TITHING
1. What is a tithe and what is tithing?
Meaning
of the word tithe:
The same Hebrew word is translated both tenth and tithe; thus tithe means a tenth.
2
Chronicles 31:5 And as soon as
the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits
of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and
the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly.
The
tithe is distinguished from other offerings given to the Lord:
Deuteronomy 12:6 And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:
2. Who are to tithe?
Was
tithing an Old Testament law?
Leviticus
27:30 And all the tithe of the land, whether
of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the
LORD’S: it is holy unto the LORD.
Leviticus
27:32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of
the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be
holy unto the LORD.
Thus, under the law, all of the nation Israel were to tithe.
Was
tithing practiced before the law?
Abraham:
Genesis 14:18-20 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
Jacob:
Genesis 28:22 And this stone, which I have set [for] a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.
Thus, God’s people before the law of Moses tithed.
Was
tithing practiced in the New Testament?
Matthew
23:23 Woe
unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise
and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy,
and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Hebrews
7:6-8 But he whose descent is
not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the
promises. 7 And without all
contradiction the less is blessed of the better. 8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them,
of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
We will see more about tithing taught the New Testament in a few minutes. But suffice it to say that tithing was never abolished in the New Testament, but only affirmed and supported by the New Testament. In the New Testament, based on the analogy in Hebrews Chapter 7, our tithes are a witness that our redeemer and our High Priest liveth. He is not in tomb, but is risen from the grave, and He is ascended on high where He ever liveth to make intercession for us. Therefore, tithing is an appropriate New Testament witness, and therefore was a New Testament practice.
Thus, God’s people of all ages practiced tithing. I also believe that because God giveth to all men all things that they possess in this life to enjoy, that all men are also responsible to God to return unto Him the tenth of all that He has blessed them with. So then, all of mankind is responsible to give their tithes to God, and those who do not will give an account to God for robbing Him.
3. Where are We to Tithe?
In
the House of God:
Deuteronomy 12:11 Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:
Nehemiah
10:37-38 And [that] we should
bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all
manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the
house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same
Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage. 38 And the
priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take
tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house
of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house.
1
Timothy 3:15 But if I tarry
long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of
God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
4. What was the purpose of the Tithe?
Primarily
for the support of God’s ministers:
Old
Testament:
Numbers
18:21 And, behold, I have given
the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their
service which they serve, [even] the service of the tabernacle of the
congregation.
Numbers
18:26 Thus speak unto the
Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes
which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up
an heave offering of it for the LORD, [even] a tenth [part] of the tithe.
Numbers
18:24 But the tithes of the
children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have
given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the
children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.
Nehemiah
13:10-12 And I perceived that
the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the
singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field. 11 Then
contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I
gathered them together, and set them in their place. 12 Then brought all Judah the tithe of
the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.
Deuteronomy
12:19 Take heed to thyself that
thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.
New
Testament:
Matthew
10:9-10 Provide
neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10 Nor scrip for [your] journey, neither two
coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.
1
Corinthians 9:9-14 For it is
written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that
treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? 10 Or saith he [it] altogether for our
sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, [this] is written: that he that ploweth should
plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his
hope. 11 If
we have sown unto you spiritual things, [is it] a great thing if we shall reap
your carnal things? 12 If others be partakers of [this] power over you, [are] not
we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things,
lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. 13 Do ye not know that they which
minister about holy things live [of the things] of the temple? and they which
wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? 14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that
they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
Galatians
6:6 Let him that is taught in
the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
5. What are the blessings and curses associated with tithing?
1 My son, forget not my law; but let
thine heart keep my commandments: 2 For length of days, and long life,
and peace, shall they add to thee. 3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee:
bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: 4 So shalt
thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in
the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy
ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear
the LORD, and depart from evil. 8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow
to thy bones. 9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of
all thine increase: 10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses
shall burst out with new wine.
Malachi
3:6-12 For I am the LORD, I
change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. 7 Even from
the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not
kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.
But ye said, Wherein shall we return? 8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me.
But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are
cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring ye
all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, 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. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not
destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit
before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. 12
And all nations shall call you
blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
6. Is tithing is a fair plan?
1
Corinthians 9:11 If we have sown
unto you spiritual things, [is it] a great thing if we shall reap your carnal
things?
1
Corinthians 16:2 Upon the first
[day] of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as [God] hath
prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
A tenth is fair to everyone. The rich and poor, and everyone in-between give an equal proportion of the increase that God has first given to them.
7. How should we tithe?
2
Corinthians 9:6-7 But this I
say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth
bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposeth in his
heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a
cheerful giver.
Some concluding thoughts:
When is it OK with God for us not to tithe? I will leave this question for you to answer.
Am I trying to squeeze money out of God’s people for personal gain? Well, I’ll let you answer that question too.
Who benefits from tithing? The preacher, the missionary endeavors of the church, lost souls that are saved through our ministries, the church as a whole because we can do the work of the Lord, the glory of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, and you personally!
All things considered, God’s people cannot afford not to tithe. The cursings are too costly and the blessings are too great not to tithe.