All that they had – 2 June 2023, Anno Domini

 

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ND Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. 42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. 43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, "Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:" 44 "For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." (Mark 12:41-44)

 

            When we consider the term ‘ALL,’ it is often viewed in the sense of material possessions but that is not the ‘ALL’ that God requires of His elect. God owns all things in both Heaven and on earth. He needs no material riches, but He does desire our Heart for, with the Heart, comes all things precious in the eyes of God. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:21) If your treasure is in Heaven, there will be your heart also, and God holds your all in safe deposit.

 

            Isaac, only beloved son of Abraham, is a type of Christ in many points. He was the only son of promise to Abraham. He was to be offered up on Mount Moriah – the same mount upon which Christ was crucified. He carried his own wood up the mount for the sacrifice. But God withheld the hand of Abraham from sacrificing Isaac. God would provide His own only Begotten Son for the sacrifice some 1400 years hence. “And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.” (Genesis 25:5) God did the same for His Son, Jesus: “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.” (John 3:35)

 

            Egypt in Scripture represent the land of bondage in sin. Unlike Lot’s wife, Abraham left nothing in Egypt and did not look back: “And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had . . . ” (Genesis 13:1)

 

Giving your all to God is evidence of trusting faith. There is no dollar-mark on it for it is more than any sacrifice – it is love. Potiphar, the master of Joseph in Egypt, trusted Joseph explicitly and put all his holdings in Joseph’s hands: “And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had.” Genesis 39:5a When we place all of our trust in Christ, our rewards will be hundreds-fold. Because of that trust in Joseph, “the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.” (Genesis 39:5b)

 

There is no means of payment to God for our sins either through our works or our earthly treasure. We find this illustrated in the following text: 23"¶Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants." 24 "And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents." 25 "But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made."  (Matthew 18:23-25) The mercy that the Lord gives must be reflected as well in the mercy we show others (in love).

 

All that we have is seldom enough even for the needs of this world. The woman taken with an issue of blood and had spent all that she had on doctors for twelve years and was none the better for it: “And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse.” (Mark 5:25-26) All THINGS that we have is never enough compared to the riches we may deposit in Heaven. Our next “All that she had” bears out the truth of that principle.

 

We all are familiar with the story of the ‘Widow’s Two Mites.’ That phrase as become a popular description of someone who has given it their all! “41 ¶And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. 42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. 43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, "Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:" 44 "For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." This widow had not given out of an excess, but out of her all – all her money, all her living, and all her heart.  It was because she had given all her heart that she was able to give all her living. That does not mean that our heavenly blessings are based on how much we put in the offering plate at church, but whether or not we have placed our treasures in Heaven to include our HEART – Our “All we HAD!”