Tithes and Offerings
Tithes and offerings 2/10/08 a.m.
Ex 23:19 Le 27:30
The custom of tithing is very ancient (Abraham paid a tithe of the spoils of war to Melchizedek; see Gn 14:20) and widely practiced, being known in Athens, Arabia, Rome, Carthage, Egypt, Syria, Babylon, and China.[1]
The tithe is the first of the first and is the Lords’
Ex 23:19 The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God.
Le 27:30 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 to the Lord.
Pr 3:9 9 Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
The firstfruits are figurative of:
Israel’s position Rom. 11:16 the lump or root
Christ’s place in resurrection 1 Cor. 15:20, 23 from the dead
Christians James 1:18 firstfruit of His creatures
First converts Rom. 16:5[2] our first converts to Christ
Jesus confirms the giving of tithes
Mt 23:23 23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone
The tithe is a tenth
Ge 28:22 2 And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”
The tithes given in accordance to your income
Dt 16:17 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the
Lord your God which He has given you.
The tithe is a tenth of everything and can be anything
Le 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 to the Lord.
The tithe is to be brought to the Lords’ House
Dt 12:5-6 5 “But you shall seek the place where the Lord your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go. 6 There you shall take your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, your vowed offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.
The tithe is brought to the Lords’ House for the Lords’ work –
The giving of tithe is for the purpose of meeting the material need of the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless (the orphan), and the widow
Nu 18:21 1 “Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting.
Deut. 26:12–13 12 “When you have finished laying aside all the tithe of your increase in the third year— the year of tithing—and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled, 13 then you shall say before the Lord your God: ‘I have removed the holy tithe from my house, and also have given them to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me; I have not transgressed Your commandments, nor have I forgotten them.
Basic to tithing is the acknowledgment of God’s ownership of everything in the earth.
1 Co 10:26 26 for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”
The giving of a tithe is man’s acknowledgment that he is a steward of God’s creation.
Eph. 4:28 28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
The Scripture clearly demonstrates that every spiritual relationship of man is expressed in some material way.
Jas 2:26 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
The tithe is an expression of gratitude to God by His people.
1 Co 3:6 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.
When we offer tithes we confess God’s providence,
His deliverance in our time of need,
His redemption of our soul,
and His gift of Eternal Life
Giving
The giving of possessions (alms; boon; bounty; collection; contribution; supply; tithe) and of hospitality (host) is a vital part of Christian worship and witness.
Sacrificial giving is pleasing (odor; savor) to God.
Givers are to be cheerful, giving freely (liberality) of their own accord and not grudgingly, in recognition of the fact that human beings are stewards of what belongs to God and will one day give account of that stewardship.[3]
Have you given Him the tithe or first part of yourself, your heart and life?
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[1]Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). Tyndale Bible dictionary. Tyndale reference library (1263). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.
[2]Thomas Nelson Publishers. (1995). Nelson's quick reference topical Bible index. Nelson's Quick reference (233). Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson Publishers.
[3]Vine, W. (1997, c1996). Vine's complete expository dictionary topic finder . Nashville: Thomas Nelson.