What preachers call tithes today is nothing like that which God’s Word says concerning His holy tithe.
In the days from Aaron to the Apostle Paul, the tithe was only of the crops, flocks and herds. (Numbers 18:21-28; Leviticus 27:30-33) Today, it is taught that God requires our money to be tithed. (There is no Scriptural support for this teaching)
In the days from Aaron to the Apostle Paul, only the Levites were authorized to receive the yearly tithe. (Numbers 18:24-26) On the third year the tithe was kept in the tither’s city to feed the widows, the orphans, the Levites that were living in the tither’s city, and the foreigner that was visiting the city. (Deuteronomy 14:22-23, 28-29) Every seventh year, there was no tithe required. (Leviticus 25:4,20) Today, churches teach a weekly tithe with no instruction to keep the tithe in your own community, nor is there a rest from the tithe every seventh year. Pastors of the Church teach that the Church can receive it. (There is no Scriptural support for this teaching)
In the days from Aaron to the Apostle Paul, the tithe was only required of those who owned land on which one could plant gardens or orchards, or breed livestock on. Men who did not own gardens, orchards or livestock were not required to tithe. (Deuteronomy 14:22) Today, the Church teaches God requires all members of the congregation to tithe. (There is no Scriptural support for this teaching)
In the days from Aaron to the Apostle Paul, only Israelites were required to tithe. (Leviticus 27:30-34; Psalms 147:19-20) The Levites could not accept tithes from anyone who was not of the nation of Israel. (Numbers 18:26) Today, Church members all over the world are told to tithe. (There is no Scriptural support for this teaching)
In the days from Aaron to the Apostle Paul, firstfruits and the tithe were separate (Nehemiah 10:37-38; 12:44) Today, the Church teaches that tithes and firstfruits are the same thing. (There is no Scriptural support for this teaching)
In the days from Aaron to the Apostle Paul, the tithe was of the increase of crops, flocks & livestock. (Leviticus 27:30-33; Deuteronomy 14:22) Today, Churches teach that 10% of your paycheck is to be tithed. (There is no Scriptural support for this teaching)
Contrary to the popular teaching, God is not going to curse you if you don’t tithe your money. Many a preacher will stand behind the pulpit and preach that Malachi 3:8-10 is a warning to their congregations that they will receive a curse if they don’t tithe their money. Since God’s Word defines what the tithe was, how can preachers say it is something different? How can the members of the congregation agree that the tithe is something other than what God’s Holy Word declares it to be? Brethren, the tithe in Malachi 3 was of the crops. God says bring it in the storehouse. The storehouse was rooms encircling the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. (1 Kings 6:5-10) And God told the Priests who had stolen the tithes to return the tithes. If they would, He would open the windows of Heaven, (remember the first time the windows of Heaven are mentioned in the Bible? God made it rain upon the Earth) and He would pour out a blessing that the people would not be able to receive. He would rebuke the devourer (the locust) for their sake. Folks, God was speaking of abundance of crops as a blessing for tithing of the crops. God’s tithe was not money then, nor has it ever been.
Brethren, if you want to please God with your money, give as the Apostle Paul instructed… as you purpose in your heart. (2 Corinthians 9:7) Don’t give grugdingly, but rather willingly and cheerfully.
But regardless if you give 10% of your money, it is not tithes according to the Word of God. Tithes were only of the crops, flocks, and herds. What you are giving when you give money is a contribution.
There is not one instance of the Apostle’s teaching the Gentile Churches to tithe their money in the Word of God. As a matter of fact, when the Jerusalem Council met as recorded in Acts 15, the Jerusalem Council wanted the Gentile Believers to be circumcised, AND to keep the Law of Moses.” (v.5) The tithe was one of the laws found within the Law of Moses.
What did James tell the Council that day? It seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and to us that no greater burden be laid upon the Gentile Believers than these necessary things: to abstain from blood, and from things strangled, and from idols, and from fornication. He ended with “if ye do these things, ye do well.” (vv.28-29)
One would think that the Holy Ghost would have told James to teach the Gentile Churches that they were to tithe. But according to the Word of God, the tithe was not a necessary thing required of the Gentiles.
So how are we to see to the financial needs of the Church if we don’t tithe? By giving cheerfully and willingly. Freewill contributions, not of compulsion or necessity. God loves a cheerful giver.
If you purpose in your heart to give 10% of your money, great! But since God’s Word tells us what the tithe was, and who was required to tithe, your 10% of your money is not God’s tithe. It is a contribution. When God’s Word says His holy tithe is agriculture but the preacher says it is money, God is right and the preacher is wrong.
The tithe of the congregation was not taken to the Temple/Tabernacle by the people. It was taken to the Levites in the farming communities, who in turn took a tithe of the tithe they received to the Temple/Tabernacle. (Nehemiah 10:37-38) That’s right, only 1% of the original tither’s property went to the House of God,… not 10%. And it was the Levite who was responsible for taking the tithe to the House of God, not the children of Israel.
Study it out folks. That which is preached as “God’s tithe” today is not the tithe instituted by God. Not even close to that which God instituted. It is totally foreign to the Word of God.
A careful and prayerful study of the Word of God will reveal to the reader that the tithe taught today is not what God’s Word says about God’s holy tithe. Preachers are falsely teaching a man-made command as if it is a doctrine ordained by God.
Matthew 15:9. But in vain they do worship me; teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
