"The Tithe existed before the law of Moses."

The claim; "The Tithe existed before the law of Moses."

>>> Tithing did, yes, pagan tithing (i.e, not tithing as established by God), worship existed before the law, but not all worship was established by God. We have NO proof that God established the tithing Abraham was involved in, and we have NO proof that God instructed Abraham to tithe. Abraham's tithe was used by God later in Hebrews chapter 7, but scripture records NO command from God to Abraham to tithe.

God's Definition of Tithing (the ONLY one that counts)...

When discussing tithing with many people, one of the problems I often run into is the problem of the defining of tithing anyway someone decides to. As an example; many Christians will call giving a regular offering at church of 10% of their paycheck "tithing," or sometimes any amount is called "tithing." I have found it helpful to insist that if a discussion of tithing is to take place, that a Biblically sound definition of tithing be adhered to. 

You often here in churches someone call for the "tithes and offerings" as if they are the same thing more or less, and that tithing is a given for New Testament Christians to pay. This also confuses people into thinking that their church is collecting a "Biblical tithe."

Often, someone will refer to Abram's tithing as an example of "Biblical tithing," when there is nothing in the Bible to substantiate any claim that Abram's tithing was some type of "standard" God has established for us today as Christians to follow.

As a side note (and as mentioned before); I find it interesting, perhaps even suspicious, that tithing teachers claim that we should tithe BECAUSE Abraham tithed, BUT NOT AS Abraham tithed.

In His word, God makes it very clear as to what He calls TITHING. In any debate with a tithing teacher or tither, I now insist that God's definition, solidly based on Scripture, be the basis for the definition that will be used. Otherwise, discussions and debates about tithing are chaotic and usually unfruitful, not to mention, frustrating.

Without a clear biblical definition of tithing, the tithing teacher can and will often seek to define tithing in a manner that suits their argument for tithing. Their definitions are rarely, if ever, Biblical, and much of what God declares the tithe will be is all but ignored or twisted. Often the tithing teacher will claim that "your definition of tithing is legalistic" in an attempt to argue for some kind of "free will tithing;" the answer to that claim is YES, it is legalistic, because God's system of tithing was established, codified and defined IN THE LAW. being established in the Law by definition, makes it "legalistic."

Other writers of the Old and New Testament mentioned tithing (such as Nehemiah 10:37-38 and the Book of Malachi), but all of them refer in some manner to the Law as the standard of what tithing is and how tithing was to be administered.

Here is a Biblical definition of tithing based on clear scriptural reference...

1. The tithes were to be paid in the form of fruits, vegetables and clean live stock...

Lev. 27:30, 32 "And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’s. It is holy to the LORD.… And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passes under the rod, the tenth shall be holy to the LORD."

Deut. 14:22 "You shall truly tithe all the increase of your seed, that the field brings forth year by year."

2. Tithes were paid to Levites, the poor, widows, the needy and the stranger in the land. Deuteronomy 14:28-29.

3. The tithes must come from (grown/raised) the Promise land, no where else.

Lev. 27:30, 32 "And all the tithe of the *land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’s. It is holy to the LORD.… And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passes under the rod, the tenth shall be holy to the LORD."

*Note; the land being referred to was the Promise Land, not Brazil, Canada, Japan, Kenya, Egypt, North or South America, etc.

4. There is no Biblical basis for monetary tithing; if the tithe had to be, for purposes of transportation, temporarily converted to currency, it was to be converted back to fruits, vegetables and clean live stock, along with wine, strong drink, etc. before given to a Levite. Deuteronomy 14:22-27.

5. Total tithing was 23 1/3% (Two tithes paid yearly, one paid every third year), not 10%...

Deut. 26:12 "When you have made an end of tithing all the tithes of your increase [produce: RSV] the third year, which is the year of tithing, and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within your gates, and be filled."

6. The tither had to be a physical descendant of Jacob (not necessarily a descendant of Abraham such as Ishmael). Leviticus 27:34, Psalms 147:19-20, Malachi 1:1.

7. The tither had to have been given a portion of the Promise Land by God in order to tithe. Genesis 28:13-15.

8. The tither had to move into and be living on the Promise Land. Deuteronomy 6:1-3, 12:1 and 10-11.

9. The tither had to be a farmer raising crops or a rancher/herdsman raising clean livestock which comprised the Biblical tithe. No one else, not raising crops or livestock, had to tithe. Leviticus 27:30-33.

10. Part of the tithe was to be consumed by the tither...

"And you shall eat before the LORD your God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name, the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the first offspring of your herds and of your flocks, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always." - Deuteronomy 14:23

11. A tenth part of the crops grown or every tenth animal of the herd to pass under the rod is paid to a physical descendant of Levi. Numbers 18:24-26, Nehemiah 10:3-38

>> There are, of course many other scriptures that define tithing as God defines it. The ones listed above should set the record straight as to what tithing actually was and remains. Adhering to God's definition is the only way to stop the confusion as to what tithing is.

One last point; for some reason when you post information such as the above, tithers and tithing teachers will often make comments such as "well, I know that is in the bible, but we don't worry about all that, that was Old Testament, we just tithe 10% as part of our giving," or something like "yes, the bible says that, but we are in the New Testament, so we don't follow any of that."

My answer to such claims are this; when and where has any of that changed, and do you think God was kidding around when He established tithing? God wasn't kidding and he meant, and still means, what He says. Nothing in the New Testament has changed even ONE THING that God established concerning tithing.

Hope that helps!

PS, now; tell me how God's description of tithing fits into The New Testament and Christianity?

And, if I am cursed for not tithing (as many tithing teachers claim), why does the New Testament tell me...

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" - Ephesians 1:3

And...


"He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" - Romans 8:32

______________________________

Copyright 2019, Anthony Todd, All rights reserved. Permission to copy and distribute this article must be obtained in writing from Tithing Study Online.

Permission can be requested at: tithingstudyonline@gmail.com. Upon permission to do so, it is granted under the strict condition that no content of any article be removed or altered, and that all articles are to remain intact as is when used. You must include a notation that any article distributed originated from Tithing Study Online, and include our blog URL as: https://ExaminingTithingDeceptions.blogspot.com.