Tithing

[LindaR]

A couple of years ago, my husband taught an online lesson on biblical tithing. It was done in two parts. The first part deals with the Old Testament pattern of giving and the second part deals with New Testament Grace Giving. Here is part 1:

Quote:When you talk about a person’s finances, you talk about a sensitive subject. Most people, no matter how wealthy they are, feel constrained by the lack of it. In this situation, it is often hard to decide how much of our scarce funds we should give for the work of the church. Fortunately, the Scriptures do give us guidelines to help us honor God in our contributions.

The most common type of giving associated with the Bible is the tithe, which literally means a tenth. The tithe is frequently held up as God's standard for giving, often by citing passages such as Mal. 3:10:

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Malachi 3:10

If we want to understand how this and similar passages apply to the modern church, we must understand how tithing fits into the Old Testament pattern of giving.

Old Testament Giving

The first references to tithing in the Old Testament are found in the historical accounts of Abram (Gen. 14:20) and Jacob (Gen. 28:22). Abram's tithes were of the spoils of war (not his own property) and Jacob's tithes were only after God had Himself met certain requirements set forth by Jacob.

The law of Moses provides a much fuller view of giving, particularly as it applies in a community setting. Tithing forms a significant role in this teaching. While the Old Testament teaches that Israel's tithes belonged to the Lord, the act of giving the tenth served as an acknowledgment that all that they possessed belonged to God. The same holds true today in the New Testament body of Believers.

There are five passages in the law of Moses which deal at length with tithing. Leviticus 27:30-33 and Numbers 18:20-32 are very similar, and suggest that the Israelites were to set aside each year a tenth of all their crops and herds for the Levites. The Levites, in turn, were instructed to pay a tenth of what they had received to the Levitical Priests, descendants of Aaron. God promised the Levites no inheritance (no land) in Israel. Instead, they were set aside to serve in the Tabernacle (and later in the Temple), and to instruct the people in the word of the Lord. The Israelites' tithes were to provide the means of support for the Levites. Deuteronomy 12:15-19 and Deuteronomy 14:22-26 also speak of a tithe. This tithe was to be taken to Jerusalem, and eaten in a fellowship meal with his family, his servants, and the Levites from his town. In Deut. 14:22-26 there is an added provision that Israelites who lived a distance from Jerusalem and had a substantial tithe could exchange their tithe for silver in their home town and use the silver to purchase food for the feast at Jerusalem. The differences between these two accounts cause me to believe there were actually two tithes, used for distinct purposes. Another tithing variation is presented in Deut. 14:27-29. There we read:

"Deuteronomy 14:27-29 And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee. At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates: And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest."

Looking at all these passages, it becomes clear that the Lord required more than ten percent from the Israelites. The scriptures also teach that the Israelites were to offer the "first fruits" of their harvests to the Lord as well as the first born of all their animals in Exodus 34:19-26.

Part 1 continued...

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Part 1 Continued:

Quote:How tithes are related to firstfruits is not clear. Some passages such as Nehemiah 12:44 distinguish tithes and first fruits. If we see two distinct tithes, however, it is possible that one of them would include the provision for the first fruits.

Nehemiah 12:44 And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.

Along with the tithes, the Israelites were required to present sacrifices and were invited to bring free will offerings to the Lord.

Mal. 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

suggests that the Israelites had robbed God "in tithes and offerings". The word used for offerings in this passage most frequently refers to fellowship offerings, but is also used of other gifts, such as building materials for the tabernacle (Exodus 25:1-7)

By the time the Israelite had paid his tithes and first fruits, presented his sacrifices, and brought his freewill offerings and vows, a substantial portion of his income had been given over to the Lord. What were these tithes and offerings used for?

Apart from the sacrifices which were burnt on the altar as an act of dedication to God, most giving in the Old Testament was to support the Priests and the Levites in their responsibilities. We normally think of the Priests and the Levites as the clergy of the Old Testament, and they certainly filled that role. The Priests offered sacrifices and were responsible for instructing the people in the word of the Lord (2 Chronicles 31:4; Malachi 2:6-9)

The Levites assisted in many of the practical aspects of managing the tabernacle and temple and led the people in worship. (1 Chronicles 23:28-32)

Along with their role in the service of the Lord, the Priests and Levites also performed many functions normally associated with the civil service. Early Israel was predominantly an agricultural society, and was established as a theocracy - a people governed by God. Although there were elders among the other tribes, the Priests were set aside to represent the people before God and they were to represent God before the people. In this capacity, crucial decisions affecting the nations were made by the High Priest (Ex. 28:29,30). The Priests kept God's order in Israel. They were the experts in dietary law, public health and sanitation (Lev. (11-15).

The function of the Levites as a civil service is also confirmed by the appointment of the Levitical cities as cities of refuge. This suggest that the Levites were in some way guardians of the judicial system.

Numbers 35:6 And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities.

Even after a king was put in rule, the Levites continued in this role (1 Chron 23:4), as well as functioning in an administrative capacity (1 Chron. 26:20-32).

The "3rd" tithe suggests that another primary function of giving in the Old Testament was to provide for the poor. This tithe, offered every 3rd and 6th year, was intended for "the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, orphans and the widows who lived on your property" (Deut. 14:29). This was one of the many provisions made in the law for the poor. Throughout the Old Testament, Israel was condemned for the tendency of the relatively well-to-do to overlook the problems of the poor.

In closing, the act of giving in the Old Testament took many forms, including tithes (possibly two or three), sacrifices, free will offerings, vows, and sometimes even leaving some "gleaning" in the harvest field for the poor (Lev. 19:9,10). This represented a substantial portion of the Israelite's income. These various forms of giving were all expressions of gratitude for God, who is the source of all good. They were intended to glorify him, to support the clergy, and to provide for the needs of the poor. The Priests and Levites also provided a basic civil service.

Luke 11:42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone

Presented in an online Bible Study on Paltalk in October, 2007 by Ron Robey