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THE TRUTH ABOUT TITHING
FIRST MENTION OF A TITHE 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 (Abram), 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 (Abram) gave him TITHES of all. NEW TESTAMENT COMMENTARY ON ABRAHAMS TITHE Hebrews 7:1-2 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; 2 To whom also Abraham gave A TENTHpart of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace. IMPORTANT POINTS ABOUT ABRAHAMS TITHE Abraham did not give tithes from his own possessions or out of his weekly income but rather he tithed from the spoils of the battle which he won. Genesis 14:16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people. Hebrews 7:4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. Abraham’s motive for going to war against the kings was in order to free his nephew (Lot) from captivity. In other words, he did not go to war against the kings in order to gain their possessions and make a profit. Genesis 14:14 And when Abram heard that his brother (or his relative) was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued themunto Dan. This is the only time it is recorded in Scripture that Abraham gave tithes in all his 175 years. It was not a regular activity of Abraham at least it is not recorded any where else in the Scriptures. It seems that it was a one time event. Abraham gave tithes voluntarily it was not something he was required or commanded to do by God (it was not a moral commandment). Abraham was before the Mosaic Law but that does not prove we have to tithe today as though it is some unwritten eternal principle to be followed in all ages. Abraham was also circumcisedbefore the Mosaic Law. Should all males in the local church be required to be circumcised? Abraham did not tithe to keep something bad from happening to him, but because God had already blessed him in the battle. Jacob’s Tithe Genesis 28:20-22 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 21 So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: 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. TITHING UNDER THE LAW OF MOSES 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. Deuteronomy 12:1,6 These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth. 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: SIX MAIN PURPOSES OF THE TITHES UNDER THE LAW 1) For the Levites 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. 2) The Levites tithed to Aaron Numbers 18:25,26,28 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 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. 28…ye shall give thereof the LORD’S heave offering to Aaron the priest. 3) For the poor stranger, fatherless, and widows Deuteronomy 14:28-29 At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increasethe same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates: 29 And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest. 4) To be enjoyed among themselves Deuteronomy 12:5-7 5 But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes… 6 And thither ye shall bring your … tithes…of your herds and of your flocks: 7 And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee. 5) Israel tithed on all the increase. Deuteronomy 14:22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. 6) Israel tithed produce and animals not on their monetary income. Leviticus 27:30,32 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. 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. THE LEVITES ROBBED GOD WITH THEIR TITHES Malachi 3:8-12 Will a man rob God? Yet ye (“the sons of Levi,” v.3) 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 (Israel). 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. THE LEVITES BROUGHT THEIR TITHES INTO THE STOREHOUSE Nehemiah 10:38 And the priest, the descendant of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive tithes; and the Levites shall bring up a tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the rooms of the storehouse. IT IS FINISHED John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, IT IS FINISHED: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. CHRIST IS THE END OF THE LAW Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. THE CEREMONIAL LAWS END AT THE CROSS Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross. STAND FAST IN THE LIBERTY DO NOT FALL FROM GRACE Galatians 5:1-4 1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised (or give tithes), Christ shall profit you nothing. 3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised (or give tithes), that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law (in giving tithes); ye are fallen from grace. FIRST MENTION OF TITHE 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. A MAN THAT DID NOT TITHE WAS JUSTIFIED Luke 18:10-14 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican (who did not tithe), standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you,this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. TITHING IS ABOLISHED Hebrews 7:5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: Hebrews 7:18 The earlier commandment (to take tithes of the people) is thus abolished, because of its weakness and ineffectiveness. (NJB) KEEPING THE TITHE CAN BECOME CORBAN Mark 7:9-13 He said to them, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. 10 "For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' 11 "But you say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban" -- ' (THAT IS, A GIFT TO GOD), 12 "then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, 13 "making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do." THE TRADITION OF MEN Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man (a Bible teacher?) spoil you [take you captive] through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world (ceremonial laws or ordinances of the law of Moses) and not after Christ (not after faith). CUNNINGLY DEVISED FABLES 2 Peter 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. SUPPOSING GAIN IS GODLINESS 1 Timothy 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. WE ARE TO GIVE BUT NOT OUT OF NECESSITY 2 Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly(sorrow, grief or pain), or of necessity (by law or duty): for God loveth a cheerful giver.
Berean Bible Church, New Delhi, India