|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
There are two major ways to look at tithing:
1. Tithing before the law
2. Tithing after the law
Before the Law of Moses was given, tithing was already instituted and in existence. The Bible records that Abraham tithed to Melchizedek. Jacob also promised to tithe, if God would answer his prayer.
This means that tithing was already there before Moses. However, there are critical observations here:
Abraham was neither a Jew nor Christian. He had only begun walking with God. Therefore, how did he know about tithing?
Jacob was neither a Jew nor Christian. But it is acceptable to say that he learned tithing from Abraham.
So the question is: is it Abraham who instituted tithing? Obviously no.
It is more acceptable to say that tithing was part of the culture in Abraham’s days, to give honor to whom one deemed or esteemed great or greater.
From both Abraham’s tithing and Jacob’s promise to tithe, we see that tithing is NOT FOR BLESSING but rather an appreciation of being blessed and an acknowledgement of a higher authority.
Again, we see that both Abraham and Jacob’s tithing was voluntary, not compulsory. And it had nothing to do with cursing or blessing. In fact, Melchizedek blessed Abraham before Abraham paid tithe (Genesis 14).
However, when Moses introduced the law to Israel, he regulated the culture of tithing. He asked the Israelites to tithe, more particularly so that the Levites would be taken care of. The Levites were responsible for overseeing the temple work. They did not have any inheritance in Israel, likewise the priests. Thus Moses gave the tithing law to take care of them so that they wouldn’t be burdened with poverty and lack, which might cause them to abandon the work of the temple.
Then also, the tithe regulation in the law was to help provide for the poor, needy, and widows. This was to ensure that Israel did not neglect the poor, needy, and vulnerable people within them. For no proper governance system will overlook the vulnerable in society or fail to provide for their spiritual leaders. And don’t forget, Israel was not a religious organisation but a state, whose system of government was theocratic. Therefore, don’t read the law of Moses with religious lenses only.
Meanwhile, the tithing regulations did not end with just the simple explanation given above. There are different breakdowns and rules of tithing under the law. It wasn’t as straightforward as we saw in Abraham’s days or as it is practiced in today’s churches, reduced only to money and salary.
In fact, under the law, tithing was more related to farming and farm produce than money. That’s where the Deuteronomy verse becomes clearer:
“Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always. But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the Lord your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the Lord will choose to put his Name is so far away), then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the Lord your God will choose. Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice. And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own” (Deuteronomy 14:26-27)
In this instance, the tithe is more or less like making provision for personal sustenance while going into retreat with God. I wish to explain better. Assuming we are going for a convention, crusade, or retreat, we definitely have to go with food. You cannot go and serve the Lord in hunger. Therefore, the tithe here was meant to ensure that people had at least basic personal provisions made for their personal needs in terms of food while they serve the Lord at a particular location. If the place was far and the food could not be carried, then the fellow had to sell the food, kept the money on himself, and when he got to the spiritual location indicated, used the money to provide for himself.
Again, the last words say they should not forget the Levites. This is because the Levites were not farmers or workers who had the opportunity to provide for themselves, hence they were also to be remembered and cared for. This practice cannot continue today because:
1. We are not farmers as Israel was.
2. We already have systems that make provision for food and sustenance when we go for retreats, conventions, or even church.
You will notice here that I have spoken of two things:
1. The Principle of tithing
2. The Practice of tithing
The practice of tithing cannot be carried out today as it was under the law. That’s why it is wrong to run with something just because it is in the bible. However, the principle of tithing still exists. The principle of tithing is not about tithing as a practice but rather:
1. Acknowledging God as the source of everything we have.
2. Giving to the need of pastors and church workers.
3. Giving to the needs of the poor and needy.
4. Giving to your own needs in order to serve the Lord without being ‘foolish’ by not making provision for yourself in the name of serving God.
Click link to read my full take on tithing:
http://abeikuokaiministry.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-take-on-tithing-debate.html
Abeiku Okai
Anathallo Chapel Int.
(+233) 0249287855