The trespass offering and the grain offering were subject to the same law as the sin offering, in that certain parts of the animal, specifically the kidneys, liver, and the fat, were to be offered directly to the Lord and burned. However, the skin, or the meat, was the food for the priests. While tithing was and is the Biblical method for funding the work of the church, these offerings establish a further principle of provision wherein the priests were given meat from the offerings of the people.
An interesting thing will happen later in the story of the nation of Israel when the inheritance of each tribe is doled out in the promised land: the Levites (priests and workers in the temple) were not given a land inheritance. Instead, they were the heritage of the Lord and committed to the care and service of the temple, therefore, they did not have their own land. The system of provision, in the form of tithes and offerings, made it possible for the men of God to serve the Lord in the work of the temple and still provide for their families. That principle still makes sense and applies to the church today. Pastors and vocational church leaders dedicate their lives to the service of the church, and the church is responsible to provide for their needs. While ministry is a calling, and a labor of love, it is nevertheless a sacrifice in many ways that is worthy of provision.
Devoted To You 