Tithing - The Biblical Perspective - Part 1 of 3 Part Series
Tithing is incorrectly presented to the current day church as a principle.
The principle is presented as a platform for prosperity.
The platform is predicated as financial specifically money.
To understand the fallacy of this "pitch" or prosperity Gospel" we must first define and understand the origin of tithing.
Before we get to the crux of the matter let it first be stated plainly, tithing had nothing to do with money specifically, and God never suggested using the tithe as an investment tool to generate a monetary return on that investment.
Tithing was Law not a spiritual principle.
Tithing as law did not occur until the time of Moses.
The ten percent was from the Levitical priesthood.
We find the Bible states the Law came through Moses not Abraham (Jn.
1).
Moses introduced the tithe because of the priesthood and the sacrificial system as Israel was to be a theocracy.
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.
Verse 34: "These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in Mount Sinai.
" Numbers 18:21-26: "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.
Abraham," After rescuing his nephew Lot from the alliance of the kings with Chedorlaomer he gave Melchizedek, king of Salem a tenth of everything that he plundered.
It was from the spoils of war.
That was what the tithe came from.
Abram (ha) did not tithe from his personal possessions but the spoils of war.
And that is exactly what the New Testament says Hebrews 7:4:"Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
" A tithe was on what you earned, it was from your vocation (Lev.
27:30; Deut.
14:22-23, 28; 2 Chron.
31:5-6.
) It was thanksgiving offering to God on behalf of the people who had been rescued, Melchizedek was a King and priest of the most high God.
The total giving required amount of giving was not 10 percent (that was specific tithe), but over 22% for the nation.
All the goods were used to operate the nation; tithing was instituted by God to support Israel as a theocratic state.
There is a difference of obeying the old covenant laws that were practiced because of the temple and the priesthood.
Tithing was instituted for the tabernacle in Moses' day, not for organizational building.
There was only one place for Israelites to worship God when they were in the land, the Temple So the origin of the tithe came through Moses and was given over to the Levites who had no inheritance and were the priests who interceded in the tabernacle at times of sacrifice for atonement.
Tithing was law, not a principle, and was specifically assigned to the Levites, who had no vocation and were set aside and ordained by God as priests.
This is a part of the old covenant and numbered in its 614 laws.
Malachi 3:9 is the scripture most often quoted to substantiate the modern day tithe and "prosperity gospel", again applied to the old covenant, and the curse as with all curses of the old covenant, including the curse of eminent death for sin not atoned for, were governed by the law or old covenant, not a principle.
In the next session of the series part 2 or Tithing, we will look at what Jesus and the new covenant have to say regarding tithing.
Suffice it to say at this point that tithing for the purpose of investment for return is actually a sin, and a slap in the face of Jesus, God incarnate-the son of god, who was the final atonement and sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.
Christ established the new covenant for all who accept his gift of salvation and reconciliation.
The principle is presented as a platform for prosperity.
The platform is predicated as financial specifically money.
To understand the fallacy of this "pitch" or prosperity Gospel" we must first define and understand the origin of tithing.
Before we get to the crux of the matter let it first be stated plainly, tithing had nothing to do with money specifically, and God never suggested using the tithe as an investment tool to generate a monetary return on that investment.
Tithing was Law not a spiritual principle.
Tithing as law did not occur until the time of Moses.
The ten percent was from the Levitical priesthood.
We find the Bible states the Law came through Moses not Abraham (Jn.
1).
Moses introduced the tithe because of the priesthood and the sacrificial system as Israel was to be a theocracy.
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.
Verse 34: "These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in Mount Sinai.
" Numbers 18:21-26: "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.
Abraham," After rescuing his nephew Lot from the alliance of the kings with Chedorlaomer he gave Melchizedek, king of Salem a tenth of everything that he plundered.
It was from the spoils of war.
That was what the tithe came from.
Abram (ha) did not tithe from his personal possessions but the spoils of war.
And that is exactly what the New Testament says Hebrews 7:4:"Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
" A tithe was on what you earned, it was from your vocation (Lev.
27:30; Deut.
14:22-23, 28; 2 Chron.
31:5-6.
) It was thanksgiving offering to God on behalf of the people who had been rescued, Melchizedek was a King and priest of the most high God.
The total giving required amount of giving was not 10 percent (that was specific tithe), but over 22% for the nation.
All the goods were used to operate the nation; tithing was instituted by God to support Israel as a theocratic state.
There is a difference of obeying the old covenant laws that were practiced because of the temple and the priesthood.
Tithing was instituted for the tabernacle in Moses' day, not for organizational building.
There was only one place for Israelites to worship God when they were in the land, the Temple So the origin of the tithe came through Moses and was given over to the Levites who had no inheritance and were the priests who interceded in the tabernacle at times of sacrifice for atonement.
Tithing was law, not a principle, and was specifically assigned to the Levites, who had no vocation and were set aside and ordained by God as priests.
This is a part of the old covenant and numbered in its 614 laws.
Malachi 3:9 is the scripture most often quoted to substantiate the modern day tithe and "prosperity gospel", again applied to the old covenant, and the curse as with all curses of the old covenant, including the curse of eminent death for sin not atoned for, were governed by the law or old covenant, not a principle.
In the next session of the series part 2 or Tithing, we will look at what Jesus and the new covenant have to say regarding tithing.
Suffice it to say at this point that tithing for the purpose of investment for return is actually a sin, and a slap in the face of Jesus, God incarnate-the son of god, who was the final atonement and sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.
Christ established the new covenant for all who accept his gift of salvation and reconciliation.
