to tithe is to sacrifice
This is perhaps the most succinct yet thorough piece on tithing that I have read:
Proverbs 3:9, "Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:"
The first time "tithe" is mentioned in scripture is in the book of Genesis. In chapter 14, there was a war. Abram was victorious in this war:Genesis 14:18-20, "And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all."
Here is an evidence of Abram's piety, as well as of his valor; for it was to a priest or official mediator between God and him that Abram gave a tenth of the spoil--a token of his gratitude and in honor of a divine ordinance. After Abram gave a tithe, the King of Salem offered Abram goods, but Abram refused!Genesis 14:21-23, "And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:"
Abram paid tithes of all to Melchizdek, King of Salem (because this was a Law of God), but he refused the spoils he was offered from the King of Sodom. Abram did not care about being made rich and wealthy from the offerings of other people.
Concerning Saul:I Samuel 9:7-8, "Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we? And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way."
Saul felt he had to give the man of God something for his trouble. But you can search in vain and you will not find where the man of God took the money. A true man of God is not for sale. He is "...not greedy of filthy lucre,..."(I Timothy 3:3) and "...not given to filthy lucre."(Titus 1:7).I Peter 5:2, "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind."
Concerning Elisha, the man of God, he refused to take money for the work he did in the Lord. Naaman, the Syrian prince, had come to the prophet Elisha to be healed of the disease which harassed him.2 Kings 5:14-16, "Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant. But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused."
Naaman's gratitude and joy over his recovery, both in body and in spirit, prompted him to offer Elisha rich gifts of silver and festal garments, all of which were immediately refused. Stern and uncompromising Elisha did not want it thought that he sold his powers for personal gain, as the sorcerers did their magic charms.
Perhaps he overdid the matter and was rude about it, failing to crown a generous deed with a gracious acceptance, but Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, thought it all a mistake not to profit by the opportunity. After all, Naaman was a foreign prince from a wealthy state, and he could easily have given them enough to leave them comfortable for the rest of their lives, and he personally considered it very poor judgment on the part of his master not to have taken advantage of this opportune occasion.
So Gehazi asked Naaman for money (verse 22), and Naaman was happy to oblige (verse 23). When Elisha discovered what Gehazi did, he condemned him. Elisha considered that an evil act; to ask money in exchange for the services that he did (verse 26). And as punishment, Gehazi received the disease that Naaman previously had; leprocy!2 Kings 5:27, "The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow."
Let this be a warning to those who demand payment in exchange for the work of God. God considers this robbery!
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To demand Money is Robbery
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Followers of God are not to demand money from their listeners in exchange for bringing them God's truth: 1 Corinthians 9:18, "What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge"
Matthew 10:8, "...Freely ye have received, freely give"
Proverbs 23:23, "Buy the truth, and sell it not"
Isaiah 55:1, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price."
Revelation 22:17, "...And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."
As a matter of fact, the apostle Paul considered in robbery to take wages from people in the "church" when he preached the gospel to them!2 Corinthians 11:7-9, "Did I commit a sin in humbling myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely? I robbed other churches, having received wages for service towards you. And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.""
At one point, the Corinthians were insinuating that Paul was making gain from them, but Paul refuted them by asking them, "Did any man I ever sent to preach the Gospel to you, ever get any thing from you for me? Produce the proof if you can."
Paul is stating firstly, that he laboured for and took wages from other churches, that he might teach the Corinthians free of charge. He further points out, that only false apostles and deceitful workers would take a collection of tithes or offerings for preaching the Gospel, due to their selfish financial ambitions, as well as their egotistical need to be regarded as one of the "apostles of Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:12-15).2 Corinthians 12:17-18, "Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you? I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you?"
The apostle Paul did not make any gain from preaching the gospel; he worked as a tentmaker from time to time (Acts 18:3), and laboured night and day at times so that he would not have to charge people a price when he preached the gospel (1 Thessalonians 2:9). Likewise, Jesus laboured as a carpenter (Mark 6:3). Neither one of them ever demanded that their listeners pay tithes to them.
We're not supposed to make a living from the Gospel. That calling was used to get him across from place to place to preach the gospel. Paul did not run up to people and say, "Hey! Give me 5 bucks and I'll tell you what it's all about." Today's pastor basically does that. When you walk into a church today, a collection plate gets passed around that places a burden upon you to give money before hearing what the preacher has to say. And if you don't give any money, you are looked down upon by others. Churches have even told its congregation that it is a sin if you do not give them money (tithe). What you hear from modern pulpits is nothing more than what's called a sophist, which means "one who preaches ethics for payment."
Paul was given an administration, a dispensation, a commission, or stewardship to preach (1 Corinthians 9:17). A steward receives no pay. He was merely a willing slave doing his assigned task faithfully.
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It is Evil for a Priest to teach for Money
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One who preaches God's Word for money is not a true man of God. Micah 3:11-12, "The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us. Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest."
A man of God is not to seek his own gain.Isaiah 56:11, "Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter." 1 Corinthians 10:32-33, "Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the congregation of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved."
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."
A minister of God is not to covet money, nor expect money, when he preaches God's Word.Acts 20:33-34, "I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive."
Paul is pointing out that while he had been teaching in the synagogues each Sabbath and ministering to the needs of the people, he did so at his own expense and even provided for the expense of any of his assistants by the work of his own hands. Paul was reinforcing the Old Testament examples of being a strong, contributing member of the community. Paul himself, was labouring with his own hands - working to look after his needs and those of his fellow workers, while taking from his own time and expense, to preach the Gospel to those who needed it.
Paul believed that it was more blessed to give spiritual enlightenment to the people than it was to receive material reward for so doing. Paul was one of the New Testament's best examples of how to be a disciple of the Word of God. Paul's special calling was indeed to be a disciple to the Gentiles. He went on to say that it would be an abuse of his authority to do otherwise, and worse yet, that by looking for material recompense, he would actually be hindering the Gospel from reaching those that had no material things to give.2 Corinthians 2:17, "For we are not as the many, making gain by corrupting the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ."
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What was Tithe used for?
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Many Churches today demand that their listeners give "tithe" to the Church. And those who preach the Word of God take wages from that tithe, as payment for their services. However, was tithe used in this way in the Old Testament? If so, why? As we saw previously, God considered it evil if a priest teaches for money. So what exactly is tithe, and what was it used for?
First of all, a tithe is literally defined as "a tenth part." It is giving and sacrificing a tenth of a possession. Most people assume that it means a tenth of ones money, however, it refers to animals and the fruit of the ground rather than it does money!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. 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." Deuteronomy 12:17, "Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock...:"
2 Chronicles 31:5-6, "...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...they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the LORD their God, and laid them by heaps."
It is interesting to note that Churches do not ask for a tenth of your seeds, or fruits, or herds, or flocks, or corn, or wine, or oil, or honey, or oxen and sheep, or any thing, they are only interested in your money. Why? What is really facinating is that nowhere in the scripture does it show anyone giving money as tithe!Nehemiah 13:5, "And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests."
Only animals and the fuits of the ground were used for tithes. After a thorough search of scripture, nowhere is any form of money given as tithe! Maybe this is why God condemns preachers who ask for money (not preachers who freely receive money). Can it be that money was never meant to be a part of the tithe?
Even when Jesus talked about tithe, it was never in reference to money (which is a creation of man), but to the things which were created by God: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." Luke 11:42, "But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."
Who was in charge of the tithes? The tithes were granted to the Levites for the use of the sanctuary, and the maintenance of themselves and their families, as they had no other inheritance in Israel. This is important to understand! The Levites did not have any inheritance at all in Israel, whereas everyone else did have rights to inheritance. All other people in Israel were taken care of through inheritance and other means, whereas the Levites did not have this same right. Their only means of sustenance was the tithe, because of their specific duty to God.
Do today's priests have just as much right of inheritance as everyone else in their country? Yes, they do. If the Levites had just as much right as the rest of the people of their nation, there would have been no need for them to take tithes. This is an important point. Under the New Testament, all men have the right to inheritance (Acts 20:32, Revelation 21:7). And since nobody is denied inheritance anymore, there is no need for any man to receive tithes anymore.Numbers 18:23-24, ""But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation...that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance. 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."
The Levites did not preach the Word of God, they maintained the temple of God. The temple of God has been destroyed, and there is no more sacrifices and offerings going on. Thus, since there is no more temple, and God does not dwell in temples made with hands (Acts 7:48; 17:24), there is no more need to give tithes, since its purpose is done away with.
What did the Levites do with the tithe they received? As the Levites had the tithe of the whole land, they themselves were obliged to give the tithe of this tithe to the priests, and this tithe or tenth they were obliged to select from the best part of the substance they had received (Numbers 18:26-29). Notice that only a tenth of the tithe were given to priests! In other words, when a tithe was given to the Levites, only a tenth of that tithe was given to the priests! Is that was Churches do today? No they do not. The priests use 100% of that tithe as they see fit, not 10% as God commands.
As a side note, notice tithe was offered as a heave offering. It was part of the offerings and sacrifices that were abolished under the New Testament.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:" (See also Deuteronomy 12:11).
How else were tithes spent?Deuteronomy 14:28-29, "At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates: 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."
Every three years, the ministers of religion, the stranger, the widow, the fatherless, and all who are destitute should be kindly remembered, and share in the tithes and blessings which God graciously gives us.
Where was the tithe to be stored? Tithe was brought into the treasure house (Nehemiah 10:38) which was in the chambers of the house of God (Nehemiah 10:37), which was in the Lord's house (Deuteronomy 26:13). God's tithe was not stored in some bank run by heathens, as it is today.
Does today's Churches follow these ordinances of tithes? If they do not, this is considered robbery from God:Malachi 3:7-10, "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? Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 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."
As this passage states, His children have robbed God through tithes and offerings. Just like today's Churches do.
However, it is still God's Will to make his ministers dependent on the people, so that his ministers might be induced (among other motives) to labour for their spiritual profiting. And that the people, thus blessed under their ministry, might feel it their duty and privilege to support and render them comfortable. But this is not done through "tithe" anymore.
(...continued in next post...)
