The Tithe of Malachi 3:8-15

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1 1 The Tithe of Malachi 3:8-15 An Expose' on The Relevancy of Tithing in the Modern Christian Church Author George A. Gates Jr. Introduction This article is the first of a series of articles about tithing. Other in-depth tithing articles include The Tithe of Abraham, The Tithe of Jacob, and Deception in the Church... Tithing and Beyond. Tithing and Beyond contains all three articles in one larger book. Therefore, this article on Malachi 3 does not include an in-depth analysis of Abraham's or Jacob's tithe. However, with this entire issue of tithing, based on any passage of scripture, the question is, does God require tithing of His people? The answer is "No." One very simple way to solve this entire tithing issue is just to ask God if tithing is something the Christian must do. He will always say "No," however, how He answers could be in several ways. One way is by reading articles like this or other authors God has equipped to study the tithing issue. In my case, I was not even seeking God about the tithing. God approached me about the truth about tithing. Over ten years ago spoke God these exact words to me, "Tell my people they do not have to tithe." There are numerous ministers, seminaries, and other people who do not believe in the tithing issue. However, if you read and you are surprised of what I am writing, or do not believe in what the Lord told me, then I pray according to Philippians 3:15, " Let us therefore, as many as would be mature, be thus minded; and if in anything you be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you."

2 2 Let He who is among us in the Church, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit confirm what I am writing by having an ear to hear and an eye to see. My study involves examining the passages that support the non-tithing belief. Even with my God-given, non-tithing belief, I began a long search to determine during the time of Malachi, what was the meaning of the Malachi passage using exegesis and hermeneutical processes. The distinction between exegesis and hermeneutics is a thin line. While exegesis is the act of drawing the meaning out of a Biblical text, hermeneutics studies the locus of meaning and principles of biblical interpretation. Hermeneutics is, therefore, the field of study which is concerned with how we interpret the Bible, whereas exegesis is the actual interpretation of the Bible by drawing the meaning out of the original Biblical text. One field of study is examining who the audience was in Malachi. I will also write about how other passages of scripture support the non-tithing issue such as who the audience of the book is, other sins the priests were guilty of, and how the windows of Heaven are already open for the Christian. I will also elaborate on that there was more than one tithe, what the tithes were, and that tithing was abolished in the New Testament. I will also touch base on the basics of Abraham's tithe, alluding to the fact that we can't use Abraham's tithing as a justification for tithing either. Also, I will discuss that churches and ministries need financial support. However, tithing is not the way God wants to financially support ministries. I will also discuss how that the Tabernacle of Moses and Temple of Solomon represent the church. Hence, the storehouse is not the true representation of the Church. Last, I will write about how tithing was for mainland Israel only as in the case of Malachi. The Jews considered a tithe outside of the land area of Israel as unholy, so if you are tithing your money you might want to consider your tithe as an unholy offering. Writing Approach of this Article The audience of this article is a mixed company of people from various educational backgrounds, different cultures, languages, and in countries outside the United States. Therefore, I endeavor to try to have a writing approach for those who very knowledgeable of the scriptures, for those much younger Christians who are new to the tithing debate, and for those who do not know about tithing at all. For example, one person in my audience has no idea that the Bible was written in other languages besides English. Therefore, when I explain a difficult passage of scripture that I have to quote either Hebrew or Greek, it can be difficult to explain to every person certain verb tenses or meaning of words in simple terms. If I leave out certain details many readers of this article could say I left out, please keep in mind I am trying to make an already complex issue into a simpler issue to understand without leaving out the most important aspects of tithing.

3 3 Furthermore, this article is between being ultra-theological and over-simplified, but covering enough material to substantiate the belief that Christians are not under any kind of tithing obligation. This does not mean that I do not believe in giving money to ministry organizations. Churches or those in five-fold ministry should be able to make a living from preaching the Gospel for as it is written in 1 Timothy 5:17-18 " 17 Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. 18 For the scripture says, You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain, and, The laborer is worthy of his wages. As with Moses in Exodus 35:20-29, Exodus 36:5, I would like to see so much provision provided for the churches that the leadership would have to tell the people to stop bringing in provisions because there is too much. However, those offerings for the building of the Tabernacle of Moses and the Temple of Solomon were free-will offerings that were freely given. The issue of free-will offerings is covered in this article. Malachi 3:8-15 The primary A scripture that proponents use to enforce tithing is in Malachi 3:8-15. However, the main focus is usually on verses 8-11 about blessing and cursing regarding the tithe. This passage in Malachi has been used by some people to determine that Christians must tithe or they could be cursed by God. A significant portion of the time other verses in the book of Malachi is ignored that weigh in on the correct interpretation of this passage. These ignored passages bring greater revelation to what this passage means back then when the passage was written, but also how it applies to us today. Another issue to keep in mind is that the situation of robbing God was solved as recorded in Nehemiah 13:4-13, (12), when Nehemiah brought back the tithing goods that had been stolen from the storehouse. In this regard, the tithing problem is solved. This passage deals with a group of people about tithing and other issues they were guilty of around the years of 43 to 425 B.C. Some people bring this passage over to the age we live in today, believing and stating that if the Christian does not tithe, then they are sinning by robbing God. Because of the nature of the controversy of tithing or not for the Christian, we have at least two questions to answer, 1) Who was robbing God? and 2) if, how, and where the tithing problem was solved since this passage was written over 2,000 years ago. We will now examine the three Old Testament books that deal with the issues around the tithing system during that era, Malachi, Nehemiah, and Ezra.

4 4 Basic History of Malachi, Nehemiah and Ezra Malachi wrote his prophetic book in approximately 433 to 425 B.C. at the time that the Jews were returning from exile in Babylon. The books of Nehemiah and Ezra were written very close to the same time that Malachi wrote his work. The book of Nehemiah gives a detailed account of a description of the Temple of Solomon recently rebuilt after the return from Babylon. Nehemiah was written prior to Malachi in approximately 445 B.C. Nehemiah and the book of Ezra used to be one book but the books were eventually separated. Nehemiah personally oversaw many of the restoration issues at Jerusalem including the Temple of Solomon where the storehouse is located. To better understand the tithing in Malachi, it is necessary to read all three books. After 70 years in exile, the Jews had returned home and rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem. They were able to worship God in their own land, but the city still lay in ruins. The oncegreat capital of the promised land was a depressing rubble heap exposed to her enemies. When Nehemiah hears this, he sets out to restore the city walls. The book of Nehemiah is his story in his own words. God uses Nehemiah to reestablish Israel both physically and spiritually. In the first part of the book, Nehemiah 1:3, Nehemiah restores Jerusalem in a physical sense. When Nehemiah hears that the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates burn with fire, he gets permission from Persian King Artaxerxes to rebuild the city. The governors of surrounding territories viciously oppose Nehemiah s efforts. In Nehemiah 7:15 it is recorded the wall is finished in just 52 days. In the second section of the book of Nehemiah chapter 13, Nehemiah and Ezra bring spiritual revival to Jerusalem. Ezra reads the law of Moses aloud to the people, and the nation rededicated to obeying God. Later on, Nehemiah works diligently to point people back to the law of Moses. It is in chapter 13 that Nehemiah deals with the thievery in the Temple. The issues of whether Christians should tithe or not is in Malachi 3:8-15. However, to obtain the full truth about tithing in relation to this passage, we must study many other scripture passages in Malachi in addition to the passages in Nehemiah. The first place we will begin is with who was the audience of Malachi. Also, to obtain a deeper understanding I would suggest reading Ezra and Nehemiah to obtain a fuller understanding of what was occurring during the days of Malachi, Ezra and Nehemiah.

5 5 The Audience of Malachi Who was the audience in Malachi? Understanding who the audience is critical to understanding this passage. The Levitical priests, not the general population was the audience of Malachi. We can read examples below as to who Malachi was speaking to. Malachi 1:6 states, "To you priests who despise My name." Keep in mind that these priests were guilty of issues such as despising God's name in addition to robbing the tithe. Through the rest of chapter one, God is dealing with them about polluted sacrifices. Offering animal sacrifices is something only priests did. Malachi 2:1, "And now, O priests, this commandment is for you." Verses 2-6 God still deals with priests. In 2:7 he speaks to them directly again, " For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge." God speaks on about how the priests in 2:8 "departed from the way; you have caused many to stumble at the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi." Then God speaks on and says they did their sinning before the people, 2:9. God speaks again through the rest of this chapter to the priests about many issues including marital infidelity they were guilty of. Some pro-tithers have stated the words whole nation to imply those robbing God was also the people. However, upon closer examination of the Hebrew text the passage should read, whole nation OF YOU (the priests). The NIV, the NAS, and RSV all render the whole nation of you. Also, tithing in this passage did not allude to a universal audience. For example, if tithing was a universal principle then why didn't Joseph tithe or any other Jewish person mentioned in the book of Genesis? However, there is historic proof in antiquities writing that tithing was a common practice in many places. I will write about this issue in my article about Abraham's tithe. Starting with Malachi 3:1 we read where the messenger will come and purify the sons of Levi. In Malachi 3:8 we read the beginning of the tithing passage.." 8 Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, In what way have we robbed You? In tithes (plural) B and offerings. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring all the tithes, (plural) into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field, says the Lord of hosts.

6 6 12 And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land, says the Lord of hosts. Your words have been harsh against Me, says the Lord, Yet you say, What have we spoken against You? 14 You have said, It is useless to serve God; what profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, And that we have walked as mourners before the Lord of hosts? 15 So now we call the proud blessed, for those who do wickedness are raised up; they even tempt God and go free. So Who Was Robbing God? Nehemiah 13:4-13 The passage in Malachi 3:8, God already states, "you have robbed me." So who was robbing God? Nehemiah 13:4-13 says that Eliashib who was in unity with Tobiah, robbed the storehouse, put Tobias's stuff in the storehouse and who knows what he did with all the tithing product that was in the room. The tithing products were restored though, verse 9. Nehemiah 13:4-13 solves the Malachi 3 tithing problem. In this chapter Nehemiah confronts the rulers of Israel, and the people of Judah, and sets everything in order. Problem solved. No tithing for Christians. The rulers of the time also bore responsibility for what was going on. This passage in Nehemiah 13:4-13 states, " 4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, having authority over the storerooms of the house of our God, was allied with Tobiah. 5 And he had prepared for him a large room, where previously they had stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the articles, the tithes of grain, the new wine and oil, which were commanded to be given to the Levites and singers and gatekeepers, and the offerings for the priests. 6 But during all this I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Then after certain days I obtained leave from the king, 7 and I came to Jerusalem and discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, in preparing a room for him in the courts of the house of God. 8 And it grieved me bitterly; therefore I threw all the household goods of Tobiah out of the room. 9 Then I commanded them to cleanse the rooms; and I brought back into them the articles of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense. 10 I also realized that the portions for the Levites had not been given them; for each of the Levites and the singers (and musicians were of the Tribe of Levi, therefore singers and musicians received tithes) C who did the work had gone back to his field. 11 So I contended with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together and set them in their place. 12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil to the storehouse. 13 And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouse Shelemiah the priest and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah; and next to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were considered faithful, and their task was to distribute to their brethren." When considering who received the tithe we must keep in mind that since the musicians and singers received tithes, should we not give the musicians and singers in our modern churches portions of the tithes?

7 7 Again, the tithing problem was solved as stated in 13:9, "I (Nehemiah) brought back the articles of God, with the grain offering and frankincense," and 13:12, "Judah brought back the tithe, the grain, the new wine and oil." The tithes and offerings robbed from Malachi 3:8 were brought back to the storehouse. Even if we did not have this passage in Nehemiah 13, this passage in Malachi 3 is simply not a fit for Christians. There are a host of other issues of guilt and sin that should also be considered from Malachi 3 beside the sin of robbing the tithe. We read a good recollection of the articles that were stolen and brought back into the storehouse. Some of the articles returned were things like the grain offering and frankincense. However, when Malachi states, "bring the tithes, (plural) to the storehouse," exactly which tithes was he referring to? We do not have a 100% perfect answer. The tithes could have been all three tithes. If tithing proponents insist on this passage for justification of tithing then the New Testament tither needs to be ready to give A LOT of money. We have to also keep in mind that the widows, the poor, the alien and stranger were exempt from tithing. As far as the poor the landowners were supposed to leave a corner of their field for the poor. D Guilty of Other Sins The priests were guilty of far more than just sinning about the tithe. In Malachi, he gives the priests many stinging rebukes about how they were going about being priests. I will list these below. However, if we are still going to state that Christians are robbing God by not tithing, according to this book that is, then we must examine and see some of what else they were guilty of doing so we can apply those rules to Christians besides tithing. 1. You have despised my name, 1:6 2. Defiled sacrifices, 1:7 3. Offered blind sacrifices, 1:8 4. Profaned the Lord's table, 1:12 5. Offered stolen sacrifices, 1:13 6. Dishonored what the Lord says, 2:2 7. Corrupted the covenant of Levi, 2:7 8. Caused many to stumble, 2:8 9. Shown partiality in the Law, 2:9

8 8 10. Dealt treacherously with you wife, 2: Falsely accused God, 2: Gone away from God's ordinances, 3:7 13. Robbed God, 3:8 14. Called the proud blessed, 3:15 If tithing is going to be singled out in this passage as something Christians should be doing, then we should either not be doing the same sins pointed out about the priests and start doing the opposite. The opposite would be we need to stop offering burnt offering bulls that are blind or stolen and offer bulls on the altar of sacrifice that has perfect vision. Then we must also consider corrupting the covenant. Then we also need to ask ourselves if we are despising the Lord's name or not. What if you are single? Can you be guilty of dealing treacherously with your wife? Then we need to consider ordinances mentioned in 3:7. There is no way that I would ever state that the proud are blessed, nor do I think most Christians would ever make such a statement. Have I or other Christians gone away from God's ordinances? All Christians are exempt from keeping any and all ordinances. E In 3:7 notice ordinances is plural which should cause me to look at my life and number the ordinances I have forsaken. But let's look closer at verses 13-15, "Your words have been harsh against Me, Says the Lord, Yet you say, What have we spoken against You? 14 You have said, It is useless to serve God; what profit is it that we have kept His ordinance, and that we have walked as mourners before the Lord of hosts? 15 So now we call the proud blessed, For those who do wickedness are raised up; they even tempt God and go free. There are numerous Christians including myself who have never uttered a word against God questioning "what profit is it that we serve God?" The same people who say we are guilty of not tithing have to consider these other passages of sin we could be guilty of. Once you look at this passage under a microscope, then you can see how far off it is to require Christians to tithe.

9 9 15. The Nations Will Call You Blessed? When I tithed, I never noticed a change at all when I started tithing. I tithed by faith (so I thought, I presumed I was supposed to tithe) because I thought I was obeying God. When I stopped tithing a few years later, I got a promotion on the job and a raise and the promotions and raises kept coming. Twice I got consulting jobs making $200 an hour, all while I was not tithing. I made over $35,000 in just over a two-month period... while not tithing. I have a section in my larger book on tithing testimonies or the lack of tithing testimonies. Israel was promised that if they tithed, then the nations would call them blessed. When I tithed not one time did a ruler or rulers from nations from other countries ever call me on the phone or send me mail about how blessed I was by tithing. An internationally known pastor once stated that the way to physical healing begins with tithing. That statement is about as false as a person can get, yet people still follow this man. I hear many testimonies of God blessing people for tithing. If you know 100% sure that God has blessed you it is because you seek first the Kingdom of God, and not because of tithing. God might have also blessed you simply because you have given freely at a time in your life. A problem with quoting the Malachi passage is why do proponents of tithing quote this passage and not quote other Old Testament passages and expect people to follow. For example, why aren't we taught to offer animal sacrifices, be circumcised, or eating a scroll similar to what God commanded Ezekiel to do in Ezekiel 3:3. Perhaps males in this age should consider in Deuteronomy 25:5 that if a man's brother dies, then the other brother must go and impregnate his brother's wife or any of the other 612 F commandments mentioned in the Old Testament. Open Windows of Heaven God said He would open the heavens; e.g. whether systems to water the fields, for them and receive the promised blessing from tithing. While that was true for them then, for us as Christians the heavens are already open. The veil of the temple was torn in two giving me full access to the throne of God, (Matthew 27:52, Hebrews 3:14,) and the scripture also says my real citizenship is in Heaven, e.g., the Heavens are open for me because I am seated there with Christ, (Philippians 3:20.) That does not mean a Christian can't sin and hinder the work of God in a believers life, but the Heaven's are still open for the Christian. Two, God would rebuke the devourer. The devourer was a creature such as a locust or any other creature that can eat plants. Proponents of tithing claim the devourer is satan and demons overcoming the non-tither because they do not tithe. Three, most Christians do not have a field for the devourer to destroy nor do we have oxen, bulls and other animals to send to the priests to place in the storehouse.

10 10 Tithes? More than One? Tithing could mean up to 30% of the produce of the land or animal sacrifices according to the Old Testament. Another study reveals because the third tithe was to be kept at home, which I agree and others agree with. (Where in the Bible Were Tithes Abolished?, 2018, Russell Kelly,) "The Levitical tithe was paid yearly in the Levitical cities. The second festival tithe, also a yearly tithe, was eaten at the three festivals. The third poor tithe was kept in the home every third year. Tithes totaled 23 1/3%." Since there were three tithes which tithe was the tithe here in Malachi? The first mention G God commands the tithes is in Leviticus 27:30. In Numbers 18:19-32 God adds a lot more to the tithe. In Deuteronomy 12:6 tithing is mentioned again, and in Deuteronomy 14:22-27 we read the second tithe, and Deuteronomy 14:28-29 we read the third tithe. Most theologians including myself layout the tithes as is below. 1. The Levitical Tithe was the first tithe. However, as we have read this tithe was not the initial tithe commanded by God. This Levitical tithe provided food for the Levites and the priests, since they received no inheritance of land in Israel (Numbers 18:21). 2. The Festival Tithe was the second tithe. This tithe provided food for festivals in Israel and was eaten/drank by the tithers and their family (Deuteronomy 14:22-27). 3. The Poor Tithe was the third tithe. This tithe of the third year was stored in the nearest town and used as a food pantry for poor people in the local area (Deuteronomy 14:28-29). All of these tithes had variations. For example, the tithe in Deuteronomy 14:22-27 the if the tithe was too far to carry it could be redeemed for money, wine, other strong drink... and do not forget the Levite but eat it where the Lord chooses; e.g. not necessarily Jerusalem at the Temple Storehouse. H In Leviticus 27:32, the animal tithe was not the first animal, but the was the tenth animal under the rod. You will not hear tithing proponents say it is O.K. to hang on to your monetary tithe and eat it based on the Festival tithe. Since the Festival tithe is eaten, keep in mind that only land-owners of produce or cattle tithed. Tradesmen such as carpenters, pottery makers, miners of the gold and silver did not tithe. Israel had an army, yet we do not see where soldiers tithed any of their spoils of war. The tithe also was handled differently in the promised land then it was in the Wilderness. There were 48 Levitical cities that the tithes were distributed to in the Promised land of Israel. These three tithes were carried out over a 7-year cycle, with a break from tithing during the 7th year because it was a Sabbath year of rest. No one was allowed to work the soil by sowing and reaping during Sabbath years, and thus, no one was supposed to tithe during Sabbath years. Sabbath years gave the soil in Israel a time to rest and replenish nutrients (Leviticus 25:3-7).

11 11 How much do all these tithes add up to over a three-year period? It depends on how it was calculated. If the festival and poor tithes were based on what remained after paying the Levitical and festival tithes, then for the first and second year every Israelite would pay 19% in tithes, and for the third year, they would pay 27.1%, for an average of 21.7% per year. If the festival and poor tithes were based on one s gross increase, then for the first and second year every Israelite would pay 20% in tithes, and for the third year, they would pay 30%, for an average of 23.3% per year. When I discussed the tithing issue with a Jewish Rabbi in my hometown, he stated this 30% is accurate depending on if you subtracted the amount of each tithe from the larger sum and base 10% on what is left over from the first and second tithe. The details of Abraham's tithe is a separate study. However, I have inserted a few important sentences about Abraham's tithe. This tithe had several factors that can't be used today as a requirement for Christians to tithe 10% of their income as part of the Melchizedek requirement. If we are going to follow the rule of Abraham's tithe, then let's conform to all the attributes of this tithe. I will write in the tithe about Abraham that he was following local pagan tithing customs. Abraham's Tithe The details about Abraham's tithe is a separate study. However, I have inserted a few important sentences about Abraham's tithe. This tithe has several factors that can't be used today as a requirement for Christians to tithe 10% of their income and as part of the Melchizedek requirement. If we are going to follow the rule of Abraham's tithe, then let's conform to all the attributes of this tithe. I will write in the tithe about Abraham that he was following local pagan tithing customs. 1. This tithe was the spoils of war only, and not his personal assets such as his blessing in Genesis 13:2. Abraham had already been blessed by God in riches of silver and gold before he tithed; e.g., Genesis 13:2, "Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold." 2. The other 90% of the tithe went back to the King of Sodom. If the Christian uses this passage to require tithing, then his or her other 90% needs to go somewhere else besides them self. Technically, we do not have kings in this country, so in this case, the believer would need to find a politician or leader on the same level as a king. 3. Tithing was a pagan custom during that period. God never told Abraham at all to tithe as a commandment. Though Abraham obeyed God's commandments in Genesis 26:1-5 we do not see anywhere at all where God commanded Abraham to tithe ever.

12 12 Since some proponents of tithing by Abraham's example, we must remember that Abraham did not follow the spoils of war ordinance commanded by God in Numbers 31: I will write about this in more detail in my article, The Tithe of Abraham, but without quoting the entire passage, the spoils were divided into to two equal parts. Then the equation to split up the two equal parts has a result of 1/500th of 1/2, 1/1000th;.1% to the priests. This amount is not even close to Abraham's pagan tithe. Therefore, under the Law of Moses, the spoil was only 1% to the Levites, (Numbers 31:27,28, ) and only one-tenth of one percent, (.1%) to the priests, (Numbers 31:29,30). We can also read in the case of King David in 1 Samuel 30:1-25 we can read about how that David split evenly the spoils of war from a battle that he and his troops had won. Pro-tithing arguments. One tithing proponent made the following statement, "Many argue Abraham and Jacob were simply following the customs of the surrounding nations. But Scripture points in a different direction." This statement is not true. For one, this proponent did not have any research data to back up his opinion. And two, in my subsequent article entitled Abraham's Tithe I will point out ample evidence that tithing was a pagan practice of those surrounding geographic areas near where Abraham lived. In Genesis 26:5 God says, Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. Abraham obeyed God as far as what God told him to do. If we are going to say that Abraham "obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws," you could say that statement makes it seem like Abraham was a sinlessly perfect person. Romans 3:23, states, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Tithing as an Ordinance, Abolished in the New Testament Tithing is an ordinance given by God himself under the Law of Moses, not under any auspices of Abraham or Jacob. Whereas we can read the full account of this issue of a tithing ordinance and other related issues in Numbers 18:19-32, " 19 All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to the Lord, I have given to you and your sons and daughters with you as an ordinance forever; it is a covenant of salt forever before the Lord with you and your descendants with you. 20 Then the Lord said to Aaron; You shall have no inheritance in their land, nor shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel. 21 Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting. 22 Hereafter the children of Israel shall not come near the tabernacle of meeting, lest they bear sin and die.

13 13 23 But the Levites shall perform the work of the tabernacle of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity; it shall be a statute forever, throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 24 For the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer up as a heave offering to the Lord, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I have said to them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 25 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 26 Speak thus to the Levites, and say to them; When you take from the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them as your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave offering of it to the LORD, a tenth of the tithe. 27 And your heave offering shall be reckoned to you as though it were the grain of the threshing floor and as the fullness of the winepress. 28 Thus you shall also offer a heave offering to the Lord from all your tithes which you receive from the children of Israel, and you shall give the Lord's heave offering from it to Aaron the priest. 29 Of all your gifts you shall offer up every heave offering due to the LORD, from all the best of them, the consecrated part of them. 30 Therefore you shall say to them: When you have lifted up the best of it, then the rest shall be accounted to the Levites as the produce of the threshing floor and as the produce of the winepress. 31 You may eat it in any place, you and your households, for it is your reward for your work in the tabernacle of meeting. 32 And you shall bear no sin because of it, when you have lifted up the best of it. But you shall not profane the holy gifts of the children of Israel, lest you die. " Tithing was instituted by God himself in these passages of Leviticus and Numbers, but God removed the ordinance of the tithe along with other ordinances such as animal sacrifices and 612 other ordinances in the New Testament, whereas the Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 2:14, "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross." And in Ephesians 2:15 we read, " Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; to make in himself of two one new man, so making peace." Once Jesus fulfilled the Law, Jesus then by his life, and death on the cross abolished the requirements of the Law, (Romans 10:4). I In the early church there is never a requirement or credible records of tithing as Douglas Weaver shares. J In part one of this series Churches and Ministries Need Financial Support Churches and ministries need money to be successful. It takes money to preach the gospel and those who minister God's word should be able to making a living from ministering the gospel. In 1 Corinthians 9:14 we read, "Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel." In 1 Timothy 5:17-18 we read a passage very similar, " Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.

14 14 18 For the Scripture says, You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain, and, The laborer is worthy of his wages." And in Galatians 6:6 we read, "Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches." However, the ultimate source of financial blessing comes from God. When I was a missionary in Costa Rica more than once or twice God supernaturally met my financial needs when he gave me financial blessings I did not even expect or ask for. As ministers of God's word we have to be in God's timing, his place, walking in his ways, keeping our heart and soul clean to experience the fullness of his blessings. Therefore, "seek you first the Kingdom of Heaven and all these things will be added to you," (Matthew 6:33). Before I left for Costa Rica I had less than $200 in the bank. I had two different people give me $ a piece before I left, stating, "God told us to give you this." I did not ask this money nor was I tithing, and I was going to church sparsely. In a study by James Beumler of Vanderbilt University, his extensive research K reveals that tithing was first introduced in the United States in Church Supplied by Freewill Offerings The Tabernacle of Moses was built with freewill offerings, Exodus 35:21, 29. As it was being built the supplies were so great that a command had to go out to stop the building supplies from coming in because there was too much of it, Exodus 36:1-6. Then in the Temple of Solomon, which is an extension with much more revelation of the same teaching, we can read that in 1 Chronicles 28:21 we had willing craftsman. The Temple of Solomon Represents the Church The storehouse as taught in Malachi 3 is not a representation of the Church. The storehouse was only a very small part of the Temple of Solomon. The description of the storehouse is given in Nehemiah 10:38 as is written there were several rooms in the storehouse, "And the priest, the descendant of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive tithes; and the Levites shall bring up a tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the rooms of the storehouse." Therefore, we can take note that the storehouse only received 1/10 of the tithe. L The other 90% went to the priests. A church could hardly be provided for with only 10% of a tithe if we go by all the tithing rules.

15 15 According to Nehemiah 13:4-5 there was more than one room whereas offerings were stored, " 4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, having authority over the storerooms of the house of our God, allied with Tobiah. 5 And he had prepared for him a large room, where previously they had stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the articles, the tithes of grain, the new wine and oil, which were commanded to give to the Levites and singers and gatekeepers, and the offerings for the priests." According to 1 Kings 6:6 there were three chambers that had offerings and the like stored in them. The sizes were 7.5, 9, and 10.5 feet wide. In verse 10 we read that all these chambers were 7.5 ft. high, or five cubits. A cubit is approximately 18 inches. We read that only one room, the largest 10.5 X 7.5 feet, was used to store all the offerings that included the tithe. If a person takes into consideration that for this one room or even the three rooms to store all tithes of the land, including animals is impossible. In a subsequent study I will teach how that the storehouse in the Temple of Solomon acted as a distribution location to serve out the tithe to different locations across Israel. When the Tabernacle of Moses, the Tabernacle of David, and the Temple of Solomon were built, all three tabernacles were a shadow and type of the Church. The Tabernacle of Moses was the first example of a large example of the Church, Christ himself, and the individual believer. Progressive revelation was added to each Tabernacle as a type of the Church. the Church/Temple was built with free-will offerings. In Acts 7:38 we read, " 38 This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness M with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles to give to us." The Temple sets of Moses, David and Solomon represent the Church. I read of a testimony once of a pastor who never once preached tithing in his church during his over ten years of pastoring. However, his churches freewill offerings were four-times the national average on giving. The Apostle Paul in the book of Galatians when he writes that if a person tries to keep one point of the Law then this person is obligated to attempt to obey ALL of the Law in which there are 613 laws. The storehouse was the grainery or treasury where the tithed produce of the land was stored along with other items. If the proponents of tithing from Malachi 3:8 say Christians have to tithe or be cursed then why don't they also claim all other passages in Malachi? For example in Malachi 2:3 we read, Behold, I will rebuke your descendants and spread refuse on your faces, the refuse of your solemn feasts; and one will take you away with it." This was because in chapter one verses seven through eight the priests were, " 7 You offer defiled food on my altar, but say, In what way have we defiled You? By saying, The table of the Lord is contemptible. 8 And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably? Says the Lord of hosts."

16 16 First of all I do not know of any Christians who are literally offering animal sacrificial offerings; however, I do not know of any Christians that have had literal refuse thrown on their faces by God for not offering a blind sacrifice. If we claim tithing or the lack of it then we need to claim refuse from our feasts to be thrown on our faces? Forever is not Forever Another issue I will teach on is the subject of the word forever, and its true meaning for what the Bible intends that forever is and how we define forever as English speakers is different. For example let's study Exodus 21:6. In this passage in particular we can read that forever can't mean for eternity as meaning for ever and ever because sooner or later the servant described in the passage will die. In the entire and context of the passage in verses 1-6, the passage speaks of a Hebrew servant that is hired by someone. We read in verses 1-6, Now these are the judgments which you shall set before them: 2 If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing. 3 If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. 4 If his master has given him a wife, and she has borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master s, and he shall go out by himself. 5 But if the servant plainly says, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free, 6 then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever." One of the issues to deal with here is what does the word forever" mean. The Hebrew word for "forever" is olam, and olam appears 393 times in the Old Testament. According to Gesenius Hebrew-Chaldee of the Old Testament, forever" does not always mean eternally with no end in sight. As Gesenius explains the forever, "Refers to future time and is always defined from the nature of the thing itself" (P.612). In the passage in Exodus 21:6 to serve him forever as we might think that in the English language is impossible since sooner or later the servant and master will die. So in this case it is the duration of the things; e.g. the master and slave until death. However, in the case of God himself, God is forever and eternal because of his nature. We read a similar case in Psalms 78:69 that "The Earth has been established forever, however; we know from scriptures that the day is coming whereas God will create a new heaven and a new earth. So the Earth will last according to the nature of time until God creates a new Earth.

17 17 The Tithe Was For Israel Only Notice a major point about this tithing instruction. It said, "All the tithe of the land... is the Lord s." This Hebrew word rendered "land" is aretz. At times the word can mean the earth (Genesis 1:1). At other times it is used about a specific land or country (Exodus 3:8, 17). Many times the term, as used in Leviticus 27:30, refers specifically to the land of Israel in Palestine. See Leviticus 19:23; 20:2; 25:10, 18; 26:32, and so forth. As the Gentile nations were not given tithing laws and Levites were not instructed to go to the Gentiles and take a tithe from them, the term "the land" in Leviticus 27:30 really refers to the land of Israel. George Foot Moore, in his work on Judaism (one of the recognized authorities on Jewish religion in the time of Christ) had the following to say about the law of the tithe in Leviticus 27: "All of these applied in the letter of the law only to the land of Israel, however, at any time its boundaries might be defined" (Judaism in the First Centuries of the Christian Era, Jan. 1930, vol. II, p.71). Professor Moore went on to point out that the land of Babylon was finally accepted as part of the land of Israel a "tithable" land because so many Jews were resident in the area. Egypt was finally accepted as a tithable land. In the earlier time of Joseph, however, Egypt did not pay tithe as shown by the one-fifth produce which was paid to Pharaoh and the four-fifths that went to the people. The lands east of Jordan came to be acknowledged as tithable include Ammon, Moab, and Syria at least the parts of those lands that David conquered and where many Jews came to live. Other Gentile lands, on the other hand, such as Asia Minor, Greece or Italy were not allowed as lands which could produce tithe. The produce of those lands was considered as being impure and not holy enough to support the Levitical priesthood in its function at the holy Temple. As Edersheim records, "even the very dust of heathen lands was reckoned as defiled," (Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, 1953, vol. I, p.9). This is why tithe was not acceptable from them. At any rate, the strict reading of the later interpreted to include those areas east and north of Palestine and Egypt where the populations law demanded that the tithe come only from the land of Israel which was were predominantly Jewish. All other areas were proscribed. This fact about tithing may be surprising to many Christians, but this is a fact that is revealed in the Law of God. Many preachers and evangelists know these facts, but they fail to tell the laity about them simply because they believe the people would not fund their churches if they were privy to these facts. One pastor I know of has had his so-called Christian friends abandon and call him names I will not write. But it is time for all people to know the truth of the biblical revelation. To be guided strictly by the statements of biblical law, it would be improper to pay tithe on products from the United States, Britain, or other Gentile lands. The Jewish rabbi who I know of personally said the same thing during my interview with him about the tithe outside the land of Israel.

18 18 And this does not end the story. There is yet another surprise that most Christians fail to understand. In fact, the Temple in Jerusalem did not get the bulk of its contributions for operation from the tithe that the Israelites gave on their farm produce and herds. There was another law that Moses enacted that provided huge quantities of money to Temple operations when the people were faithful in carrying out the Law of the Old Covenant. Moses also legislated that the Temple itself was to be (in a primary sense) funded from the giving of a half-shekel by every male in Israel, (Exodus 30:11 16). This half-shekel was to be given each year, and it was to be sent to the Temple treasury no matter where Israelites lived in the world. Let us notice this matter of funding the Temple as it must have existed in the time of Christ when Herod s Temple was in full operation. In an article by Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef, he did a study on the value of the half-shekel, "In another essential step forward towards practically bringing the Third Temple, the Chief Sephardi Rabbi of Israel has set the current value of the Biblical half -shekel every Jewish male was required to give to the Temple. This mitzvah (Torah commandment), performed in a merely symbolic manner for 2,000 years, is making a rapid comeback in many ways. Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef issued a letter on Wednesday in response to inquiries from the public as to what sum to give to charity as a gesture symbolizing the Biblical commandment. In the days of the Temple, every male in Israel was obligated to donate a half-shekel of silver at the beginning of the month of Ada, which began on Wednesday. Based on the present market value of silver, Rabbi Yosef set the value of the Biblical half-shekel at 23 NIS, or $6.23." ( The Temple was responsible for bringing into Jerusalem huge quantities of monies and other contributions from Jews and even Gentiles from around the Roman and Parthian worlds. Note the words of Titus the Roman general (and later emperor) in a speech to the Jews just before the fall of Jerusalem. He called attention to the riches of the Jews at the time and how the Romans had helped them to secure those riches. Also, it must be noted that the proponents of tithing 10% of a person's gross or net income should remember or study that there was more than one tithe that exceeded the 10% that people say Christians must tithe from Malachi 3:10. The Hebrew word here for tithe is in the plural. Most of us including myself were simply taught tithing when they became a Christian and never questioned the validity of tithing. Most of the proponents of tithing will quote various passages but the main passage they quote is Malachi 3:8-12, yet they fail to study the rest of Malachi or who Malachi is addressing and other issues in the book.

19 19 Many proponents of tithing also fail to do comprehensive research on the tithing subject. One of the biggest problems with the tithing issue is converting the original tithe, which was never monetary, into that Christians have to tithe or give 10% (gross) of their paycheck. I read a statement once that kind of goes like this. "Tithing is like opening someone else's bill that came in the mail over 2000 years ago. You open it up even though the mail and bill is addressed to someone else So you end up paying the money owed by this other person." The Tither Could Be Headed for a Curse Paul states in Galatians 3:10, " 10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them." Galatians 5:3-6 also speaks to us and says, " 1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing, 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised, that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For us through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love." Tithing was part of the Law. The opposite of what tithing proponents say can happen with Christians; e.g., becoming estranged from Christ, and under the curse, if they continue to tithe. If you tithe, just like with circumcision then you are indebted to keep all the Law. When, how, and to what degree this estrangement from Christ, and under the curse could occur is between this person and the Lord. If the Christian continues to tithe then Galatians 5:3-6 still stands. I do not think most Christians who tithe are basing their salvation by following the Law. However, this one area of tithing can still trip us up, for in Galatians 3:9 we can read, "a little leaven, leavens the entire loaf." So there can be a grave danger for those who continue to tithe. Many Christians are not hearing the Lord in regards to the tithe. However, one of the purposes of the five-fold ministry, which I am a part of, is to prevent the saints from being "tossed to and fro from every wind of doctrine, (Ephesians 4:11). God has commanded me to encourage God's people with the following message, "Tell my people they do not have to tithe.". When God revealed to me that tithing was not a requirement, what the Lord showed me was a black man with a large wooden yoke around his neck. The black man was not of the black race. He was black because he was in darkness by teaching that Christians must tithe.