(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
Deuteronomy 14:22–29, “Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always. And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee: Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household, And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee. At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates: And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.”
Israel were called upon to acknowledge that the Lord made their Land fruitful. They were expected to bring a tenth of all their produce and celebrate the Lord’s goodness by eating their offering in the place that the Lord defined. After all, the Lord had given them rich blessings in the Land and they were showing the Lord that they understood where their crops came from and Who made their Land so fruitful. It would be churlish to tell the Lord that they were grateful for what He had given them but refuse to come to the place that He defined. This place varied during the course of history but eventually became Jerusalem where the Temple was built. While some of the people were celebrating there were others who were not able to celebrate, for various good reasons. Israel was called upon to remember that they had been slaves in Egypt and not in a position to celebrate anything. For this reason they were to remember strangers and people who were less well off. They were also to remember the Levites whose lives were dedicated to serving the Lord and the priesthood.
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