicitation, by the
passing around of the collection box. Church fairs, church suppers,
grab-bags, etc., are still more reprehensible than the collection box
and private solicitation. Some one has called such efforts "the
milking of the goats." The Lord's people are supposed to be
sheep; the world's people, goats.
SCRIPTURAL
METHOD OF GIVING
The
proper thought seems to be what the Scriptures inculcate; namely,
that each Christian should give according to his ability and his
interest in the work; and that non-worshipers should not be expected
to give nor requested to do so. But who does not know that a large
proportion of the money collected for church purposes is unwillingly
given by people who are not only often uninterested in the projects,
but sometimes even opposed thereto! Thus Protestant business men
often give to Catholic charities, rather than offend good customers.
Likewise Catholic business men donate to Protestant enterprises with
which they have no sympathy.
It is a good time to
return to the Gospel admonition. (1
Corinthians 16:2.)
Let each one of you lay by in reserve on the first day of the week
according as God has prospered you--for religious and charitable
objects. Only such voluntary giving has any merit whatever in the
sight of God or in the sight of good men. Only such will receive the
Divine blessing upon it, whether it be the widow's mite or the rich
man's munificence. [R5789
: page 316]
BREAKS
IN THE TEMPLE WALL
Viewing
the spiritual Temple, we perceive that outwardly, as represented by
the magnificent churches of metropolitan cities, nothing more could
be desired than what is now enjoyed. Describing the church conditions
of our day, the Scriptures portray these conditions under the figure
of the Laodicean Church, saying, "I know thy works, that thou
art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then
because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee
out of My mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with
goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art
wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel
thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich;
and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of
thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve,
that thou mayest see."--Revelation
3:15-18.
It
is from the spiritual standpoint, therefore, that the Temple of today
needs to have repairs. Outwardly, the Church is rich; spiritually,
she is poor. The majority of her educated, including ministers, have
abandoned all faith in the Bible as the Word of God. Yet they are not
known as infidels, but by the less harsh terms, Higher Critics,
Evolutionists. With many even the faith in a personal God is shaking;
and they incline to wonder whether, somehow or other, we have not an
unintelligent god-- Nature--and whether mankind and all other
intelligences are not merely evolutionary products.
The
cause and foundation of this disastrous condition is not far off. The
absurdities of the creeds formulated during the Dark Ages are so
great that intelligent people can no longer accept them. We have made
the mistake of supposing that these absurdities are based upon the
Scriptures and well supported thereby. The truth is that the creeds
of the past not only contradict each other, but contradict the Bible.
To learn this, to believe it, signifies a return to Bible study with
the colored spectacles of our fathers removed and with our hearts
uplifted to God that He may give us the light promised to His
faithful people in the end of this Age. Of this we read, "We
have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye
take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the
Day dawn, and the Day Star arise in your hearts."--2
Peter 1:19.
THE
DUTY OF THE HOUR
Noting
the spiritual impairment of the House of God, the Church, all who
love the Lord and who worship Him should do their part, should make
their contribution, toward the improvement of these spiritual
conditions. The work is not to be left wholly in the hands of the
clerical or priestly class. The people in general are to appreciate
the situation; and each is to delight to do his part in the
rebuilding of the spiritual walls of Zion. Those spiritual walls
consist of "the faith which was once delivered unto the
saints."--Jude 3.
Each
Christian should ask himself, "What am I doing toward these
repairs? How am I manifesting to the Lord my zeal for Truth and
righteousness and my hatred for sin and untruth?" And as an
answer to these questions, each should redouble his efforts to
understand the Truth and to help others to an understanding of it,
whatever the cost to the creeds and systems of the Dark Ages.
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