Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats. Leviticus 22:19
The storage room behind the offices always seemed to be a mess. Unused pieces of furniture were scattered about in no reasonable order, and boxes of various supplies and articles were piled on and around them. Trying to find something in that room was always an adventure and a big consumption of time. But nobody ever took the time to straighten things up in there, despite an occasional mention from the vice-president that it should be done. We all had our own work to do, our own responsibilities to fulfill, our own quotas to meet. Taking time to straighten up the storage room would have meant extra work for no apparent extra benefit. We were like the Israelites who neglected the freewill offerings. We were like many of today’s Christians who do their Sunday morning duty but little more. But everybody is missing out on major benefits.
Straightening up the storage room would have saved us time every day, and made our lives easier and our bosses happier. An Israelite who brought a freewill offering gained greater insight into the blessing of God. And Christians who actively involve themselves in Assembly activities, Gospel work, and in witnessing to those around them find themselves deeply enriched in their souls. Attending the Lord’s Supper is in keeping with His command: This do in remembrance of Me. But if we just attend, we do like the Israelite who brought the required sacrifices, but brought no freewill offering. We miss out on the significance of the male without blemish. No term in the Old Testament can more perfectly point to the New Testament term ‘Only Begotten Son’. As saved sinners, we appreciate the Lord Jesus, and all that He has done for us. But the more we come to appreciate Him, the more we desire to give Him in worship and service; the more likely we are to bring to Him the equivalent of the Old Testament’s freewill offering.
The freewill offering is the preparation of hearts during the week so that baskets of worship are full for the Lord’s Day, enabling hearts and voices to lift the incense of praise to the Lord Jesus. The freewill offering is the bringing forth from our income and increase the offering that we give to the Lord. The freewill offering is the opening of our homes in hospitality to the Lord’s people. The freewill offering is the spending of time, money, and effort to help those in need. The freewill offering is the kindness, caring, and generosity that mark the life of those who appreciate the Male Without Blemish.
How much we offer is determined by our appreciation of our Lord, by the desire of our hearts to honour Him. – Jim MacIntosh