Day 4 – What is the Tithe? – How is it relevant for us today?

Origin of the Tithe

                The first mention of the tithe is in Genesis where Abram paid tithes to Melchizedek, King of Salem (meaning “Peace”) after he rescued Lot and his family along with all of their possessions from capture. Melchizedek blessed Abram and Abram honored Melchizedek with a tenth of what he gained back from what was stolen.

Genesis 14:17-20 Abram Blessed by Melchizedek

After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).  And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.)  and he blessed him and said,

"Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!"

And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.  ESV

Later on, Old Covenant tithing was rooted in the first fruits offerings commanded in the Torah. God told Moses that every first born of all male animals and sons were to be “set apart” to the Lord as a memorial to the Passover event when God saved His first born son, “Israel” as a nation. Every firstborn son of Israel was to be redeemed, but the animals were given as memorial sacrifices. (See Exodus 13:11-16).

                Exodus 22:29-31

"You shall not delay to offer from the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to me. You shall do the same with your oxen and with your sheep: seven days it shall be with its mother; on the eighth day you shall give it to me.

"You shall be consecrated to me ESV

Later God appointed the tribe of Levi as ministers to the Aaronic priesthood and He told Israel that the first fruit offerings to be given to the Levites for the provision of food for their families. The Levites were not given any land to farm, so God provided for their families directly through the first fruits offering He was already receiving from the people. God honored the Levites dedicated service by giving them this provision.

Numbers 3:11-13

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be mine, for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast. They shall be mine: I am the Lord."  ESV

What is the Tithe?

“Tithe" means a tenth or 10 percent. The tithing system described in the Bible was designed specifically to meet the needs of the religious, economic and political system of ancient Israel. Each of the twelve tribes of Israel, except the tribe of Levi, initially received an allotment of land in the promised land of Canaan. The Levites were assistants to Israel's priests and were supported by a tithe offering from other eleven tribes. All families of those eleven tribes were to give a tenth of all produce, flocks, and cattle to the Levites. In turn, the Levites were to give a tenth of that to support the Aaronic priesthood (Leviticus 27:30-33, Numbers 18:21-28). The collection of tithes included provision for the widows, orphans, and the stranger or non-Israelite - the tithe was also celebrated as a family meal with YHWH as the honored guest at the meal

 As we honor God, He honors us. (Deuteronomy 26:12-13) 

The tithe is given from what is seen, it comes from what is already in your hand. The tithe is holy to the Lord, when the tenth is given, the whole crop becomes Holy. Leviticus 27:30

The tithe must be birthed out of a heart that honors God.

In Malachi, God accuses Israel of robbery because the people were not bringing in the full tithe; they were cheating and short changing the animals from the herd. Instead of every tenth animal, they were selectively choosing the lame and weak animals. Since God himself was in the place of providing for the Levites through the tithe, the people were making Him out to be a poor provider.

Malachi 3:8-10

"Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You? ‘In tithes and offerings.  You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.  Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the Lord of hosts, NKJV

Furthermore, a greater dishonor was their complaining disgruntled words against the Lord.

Malachi 3:13-14

"Your words have been harsh against Me, “Says the Lord, "Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against You?'

 You have said, 'It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, NKJV

To understand how Israel “robbed” God in the tithe you need to read beyond a two verse snippet and get the whole message communicated through the prophet Malachi in his book.

The ordinance of the tithe was not just about giving ten percent of your stuff, it is about honor and provision for others and justice. In Jesus’ day while still under the Old Covenant regulations, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for meticulously giving tithes without grasping the importance it represents in the Kingdom of God.

Luke 11:42-43

"But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.  Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. ESV

What the tithe is not

The tithe is not a “minimum” or “maximum” donation of money. The tithe was food, produce from the land that God gave to Israel as their inheritance and portion – There were many prescribed and voluntary offerings under old covenant practice. These included a standard shekel temple tax for each person, alms, various offerings for purification, free will offerings, fellowship offerings, and an obligation to offer hospitality to the stranger, the weak and the sick.

The tithe is not a command for “church financing “as it is often referenced in Malachi 3: 8-10. But this does not “relieve” us from financially supporting whatever fellowship in which we participate. Not in the least!

Giving is to be done cheerfully, rather than as an obligation (2 Corinthians 9:6-7), and not for the purpose of public recognition (Matthew 6:1-4). The right amount to give may be dependent on one's circumstances (Matthew 19:21, Luke 18:22, 21:1-4, Hebrews 13:16, 1 John 3:17). But everyone has something whether much or little and generous giving is an acknowledgment that everything we have is a gift from God, and is to be used in His service (Luke 12:33, Acts 20:35, 1 Timothy 6:17-19, James 1:17, 1:27, 1 Peter 4:10).

Torah tithing was all based on food – produce, grain, sheep and herds. This tithing comes from your food. YHWH, the greater one, blessed Israel with the increase of their land and their herds; He supplied them with all they needed. By tithing to Him, they acknowledged Him and brought Him the honor He deserves.

Tithing to your assembly

Israel was instructed to bring the tithe to the place where YHWH placed His name. That place is you, but it is also the assembly where you live. We are the trees planted by the river of God for the display of His splendor (Isaiah 61:1-9). The fruit is for food and the leaves are for healing (Ezekiel 47:7-12) It is God who gives us the ability to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18) and the fruit on our trees and the leaves on our branches are not for our benefit alone, they are for us to give away and bless others. There are no “independent” lone ranger citizens in the Kingdom. The “storehouse” is the assembly where you live. Tithing is not an obligatory command to finance any ministry, but it is a reflection of your heart of gratitude towards your Provider and it is a place where the substance of “His house” can hold the provision for others.

Matthew 25:31-46

Jesus made it clear that we are obligated to be generous to those in need.

Matthew 5:42

Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. NIV

Proverbs 3:5-12

 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.  Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.

  My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.  ESV

Tithing today

Hebrews 10:1 tells us that the Torah (Law) was a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities and so we need to see and perceive with clarity what the substance of the shadow of the tithe really is so that we can understand the form of the reality it is today.

To review then, the Tithe is rooted in the Passover event where God spared the sons of Israel and all the firstborn of cattle, herds and flocks. YHWH purchased them through the simple act of displaying a covenant welcome on the doors of the homes of the people. Today, we step into the Kingdom of God by simply accepting the blood of the Lamb of God and opening our heart to yield to His provision. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law; He purchased us with His atoning sacrifice to be His precious people. The tithe honors this redemption every time we experience blessing and increase in our lives.

When we collectively tithe to our assemblies, we create storehouses and provision for the widows, the orphans, the stranger (non-Christian), and even our own families. God’s provision through our labors is meant to be so abundant that even at a ten percent level of unified giving there will be more than enough for all of these endeavors.

Tithing comes from what God has already put into our hands; it requires absolutely no faith to participate in tithing. It only requires some understanding and obedience. God will always prefer obedience over sacrifice and this can expose a root of rebellion or mixture in our thinking. The Pharisees were meticulous in their tithes giving even a tenth of their garden herbs, but Jesus rebuked them severely for neglecting the weightier matters of Justice and Mercy. Tithing is an issue with your heart as much as it is about your substance.

God’s justice is the decree that through Jesus Christ all of your sins are forgiven and He does not remember them thereafter. This door is open today for all people. As Israel remembered the redemption of their sons in Egypt, so the tithe reminds us of the greater redemption available for all. His mercy is brand new every morning and it is also available for all. Like the father if the prodigal son, God is looking for all of His sons to “come to themselves” and return to Him even from a long way off.

Yielding the tithe is fundamentally about honoring God with a thankful heart. It communicates to Him that you recognize that you are no longer your own or on your own to do as you please. The tithe makes a public statement to God and the world that everything you have comes from Him. As the whole body brings their tithes with a thankful willing heart, the world will see YHWH’s generosity and His love for all people including the “stranger” who will be blessed by God’s people.

As the giving in our assemblies begins to reflect again the heart of God as exemplified in the tithe, He will move in new ways and we will see the redemption of many sons. Entire cities, states and nations can be brought into the Kingdom.

Malachi 3:10-12

Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.  I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts.  Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.  ESV

Discussion Questions:

Day 4 – What is the Tithe?

Tithing comes from the increase in your land. – We are God’s land and He is always looking to increase the provision to us and out of us. How do we honor the tithe today?

How does our giving reflect the generosity of YHWH who gives every good and perfect gift from above to us?

What blocks and stops this generosity?

How can we overcome these obstacles and become more like Christ?