7402 offerings

Anything offered up to God by human beings, including sacrificial offerings. A distinction can be made between offerings which involve the taking of life and other gifts made to God.

Sacrificial offerings as a sign of gratitude or repentance

Ge 4:4; Ps 107:22

Tithes were a regular form of offering

Ge 28:20-22; Lev 27:30 See also Ge 14:20

Part of every harvest was given as a freewill offering to God

Offerings and the tabernacle

For its construction Ex 25:1-2 pp Ex 35:5

At its dedication See also Nu 7:2-3

Offerings and Solomon’s temple

David’s personal gift 1Ch 29:2-5

Offerings for upkeep and restoration In the reign of Joash: 2Ki 12:4-5; 2Ch 24:8-12 In the reign of Josiah: 2Ki 22:4-6 pp 2Ch 34:9-11

Offerings and the second temple

Ezr 3:5; Ezr 7:16; Ezr 8:24-30

Offerings and Herod’s temple

Mk 12:41-43 pp Lk 21:1-3 The poor widow was participating in a regular practice; Lk 21:5

Some offerings are not acceptable

Mt 5:23-24 Offerings are unacceptable unless the worshipper is reconciled to God. See also Ge 4:3-5 Cain’s offering was not accepted on account of his incorrect attitude. Boasting about offerings makes them unacceptable: Am 4:4-5; Lk 18:12
Mt 23:23 pp Lk 11:42 Meticulous tithing, without mercy or justice, is unacceptable.

Offerings in the future kingdom

From the Gentile nations Ps 76:11; Isa 18:7; Mal 1:11

From God’s people Eze 20:40; Eze 44:30

Gifts and offerings in the NT

To help the needy Ac 4:34-35; Ac 11:29-30; 1Co 16:1-4 In several of his letters Paul mentions the freewill offering he was organising for poor Christians at Jerusalem; Heb 13:16

To support God’s servants Php 4:10-18

Offerings of praise

Heb 13:15

God’s people are themselves an offering to God

Jer 2:3; Jas 1:18; Rev 14:4

Offerings as “Corban”

Mk 7:9-13 “Corban” is a technical Jewish religious term, meaning “something dedicated, especially on oath”. What Jesus Christ says implies that once the children had donated the amount they would have spent on their ageing parents for religious purposes, they were no longer responsible for their upkeep.

See also