What Is the Freewill Offering?

The fall feast season is nearly upon us and it is time to reflect upon the blessings the Almighty has given us. In Deuteronomy we read:

(Deu 16:16-17) Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty: {17} Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.

This was given for the future when the temple would exist. Obviously, this is not a commandment we can fulfill in the literal way it was intended. For this reason, many would say the commandment is obsolete. However, I think it deserves some attention because it is given among the feast laws to all the children of Israel and not just to the Levites or the temple.

This commandment asks each house (male) to bring an offering in relation to how it has been blessed that year. This offering goes beyond the required sacrifices for sin and guilt. This is giving back to the Almighty in thanksgiving. We can still examine our lives and look for blessings in them and we can still look for ways to offer back to the Almighty for His favor. When we offer a part of our lives or our time and effort, it shows our desire for Him. He will respond to the offer and will train that part of our lives for His use.

This is where some of my fastest personal growth has occurred. A good example is when I was close to being married. I knew that the Almighty had done a wonderful thing in choosing the one who would be my wife (she is the greatest blessing in my life and we know that the Almighty gave us to each other). At the feast near the wedding, I made an offering to spend my time and effort until the next feast learning from the Bible and in prayer how to be a good husband so that I can take care of what was given to me. He in turn, gave me a couple months of intense learning from many different sources (radio sermons, books given to me, etc), which I did not anticipate or hope for. This helped our marriage get off to a better start than it would have otherwise.

That is how it has often worked. What I have given to Him from my life and of my effort, He has usually blessed and made it more ... both for myself and for others ... and it has always brought me closer to Him. I personally believe that He does still honor such sacrifice and that He is very pleased and will bless in return.