Message of the Month April 2022
WHAT ABOUT TITHING?
When I was ten years old, I had a Sunday School teacher called Tony who is now with the Lord. As a teenager I turned to him for help on many occasions and he was always there for me. In many ways he became my spiritual father and mentor (words he would never have used)! One of the things he taught me from his own example was tithing. I became a tither as a teenager and although there were times when it was not easy, I have continued it all through my life to the present day and have never regretted it.
From experience I can honestly say that you can never outgive God – He is no man’s debtor and I have received far more than I have ever given - not just monetarily but spiritually too and I’ve travelled around the world when I had virtually no money, many times.
So, what about tithing? I get the feeling that for some churches in Europe these days – tithing - is a taboo word. Is this because if they teach it to new Christians, they fear they will run away?
When I was leading a church for 40 years, we always talked about giving our “tithes and offerings” as we received the offering on a Sunday morning – which we emphasised was part of our worship to God and we would very often pray, giving thanks to God for His blessings and provisions - as well as offering ourselves to Him at the same time.
I think that the WAY tithing is taught is the key to acceptance or rejection. If we teach it as a legalistic requirement - which the Mormon Church does (and they do not seem to have any financial worries as an organisation by the way), then yes that is off putting.
Of course, tithing was part of the law of Moses and there are some things we can learn from that, but the Principle and Practice of tithing was there BEFORE the law was given.
The Prototype of Abraham The first instance of tithing in the Bible is found in Genesis 14v17-20 where Abraham met Melchizedek, the mysterious King of Peace and Righteousness who was also Priest of the Most High God - who is a type of Christ.
Notice the connection between tithing and blessing:
1) Melchizedek blessed Abram and pronounced a blessing on him from God
2) God had already blessed Abram with victory over his enemies – what did Abram do? – he gave a tenth of everything he owned to the Priest/King in response to the blessing of God.
Lessons from this:
1) Melchizedek represents Jesus our Great High Priest and King – we pay our tithes to the ministry here on earth but it is given as unto Jesus. God does not need our money – He wants our hearts!
2) The giving of tithe in the first instance is a token of our gratitude to the ways in which God has already blessed us.
3) As with Abraham (15v1), the giving of the tithe then releases us to receive more blessings.
Furthermore, BEFORE THE LAW, Jacob was a tither: The Pledge of Jacob Genesis 28v22 Jacob who later became Israel, pledged to give a tenth of "all that You give Me." Twenty years later Jacob was a very rich man and God reminds him of the vow he made and delivers him from his enemies (31v13f). At the end of his life (48v3) Jacob's testimony was: "God Almighty appeared to me and blessed me (and) fed me all my life long unto this day." (48v15).
Lessons from this:
1) Jacob pledged to give the tithe in anticipation of the blessing of God - and received it.
2) God remembers the vows we make to Him and blesses us for keeping them.
3) We may not become super rich materially because of giving the tithe but we will always be well looked after just as Jacob was.
The Principle of tithing
The principle of tithing started BEFORE THE LAW and it only became a LAW later under Moses. So what about tithing?
What principles can we learn from the Law?
The people brought their tithe to the LORD. In Leviticus 27v30-32 we see that the tithe was holy – i.e. It was set apart, dedicated wholly to the Lord. On top of that, the people were to bring: freewill offerings, the first born of each of their farm animals, burnt offerings, sacrifices and votive offerings (in payment of a vow) (Deuteronomy 12v5-7) Notice verse 7: "You shall rejoice… in all that…the Lord your God has blessed you."
1) We do not really start to GIVE until we have paid the tithe. God in turn handed over the tithe to the Levites who were set apart from the nation to serve God in the tabernacle/temple (Numbers 18v21-28). The Levites in turn had to tithe what they got and give this to the High Priest and his family (see also Nehemiah 10v38).
2) The tithe paid the ministers Every three years the people were to bring the tithes accumulated during the three years, to the tabernacle/temple and when they brought it – they could have a FEAST and enjoy some of it and the rest went to the Levites and to the POOR - foreigners, orphans and widows living in the land. (Deut 14v22-29). Notice v29: "that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands."
3) The tithe was a blessing to everyone – especially the poor. The Promise of tithing Jacob as the Father of the nation of Israel set a precedent in giving a tenth of all to God and this became a law in Israel. When they failed to keep that law they robbed themselves of many blessings and Malachi had to call the nation back to this practice:
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty. “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty.” (3:10-12)
God promises to pour out a blessing on those who honour Him with the tithe.
Lessons from this:
1) Once again, we see the connection between tithing and blessing (v10, 12).
2) Withholding the tithe, blocks the blessing of God but tithing acts as a catalyst for the blessings to flow.
3) Those who pay their tithes will be blessed spiritually and in many other ways too - the King James version says “the devourer will not devour you.”
So, what about tithing?
Jesus said: “These things (tithing) you ought to have done.” (Matthew 23:23 KJV)
Tithing was a CHOICE for Abraham and Jacob and then it became a LAW in Israel.
We are no longer under law but under grace - but will we who are even more blessed than the people of the law, do less than they did?
If you are not doing it Malachi says you are robbing God. You are also robbing yourself of blessings. It is not always easy to do it - when finances are tight but God says “Test me in this” and see what happens!
So, what about tithing?