Tithing

Where did the 10% tithing come from

Its been taken from the old testament. We see Abram giving Melchizedek 10%, Joseph collecting a tithe from the people, but the example we typically use in the church is from the Law in Leviticus.

We need to understand first that there was to forms of giving in the Old Testament. One was a freewil offering and the other was a tithe which we get the word tenth.

The idea of tithing was taken from the Mosaic Law

Are we commanded to pay a tenth

There is no commandment in the new testament that says we are to pay a tenth

The argument goes well there was a tithe before the law, in the law so should be one after the law even though we are in the New Covenant.

If we take that approach to our reasoning then we could also say that there was a Sabbath before the law, as the seventh day of the week which the Lord rested was considered Holy,and a Sabbath was commanded during the law. Should we keep the Sabbath.

No because Colossians 2:16 “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.” and Romans 14:5 “One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.”

We do not keep the Sabbath because we have entered into Christs rest. Matthew 11:28–30 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.””

We can also say well there were sacrifices before the law existed and were commanded by the law so should we keep those too.

No because Christ fulfilled all the sacrificial laws also. Hebrews 9:12–15 “he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.”

So these arguments aren’t really good arguments.

Offerings before the Law

One thing we should first notice is that these were voluntary and God never commanded them to offer anything.

First we see Cain and Abel. Scripture never tells us God commanded them to bring their offerings

Next is Noah. First thing Noah did when he got off the ark was build and alter and sacrifice. Why? To show his gratitude for God saving him from flood. It was an expression of what was in his heart. No tenth, spontaneous, free-will , he just gave

Next is Abram. God calls him to be the leader of a nation. In response he builds an alter. Why? Out of joy, excitement, and gratitude in his heart. Again there is no amount, no percentage, no stipulations.

Then we come to Genesis 14:18–20 “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.” This is the first time we see a tithe or a tenth

Abram had just return from war and had won and taken all the spoils. Five kings and he had taken masses of their treasures. He runs into Melchizedek a great king and high priest of the most High God who Abramham also worships, this man blesses Abraham and God has blessed Abraham with this victory so now Abraham wants to worship God and give thanks by giving to this High Priest. He gives him a tenth (tithe) of everything.

Was he commanded? No. It was spontaneous and straight from the heart free-will. This is the only time in His 160 life span recorded of him giving a tithe.

Did God ever require a percentage before the law.

Yes in Gen 41 with Joseph in Egypt. There was to be seven years of abundance and seven years of famine to follow.

Joseph was interpreting dreams for Pharoah and told of this coming famine. To mitigate this problem they were to take and put back a fifth of the produce of the land. So thats twenty percent tax on all produce to be given to pharoah. You keep four fifths for seed and yourself and give the government one fifth (20%)

Tithe in the law

Understand that up to now all the giving to the Lord has been free-will giving and all the required giving has been to the government (taxation)

Freewill was done in response of love, done generously, proportionatlely , and voluntarily

We see the word tithe again in Leviticus 27:30 ““Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord.” This is sometimes referred and the Lords tithe or the Levites tithes . Numbers 18 says these are to be divided by the Levites

So here its saying a tenth of the produce of the land is the Lords. You give it to the Lord by giving it to the Levites. Who are they? They are one of the the twelve tribes of Israel. They were the Levitical priesthood chose by God to be priest to operate the temple and lead the nation. They had no land and no territory, no jobs no income. This tax was to supply their needs.

They were basically the government. They work for the people, judge the people, made decisions and ran the nation. They had to be supported. This is a theocracy, a nation ran by God. A democracy is ran by people. Just like we support our government with our taxes

God was the king and ruled these people and mediated through his priest.

so ten percent of everything had to be given. It was required. Malachi 3:8 “Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions.”

Second tithe

Deuteronomy 12:10–12 “But when you go over the Jordan and live in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and when he gives you rest from all your enemies around, so that you live in safety, then to the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name dwell there, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution that you present, and all your finest vow offerings that you vow to the Lord. And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your sons and your daughters, your male servants and your female servants, and the Levite that is within your towns, since he has no portion or inheritance with you.”

To summarize God is speaking of the coming into Jerusalem. In all this God is ordaining all the celebrations, ceremonies, festivals and feasts like the Passover. They have to support these events

So the first tenth goes to the Levites and the second tenth goes to support the festivals

This brings our total to 20%

Thirdly there was a welfare tithe. Deuteronomy 14:28 ““At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your towns.”

So ten percent divided up over 3 years is 3.333 percent

What was this for Deuteronomy 14:29 “And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.”

Additional taxes

Leviticus 19:9–10 ““When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.”

This was and addition. We call profit sharing. This was so the poor and soujourners could partake

Also every seven years they were to let the fields lay over and they profit nothing that year

Nehemiah 10:32–33 ““We also take on ourselves the obligation to give yearly a third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God: for the showbread, the regular grain offering, the regular burnt offering, the Sabbaths, the new moons, the appointed feasts, the holy things, and the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.”

Temple tax.