The Biblical Principle of First #1 ~ Dr William P. Hohman

Biblical Principle First Overview

In this powerful message, Dr. William P. Hohman opens with a transition from a ten-week series on Kingdom Economy, reminding listeners that a strong economy is built on more than money — it requires order, love, and putting God first in every area of life. Drawing from key passages in Exodus, Leviticus, Proverbs, Malachi, and the Gospels, Dr. Hohman unpacks what he calls the Biblical Principle of First: the consistent pattern throughout Scripture where God requires the first — of harvests, livestock, income, and devotion — as an act of faith and love. He traces this principle from the Garden of Eden through Abel’s offering, the consecration of Israel’s firstborn, the fall of Jericho, and ultimately to Jesus Christ as God’s own firstborn offering to redeem sinful humanity. The message challenges believers to honor God first with their finances through tithing to their local church, explaining that the tithe is not merely a transaction but an act of faith that breaks the curse and releases divine blessing. Dr. Hohman also shares historical examples of faithful tithers — including J.C. Penney, Colgate, Welch, and Rockefeller — whose obedience led to extraordinary prosperity. This sermon is both doctrinally grounded and practically urgent for anyone seeking to align their life and finances with Kingdom principles.

Biblical Principle First Outline

• 0:00 – Introduction: Transitioning from Kingdom Economy: Dr. Hohman closes out ten weeks on Kingdom Economy and introduces the principle of first as God’s love language, rooted in both finances and spiritual alignment.
• 8:30 – Two Kingdoms, Two Economies: An exploration of the tension believers face living under both earthly and heavenly government, with instruction on how to build a strong heavenly bank account while navigating worldly systems.
• 16:00 – Be of Good Cheer: Overcoming the World: Drawing from John 16:33 and the story of Noah, Dr. Hohman explains that believers will feel tribulation but need not be destroyed by it — those inside the ark of obedience are protected.
• 24:00 – When God Is First, Order Comes: The sermon establishes that placing God first in life produces divine order, while neglecting this principle creates chaos. A.W. Tozer’s famous quote is introduced here.
• 30:30 – Exodus 13: Consecrating the Firstborn: A deep dive into the law of the firstborn — clean animals sacrificed, unclean redeemed — and how this foreshadows Christ as the clean firstborn who redeems unclean humanity.
• 40:00 – Abel, Cain, and the Language of First: Genesis 4 is examined to show how Abel’s firstling offering pleased God while Cain’s delayed, partial offering was rejected — illustrating that timing and priority matter deeply to God.
• 47:00 – Malachi 3 and the Tithe as Redemption: Dr. Hohman unpacks Malachi 3:8-11, explaining that the tithe belongs in the local storehouse church, breaks the curse, and invites God to rebuke the devourer on the believer’s behalf.
• 52:30 – The First Hundred-Dollar Bill: A Practical Challenge: Using the vivid illustration of ten hundred-dollar bills, Dr. Hohman asks which bill leaves your hand first — and challenges listeners to make that first bill God’s before any bill or purchase.
• 57:00 – Historical Tithers Who Became Millionaires: Real-world examples of J.C. Penney, Welch, Colgate, Proctor, Matthias Baldwin, Richard DeVos, and John D. Rockefeller Sr. are shared as testimonies of the fruit of faithful tithing.
• 1:01:00 – Final Exhortation: Make Him First: Dr. Hohman closes with a call to decision — honor God, remove the limits, and allow Him to include you in His plan of blessing amid the world’s growing turbulence.

Scripture References

John 17:14-15, John 16:33, Exodus 13:1-2, Exodus 13:12-15, Exodus 23:19, Leviticus 27:30, Genesis 4:3-5, Proverbs 3:9-10, Proverbs 13:22, Malachi 3:8-11, Romans 5:8, 1 Corinthians 15:22, Galatians 3:13-14, 2 Peter 1:2-3, Matthew 6:13

Key Takeaways

• God requires the first of everything — time, money, and devotion — as an act of faith that releases His blessing and redemption over the rest.
• Just as the clean firstborn lamb redeemed the unclean donkey in the law, Jesus Christ as the sinless firstborn redeems all of unclean humanity.
• Tithing is not about what you can afford; it is an act of faith that breaks the financial curse and invites God to rebuke the devourer on your behalf.
• The tithe belongs entirely in your local church storehouse — the place where you are spiritually fed — and cannot be legitimately divided among various ministries.
• When God is placed first in your life, a thousand problems are solved at once because divine order replaces the chaos caused by misplaced priorities.
• Believers living in Kingdom economy are like Noah in the ark — they will feel the turbulence of the world’s troubles but will not be destroyed by them.
• Faithful tithing has a generational dimension: what you give God first today becomes the foundation of an inheritance left to your children and grandchildren.

Biblical Principle First Notes

The Core Teaching on Priority

Dr. Hohman builds his entire message around one foundational insight: God has always demanded the first, not the leftovers. From Adam in Eden, where one tree was set apart as God’s alone, to the law of the firstborn in Exodus, to Jesus as God’s own firstborn sacrifice, the pattern is unmistakable. Placing God first is not a suggestion or a cultural tradition — it is a structural principle woven into creation itself. When believers honor this order, they step into a protected, blessed economy. When they ignore it, like Achan at Jericho, they expose themselves to defeat and loss.

Christ as the Ultimate First Fruit

One of the most theologically rich moments in this sermon is Dr. Hohman’s explanation of how the law of clean and unclean firstborns prefigures the Gospel. Under the Mosaic law, a firstborn clean animal was sacrificed while a firstborn unclean animal was redeemed by a clean substitute. Since all humanity is born unclean in sin, we require redemption by One who is clean. Jesus, born without sin through a miraculous body prepared by God, is that clean firstborn. His sacrifice on the cross redeems every unclean soul who trusts in Him, fulfilling the pattern established in Exodus centuries before Calvary.

Tithing as a Faith Declaration

Dr. Hohman is careful to distinguish between tithing as a religious ritual and tithing as a living act of faith. The tithe does not mechanically produce blessing — faith does. But tithing is the concrete expression of that faith, declaring that God is first before the mortgage company, the utility bill, or any personal desire. He uses the illustration of ten hundred-dollar bills to make this tangible: whichever bill leaves your hand first reveals your true priorities. He also insists, citing Malachi 3 and Exodus 23:19, that the tithe must be brought to the local church — the spiritual storehouse where one is fed — not distributed across parachurch organizations.

Kingdom Economy Protects in Tribulation

Drawing on John 16:33 and the narrative of Noah, Dr. Hohman encourages believers not to be anxious about global instability. Those who build according to Kingdom principles — putting God first, tithing faithfully, living in His order — are like passengers in the ark. The flood is real, the turbulence is felt, but the ark does not sink. He contrasts two scenarios: facing tribulation with life in disorder versus facing the same trouble with life well-ordered under God. The second experience is dramatically less destructive. This is not escapism but practical theology rooted in covenant faithfulness.

Generational Wealth Through Obedience

Dr. Hohman grounds his financial teaching in Proverbs 13:22, reminding the congregation that God’s intention is multigenerational blessing. A good man does not merely provide for himself or even his children — he leaves an inheritance for his grandchildren. This level of provision requires operating in Kingdom economy rather than the world’s fiat-money system. He also draws on Proverbs 3:9-10 to show that honoring God with the first fruits of all increase is the direct cause of barns filled with plenty. The sermon is both a warning against poverty theology and an antidote to the sorrow that comes from wealth pursued apart from God.

Historical Witnesses to Faithful Tithing

To ground the message in lived reality, Dr. Hohman recounts the stories of well-known Christian businessmen who became wealthy precisely because they committed to putting God first financially. J.C. Penney, who gave 90 percent and lived on 10 percent; Thomas Welch, who began by providing non-alcoholic grape juice for communion; William Colgate, who tithed from a soap-making business; Richard DeVos of Amway; Matthias Baldwin of Baldwin Locomotives; and John D. Rockefeller Sr. are all cited as examples of what happens when believers take the principle of first seriously. These are not prosperity myths — they are documented testimonies that God is faithful to His Word.

Frequently Asked Questions