There is no dispute, some “Churches” are very wealthy! Pastors with expensive cars, and luxury homes accompanying this observation, many believers have become disillusioned with their “Church”. Two scriptures connect to lay a solid foundation for a responsible study on the subject of paying tithes. These scriptures are Matthew 24 verse 12 which reads, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold”, and 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 3 teaching, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day, (of Christ), shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition”. Understood, these verses speak of “Churches” losing congregational support, and becoming empty, or desolate, as scripture teaches, with Antichrist’s control of religion becoming fully exposed!
Properly defined, a tithe is a tenth. The term first appears in Genesis 14:20. Abram, (as scripture records Abraham’s name in the verse), had defeated Kedorlaomer king of Elam in the rescue of his nephew Lot. Having victory over his enemies, Melchisedec king of Salem, and priest of God Most High, received Abram’s tithe being a tenth of the spoil, Hebrews 7:4 1611 King James, because The Lord had given Abram victory!
God’s promise to Abraham that his seed would be as the stars of heaven in the process of being fulfilled, the Hebrews were rescued out of Egypt, and God commanded that all Israel bring the tithe of the land to the Levites with specific instructions. We see these for the first time in scripture beginning in Leviticus 27:30. In essence, the tithe belongs to The Lord, and the tithe is not redeemable.
We see The Lord’s statute for Israel to bring the tithe to the Levites again in Numbers 18 verse 26. The Lord declares the tithe as the inheritance of the Levites for their service to The Lord with the tabernacle, and instructs them to give The Lord’s portion, a tenth thereof, to Aaron, the chief priest at the time. Furthermore, scripture teaches if a man sought to redeem his tithes, he shall add the fifth part thereof to them, and they both shall be hallowed to The Lord.
The tithe was not to be eaten within their “gates” (towns), but in the presence of The Lord in the place appointed by The Lord. Deuteronomy 12:17. Chapter 14 confirms the eating of the tithe in the appointed place, Deuteronomy 14:23, and that “if the place appointed be too far”, Deuteronomy 14:24, and The Lord’s blessing is so great that the tenth cannot be carried, then the tenth may be exchanged for money, and that money should be taken to the place appointed by The Lord, and given for “whatsoever thy soul desires”, and it shall be done with all of the heart, and with rejoicing. The more interesting aspect of the aforesaid remains that the tithe is eaten, and it is eaten in an appointed place, by the whole household, servants, and Levites abiding included! Deuteronomy 12:18 and 19.
Every third year the increase of the same year was to be brought forth, and laid up within their gates, and the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow within their gates, were to come and eat, and be satisfied. Deuteronomy 14:28 and 29. Blemished animals were not to be sacrificed to The Lord in the place appointed, but were to be eaten within their gates by the clean, and unclean person alike. Deuteronomy 15:21 and 22. In a perpetual statute for all Hebrew generations throughout all their dwellings forever, the eating of the fat, and the blood was forbidden. Leviticus 3:17 and Leviticus 6:18 1611 King James. “All the fat is The Lord’s”, Leviticus 3:16, and “the life of the flesh is in the blood”. Leviticus 17:11. The blood was to be poured out on the ground as water. Deuteronomy 15:23.
Scripture clearly teaches all the tithe of the land whether from seed sown or fruit from the trees, and every tenth animal of the herd, and the flock, is the Lord’s. Scripture makes no mention of paying a tenth of our income, but instructs us to bring the tenth from the land, the herd, and the flock for an annual feast in the appointed place year by year, and every third year for a feast within the towns. The only mention of tithing and money is in Deuteronomy 14 where, if The Lord’s blessing is so great that the tenth cannot be carried, then it may be exchanged for money, verse 25 in order to purchase in the appointed place, whatsoever a man’s soul desires, strong drink, verse 26, included. Importantly, the giving was to be with the whole heart, and the bringing in of the tithe is to be a time of great rejoicing, thanksgiving, and praise. At the end of tithing in the third year, which is the year of tithing, there was to be a declaration that the statute of tithing had been fully complied with. Deuteronomy 26:12 to 15.
Study of the subject of tithing in scripture leads us to 2 Chronicles for the record of God’s blessing during the reign of Hezekiah, the heaps of abundant food, the excess causing Hezekiah to order chambers to be built in the house of The Lord, 2 Chronicles 31:11, onwards to Nehemiah’s re-establishment of The Lord’s statutes, which had been neglected by Israel, to conclude the Old testament teaching on tithing in Malachi, bringing this brief study to an appropriate conclusion. “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. Very clearly tithing is about obedience, and the resultant blessing in our giving.
Enlarging on the correctness of our giving to The Lord, The Storehouse, surely comes sharply into focus! Where is this storehouse, and where has The Lord appointed the year by year place for us to bring our tithes? We know every third year we bring forth the tithe in our home town, but where do we bring it with rejoicing year by year?
Understanding our calling to obey God as God speaks to us from scripture, and knowing scripture has changed over the centuries, highlights the need to personally study The Truth of The Word! Daniel 9:13. With scripture teaching deception will be rampantly active in the last days, and studied prophets teaching we were 146 years past Daniel’s prophetic time in the year 1990, there is no doubt we are in the last moments of our present age. Vitally, we need to know where “The Storehouse” is, to know we are bringing our tithes to God, and not paying a tenth of our income to Antichrist!
By Lester Oliver Thomas Flock © 2020