Bridges on Proverbs 3:9-10

Charles Bridges on Proverbs 3:9-10


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9. Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: 10. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

This rule of sacrifice is a costly precept to the worldling and the formalist. But to the servant of God, is it not a privilege to lay aside a portion of substance with this sacred stamp, — “This is for God”? (1 Corinthians 16:2.) The first-fruits of the increase were the acknowledgment of redemption from Egypt (Exodus 13:12, 13. Deuteronomy 26:1-10.) And shall we, redeemed from sin, Satan, death, and hell, deny the claim? (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20.) ‘Well may we think our substance due, where we owe ourselves.’† Nay, could we be happy in spending that substance on ourselves, which he has given us wherewith to honour him? (Luke 19:13. Contrast 12:16-22.) What a value, what a dignity, does it give to the talent, that he should condescend to employ it for his own grand, eternal purposes! This sacred devotedness is, moreover, the true road to riches. (Chapter 11:24.) God challenges us to “prove him now herewith,” if the abundant harvest, and the overflowing vintage, shall not put unbelief and covetousness to shame. (Malachi 3:10. 2 Chronicles 31:5-10.) A niggardly spirit is, therefore, narrow policy; contracting the harvest, by sparing the seed-corn. (2 Corinthians 9:6. Haggai 1:4-6.) There is no presumption or enthusiasm in looking for the literal fulfillment of the promise. If we doubt the temporal, should we not suspect our assumed confidence in the spiritual engagements? For if the Lord's word be insufficient security for our substance: much more must it be for the infinitely weightier deposit of our soul!

The rule and obligation are therefore clear. The law dealt with us as children, and prescribed the exact amount. The gospel treats us as men, and leaves it to circumstance, principle, and conscience. This consecration of substance, as the seed-corn for the harvest, is as strange to the world, as would be the casting of the seed in the earth to an untutored savage. Yet is the result secure in both cases; only with this difference, that the temper of the earthly sower has no influence on the harvest; whereas the fruitfulness of the spiritual harvest mainly depends upon the principles of the work. Most important is it to beware of bye-ends and selfish principles; that we honour the LORD, not ourselves. Let there be a self-renouncing spirit (1 Chronicles 29:14-16. Matthew 6:1-4; 25:37-39), implicit faith (1 Kings 17:12-16), constraining love (Romans 12:1. 2 Corinthians 5:14, 15. Matthew 10:42), special regard to his own people. And doubt not, but he will affix his own seal — “Those that honour me, I will honour.” (1 Samuel 2:30. Compare chapter 11:25; 22:9; Hebrews 6:10.)

1 Corinthians 16:2

2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

Exodus 13:12, 13

12 That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD'S. {set...: Heb. cause to pass over}

Deuteronomy 26:1-10

1 ¶ And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein; 2 That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there. 3 And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the country which the LORD sware unto our fathers for to give us. 4 And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the LORD thy God. 5 And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous: 6 And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage: 7 And when we cried unto the LORD God of our fathers, the LORD heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression: 8 And the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders: 9 And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey. 10 And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O LORD, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God:

1 Corinthians 6:19, 20

19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Footnote:

Bishop Hall.

Luke 19:13

13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. {pounds: mina, here translated a pound, is twelve ounces and an half: which according to five shillings the ounce is three pounds two shillings and sixpence}

Contrast

Luke 12:16-22

16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? {thy...: Gr. do they require thy soul} 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. 22 ¶ And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

Proverbs 11:24

24 ¶ There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

Malachi 3:10

10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. {pour...: Heb. empty out}

2 Chronicles 31:5-10

5 And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. {came...: Heb. brake forth} {honey: or, dates} 6 And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the LORD their God, and laid them by heaps. {by heaps: Heb. heaps, heaps} 7 In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. 8 And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD, and his people Israel. 9 Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10 And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him, and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the LORD hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great store.

2 Corinthians 9:6

6 ¶ But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Haggai 1:4-6

4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? 5 Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. {Consider...: Heb. Set your heart on your ways} 6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. {with holes: Heb. pierced through}

1 Chronicles 29:14-16

14 But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. {be able: Heb. retain, or, obtain strength} {of thine...: Heb. of thine hand} 15 For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. {abiding: Heb. expectation} 16 O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine

Matthew 6:1-4

1 ¶ Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. {alms: or, righteousness} {of your: or, with your} 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. {do not...: or, cause not a trumpet to be sounded} 3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

Matthew 25:37-39

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

1 Kings 17:12-16

12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. 13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. 14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. {sendeth: Heb. giveth} 15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. {many...: or, a full year} 16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah. {by: Heb. by the hand of}

Romans 12:1

1 ¶ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 Corinthians 5:14, 15

14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Matthew 10:42

42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

1 Samuel 2:30

30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

Compare

Proverbs 11:25

25 ¶ The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. {liberal...: Heb. soul of blessing}

Proverbs 22:9

9 ¶ He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor. {He that...: Heb. Good of eye}

Hebrews 6:10

10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.