Giving is the way out of lack. Tithing is how God's Kingdom is promoted--- whether through Missions, Crusades, Helping the Poor etc. Jesus made it simple in Luke 6:38. Give and it comes back even greater. This is the principle of the seed. No seed produces only a seed, but a harvest.
Tithing is an OT requirement given via Mosaic Law. To the Nation of Israel only.
Malachi 3:10 “Bring ye """all the tithes""" (PLURAL) into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house,”
(NOTE: "that there might be food in my house". Tithe was fruit, seed & animals, not money. Only land owners were required pay. Example: A fisherman paid nothing on his catch, tradesmen, cobblers, potters, the women, who made the soldiers garments, the servants who worked in the fields for wages, were not required to pay tithe.)
Under the law, there were 3 tithes of a tenth each, not one. The Levitical tithe (Numbers 18:19-20), the festival tithe (Deuteronomy 14:22-17), and the poor tithe, every 3rd year (Deuteronomy 14:28-29). So if your religion regard's itself as being under the Biblical command to pay tithes, then preach three tithes not simply one!
The tithe was exclusively a tax on the produce on the land of Israel, so if you don't live within the Promised land (Israel), then you were not required to pay tithe. Numbers 18:21 clearly states; “all the tithes in Israel,” so tithes were only paid on people’s increase (Deuteronomy 14:22), on their agricultural products (Leviticus 27:30), within the land of Israel
The first of these tithes, the Levitical tithe, was payable only to the Levite tribe of Israel, (Nehemiah 10:37), nobody else was permitted to collect it, and this tithe had to be paid to the tribe of Levi within one of 48 designated Levite cities within Israel (Numbers 35:7).
NOBODY WAS REQUIRED TO TITHE: Every 7th (Sabbath) year (Exodus 23:10-11), and 50th (Jubilee) year (Leviticus 25:10-11), the entire nation of tithers, within the nation of Israel were completely excluded from paying tithes for those entire years.
Leviticus 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 unto the LORD.
(NOTE: A tithe was due on the firstfruit: of corn, wine, oil, wood, honey, all the increase of the field. There was also a required Temple tax, wealthy Jews were requires under the """Law""" to give alms as well for the poor & widows).
31. And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes (Plural), he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.”
(NOTE: If a man wanted to take CASH to the Temple instead of grain, animals or increase of the field. He would have to add 1/5. I.E pay an additional 20%)
Instructions given to the Body of Christ on giving:
1 Cor 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
(NOTE: Bring WEEKLY your best freewill gift)
2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
(NOTE: Give a little, receive a little, give alot, receive alot)
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, ""or of necessity"": for God loveth a cheerful giver.
(NOTE: A tithe is given out of the laws necessity. A worthless gift from todays believer. A freewill gift from the heart is loved and rewarded by our Lord)
When it comes to giving. New covenant Christians are taught to give generously, sacrificial & expectant of a blessing in return. And most certainly be CHEERFULL FREEWILL GIVER'S!
We should all prayerfully examine our giving patterns. Pray earnestly that the Holy Spirit would challenge us. To see whether they are in line with God's New Testament plan of being Generous, Sacrificial, Cheerful Giver's!
1
1
