Today our church building is typically interpreted as the Old Testament storehouse. If we look at the description of a storehouse, would a church really fit this description? Isn’t a storehouse called a storehouse, because it stores things? For instance, in the Old Testament, the Israelites brought the first fruits and tithe to the storehouse, so that it can be stored until it was later distributed. How long does the church hold on to your tithe or offering check for? One day(typically), a week, or a month at the most. The bank’s biggest customer on Monday mornings is church secretaries depositing the tithe and offering checks from Sunday services. So, really your church doesn’t store your increase, the bank does. Wouldn’t the bank be a better, literal interpretation of what the storehouse was in the Old Testament?
Hmmm, are the wheels turning yet? I usually get the argument, about the church being where our money is distributed to the poor and missions. Well, doesn’t a bank distribute funds as well? No, I don’t think the bank is the storehouse, nor do I think that the church building is the storehouse. The literal interpretation of the storehouse is the kingdom of heaven. “Lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven”. It is the place where we store our spiritual and eternal increase (our precious stones and crowns) and it is where we will distribute to Jesus Christ our king and High Priest.