Imagine being told that for an entire year, you couldn’t plant, harvest, or work the land. Instead, you had to trust that what you had was enough. That’s exactly what God commanded the Israelites to do every seventh year—a full year of rest for the land.
At first glance, this might seem risky. How would they survive if they weren’t growing food? But God promised that in the sixth year, He would bless them with enough to last through the seventh and into the eighth year (Leviticus 25:20-22).
It was a test of faith, much like the test He gave them in the wilderness with manna.
The Manna Test
Before they ever reached the Promised Land, Israel had to learn to trust God’s provision in the desert.
Each morning, God rained down manna—bread from heaven. But there was a catch:
• They could only gather what they needed for one day—any extra would rot.
• On the sixth day, He gave them a double portion so they wouldn’t have to gather on the seventh day (Exodus 16:22-30).
• Some didn’t trust Him and tried to save extra. It rotted. Others went out on the seventh day looking for food and found nothing.
God was teaching them a simple but powerful lesson: trust Me, and I will take care of you.
The Sabbath Year – A Bigger Trust Test
Fast forward to when Israel entered the land, and God expanded this lesson. Every seventh year, the land itself was to rest (Leviticus 25:4-5). Farmers couldn’t plant, prune, or harvest. They had to trust that what God provided in the sixth year would be enough.
Humanly speaking, this made no sense. Imagine a business shutting down for an entire year with no income. But God promised, “I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years.” (Leviticus 25:21).
Some obeyed and saw God’s blessing. Others, like those who doubted the manna, ignored the command and paid the price. Later in Israel’s history, when they disobeyed and refused to let the land rest, God forced them into captivity for 70 years—one year for every Sabbath year they had skipped (2 Chronicles 36:21).
Tithing – The Trust Test We Face Today
While we don’t have a Sabbath year today, we still have a test of trust: tithing.
God asks us to give the first tenth of what we earn back to Him. Not because He needs our money, but because He wants our trust. Just like the Israelites had to trust that the sixth year’s harvest would last, we have to trust that 90% with God’s blessing is greater than 100% without it.
Malachi 3:10 is the only place in Scripture where God says to prove Him:
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse… and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
Just like the manna and the Sabbath year, tithing is a trust test. When we give first, we’re saying, “God, I believe You will take care of me.” And just like He provided double on the sixth day, He will provide more than enough for us when we honor Him.
Conclusion: Do You Trust Him?
The lesson of the manna, the Sabbath year, and tithing all point to the same truth: God takes care of those who trust Him.
• The Israelites who gathered extra manna? It rotted.
• Those who ignored the Sabbath year? They lost their land.
• Those who trust God with their tithe? He promises to bless them beyond measure.
The question is, do we really believe that? Do we trust God enough to obey, even when it doesn’t make sense? Or are we, like the Israelites, trying to gather extra manna out of fear?
God is still the same today as He was then. If He provided manna in the desert and triple the harvest in the sixth year, He can take care of us. Our job is simple: trust and obey.
