God required of His ancient people three yearly gatherings. “Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which He shall choose; in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and in the Feast of Weeks, and in the Feast of Tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty: every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which He hath given thee.” No less than one third of their income was devoted to sacred and religious purposes. {3T 395.3}

Af sit folk fordum krævede Gud tre årlige indsamlinger. »Tre gange om året skal alle af mandkøn hos dig stedes for Herren din Guds åsyn, på det sted han udvælger, på de usyrede brøds fest, ugefesten og løvhyttefesten; og man må ikke stedes for Herrens åsyn med tomme hænder; men enhver skal komme med, hvad han kan give efter den velsignelse, Herren din Gud giver dig.« Ikke mindre end en tredjedel af israelitternes indtægt blev anvendt til hellige og religiøse formål.