Why the Book of Malachi Cannot be Used to Instruct Christians to Tithe.

There are two types of scriptures in God's Word; scriptures written directly to Christians and scriptures written indirectly to Christians.

The difference is that scriptures written indirectly to Christians are not commandments or promises directed by God to the Christian. When God commanded Noah to build an Ark He was not talking directly to Christians, no Christian is instructed by God in His word to build an Ark. We can learn biblical basic principles such as obedience to God from the record of Noah and the flood, but we have no direct instructions from God to build an Ark.

On the other hand, as an example, Christians are instructed by God to "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." - 2 Timothy 2:15. That verse, being part of the New Testament, is written directly to Christians, and is a direct commandment to us, not a suggestion. Also, it tells us that we need to learn how to "rightly divide the word of God." Divide what? For one thing; divide between what was written directly to us and what was written indirectly to us.

Knowing the difference between scriptures written directly and indirectly to Christians is very important. Tithers and tithing teachers often use the Old Testament book of Malachi in an attempt to teach or justify "Christian tithing" sadly ignoring all of the obvious clues in Malachi that makes it clear that Malachi was not addressing or instructing New Testament Christians to tithe. The book of Malachi is in no manner instructing Christians, or for that matter, anyone but the Nation of Israel, to tithe.

>> Using Malachi's words in his book, here is why attempting to use the book of Malachi to coerce Christians into tithing is taking scripture written indirectly to Christians and use them as scripture written directly to Christians; that is to say take them out of proper context...

> 1. Malachi states that he is directly addressing the Nation of Israel (direct descendants of Abraham & Sarah, and Israel & Rachel, Leah) not New Testament Christians - Malachi 1:1.

> 2. Malachi states that he is directly addressing the Priests of Aaron, not New Testament Christians - Malachi 1:6, Malachi 2:1.

> 3. Malachi (along with Nehemiah) commands that a portion of the tithes (a "tithe of the tithe" that was taken, or what amounted to one percent of the total that was tithed on) are to be conveyed to the Temple Storehouses; no New Testament church or ministry is a Temple Storehouse - Malachi 3:10 (cross ref. Nehemiah 10:37-38).

> 4. No Christian is instructed to bring a "tithe of the tithe" into any Storehouse - Nehemiah 10:37-38 (cross ref. II Corinthians 9:7).

> 5. Malachi states that he who disobeys the commandments of God's Word regarding tithing under the Law of Moses are subject to curses. No New Testament Christian is cursed by God - Malachi 2:2-4 (cross ref. Galatians 3:13).

> 6. Malachi states that to whom he is writing are people who are under and subject to the Law of Moses; Christians are not under the Law of Moses and not subject to it - Malachi 4:4 (cross ref. Galatians 2:16, Galatians 2:21, Galatians 3:10, Romans 7:1-6, Ephesians 2:15, Acts 15:10, Romans 6:14, Acts 15:24).

> 7. Repeatedly, over and over again, Malachi addresses or references places and individuals such as Jacob (Malachi 1:2), Priest (Malachi 2:7), Levi (Malachi 2:8), Judah (Malachi 2:11), Israel (Malachi 2:16), Jerusalem (Malachi 3:4), Moses (Malachi 4:4), Gentiles (Malachi 1:11), etc., but NEVER a direct mention of any future New Testament Church that is instructed to tithe.

> 8. No verse of scripture in the New Testament references the Book of Malachi as a reason or instructions to tithe for New Testament Christians - Acts 15:24.

>>> Conclusion...

The context of the Book of Malachi addresses the Israelites failing to bring their tithes into the Temple Storehouse - Malachi 3:8 (cross ref. Nehemiah 10:37-38), not the New testament church or Christians.

In response to Israeli's disobedience, God had judged them cursing their harvest. God instructed them to bring the tithe of grain sacrifices (Leviticus 6:14-23) and to see that He would bless them with an abundance of future crops. The “storehouse,” mentioned in verse 10, is a place to store grain in the Temple (and **Levitical cities), it is NOT a reference to any New Testament church or other ministry. Nowhere in the Old or New Testament does God describe a church or other ministry as "the Storehouse" to be tithed to.

Malachi instructs the Nation of Israel to tithe, but he does not command that Christians are to give tithes to churches. Malachi was written more than 400 years before the start of the first church in Jerusalem. Applying it's command of temple tithing to the local church removes Malachi's instructions completely out of their original context and proper use.

Christians are to be free will givers, never tithers; there is no such thing as God commanded "New Testament Tithing." - II Corinthians 9:7


**The Levitical cities were 48 cities in ancient Israel set aside for the tribe of Levi, who were not allocated their own territorial land when the Israelites entered the Promised Land. There is no New Testament equivalent.

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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.

The Crazy Topsy Turvy World of Kenneth Copeland

According to Kenneth Copeland...

1. God instructed Adam to tithe. (Even though there exists NO SCRIPTURE recording God instructing Adam or Eve to tithe anything to anyone at anytime).

2. Adam and Eve's sin in the Garden of Eden was eating the forbidden fruit, which said forbidden fruit was actually Adam and Eve's tithe that Adam and Eve ate.

3. By eating the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve were in reality, according to Copeland, "not tithing as ordered by God to do so" (or stealing their tithe from God); therefore (Copeland creates a fantasy connection between Adam and Eve not tithing and a Christian not tithing)...

4. A Christian who doesn't tithe is eating their tithe exactly as Adam and Eve ate theirs. That is to say; you are eating the forbidden fruit (the forbidden fruit being your tithe) and failing to pay your tithe because you consumed it.

5. Copeland goes on to claim that Adam's lack of tithing caused the loss of Adam and Eve's blessing and plunged them and all of humanity into sin and into the fallen state of the world; the fall of mankind and the whole world was because of a failure to tithe, Copeland tells us.

"Let's go to the 14th chapter of Genesis; we know, we studied and found out that Adam blew that blessing off over his tithe."

- Kenneth Copeland

>> Some important points to consider regarding Copeland's sculpturally unsubstantiated claims;

Contrary to Copeland's unbiblical nonsense, the tree that had the fruit on it that Adam was told not to eat...

1. Did not belong to God; God gave it to Adam and Eve. (Genesis 1:27-30). That is to say that God claimed no part of it as His tithe to be paid to Him. There is no scripture stating that God claimed any portion of the fruit in question as something to be set aside as a tithe from Adam given to God. Copeland's claim is un-scriptural fantasy.

2. God did not in any manner tell Adam that it, the fruit, was to be tithed on. Adam was given no guidelines as to who the "tithe" was to be paid to, when it was to be paid, how often it was to be paid, or how to pay it. 

3. God did not tell Adam that he couldn't touch it, look at it, smell it, or use it for a football if he wanted to; God simply told Adam..."But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." - Genesis 2:17. Nothing else.

4. The fruit was not the object of any requirement to tithe;

Do you really believe that taking a single bite out of a single fruit hanging from ONE TREE that was in the midst of hundreds or thousands of fruit trees constitutes "not paying his tithe?" In a garden that was large enough to live in (could have been several hundred square miles in size if not larger), that would have yielded a very large "tithe," I.e., thousands of fruit trees, that one bite out of ONE FRUIT was "not paying his tithe?" 

Where is it recorded in scripture that in the mind of Adam when he took a bite of the fruit that he believed he was, and purposed to, refuse to tithe as ordered?

How was Adam to tithe? Pile up thousands of fruit trees in some section of the garden and announce to God; "OK, God, here's your tithe; what do you want me to do with it?" "Where do you want me to deliver it?" What was God going to do with His tithe, let it rot? God did NOT need ANYONE to tithe to Him.

What competent Bible teacher would ever teach such nonsense, let alone actually believe it?

5. Tithes and offerings were instituted AFTER the fall of mankind due to sin. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were not required to tithe or even give an offering to God or to anyone; the Bible records NO requirement of them to do so.

Copeland, by and large, teaches the "word of Copeland," not the Word of God. With Copeland, tithing is only a small tip of a large iceberg of deception.

6. We are instructed by God...

"These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." - Acts 17:11

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." - 1 John 4:1

What he is teaching is demonic deception that has destroyed untold numbers of people with his lies concerning tithing. Or, as I posted on Facebook a while back...

Jesus Christ did not set us free so that men with their traditions, lies and false teachings, could seize upon us and place us back into bondage by compelling and coercing us to tithe.

Jesus Christ did not set us free to become economic slaves to greedy liars. We will not bow our knee to the lies of these liars.

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32

"So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free." - John 8:36

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing." - Galatians 5:1-2

CONCLUSION

Copeland's claim of Adam and his tithe is pure rubbish and false doctrine.

ref.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOu84V6FGVA


UPDATE; the false teaching of Adam and his failing to tithe has sadly taken hold in many ministries that teach tithing as yet another way to keep the tithe money coming in. It has become part of the toolbox used by tithing teachers to deceive and pressure their listeners to tithe. It appears to have began with Kenneth Copeland in it's most recent popular form.
>> Additional information...

Copeland claims that by Adam eating the forbidden fruit, Adam was "eating his tithe." That is to say that Copeland claims that the tither is sinning by eating the forbidden (i.e., not paying) his tithe. The Bible makes no connection between Adam eating the forbidden and a Christian not tithing. Such claims are simply the fantasies of Kenneth Copeland wholly without scriptural authority.

As with virtually all tithing teachers, they fail to define which tithe they are referring to when teaching on tithing, and fail to inform their listeners that there are in fact three separate tithes totaling about 23 1/3%; Tithe one; Leviticus 27:30-33, Tithe two; Deuteronomy 14:22-27, Tithe three; Deuteronomy 14:28-29. Most tithing teachers don't know this or deliberately fail to acknowledge the three tithes.

In tithes number two and three, contrary to what Copeland is teaching that consuming or eating your tithe is a sin, the Word of God commands the tither to eat and/or consume his tithe;

To the tither God commands...

"Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always." - Deuteronomy 14:22-23

God lays down laws making it clear that the tithe is to be eaten, or not eaten, under certain conditions such as in sadness or in mourning (i.e., the tither was not to eat his tithes in state of sadness of mourning)...

"I have not eaten [the tithe - verse 12] thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use, nor given ought thereof for the dead: but I have hearkened to the voice of the LORD my God, and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me." - Deuteronomy 26:14

See also; Deuteronomy 14:28-29 as cross reference.

There were three separate tithes. All tree tithes had different instructions accompanying each tithe, and each tithe had a separate definition and reason or purpose for the tithe.

Pastors often rely on this tithe (this verse) taken completely out of context to persuade their listeners or congregations to tithe (this was written to the Nation of Israel, not New Testament Christians who are not under the law of Moses)...

"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 unto the LORD." - Leviticus 27:30-33

Or this verse, also taken completely out of context...

"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

They never read this verse to the same people they are persuading to tithe to them...

"And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you." Malachi 2:1

Who is Malachi 3:10 written to?...the Priests of Malachi's time, Old Testament Priests; Malachi 3:10 is not an instruction from God to New Testament Christians to tithe anything to anyone. It was written to and indicting corrupt Priests who were stealing the "tithe of the tithe" from the Temple Storehouse. The Temple Storehouse IS NOT a New Testament Christian organization such as a church.

ref. Nehemiah 10:37-38, Nehemiah 13.

CONCLUSION:

Copeland's claim that eating the tithe was, and remains a sin, and is disobedience to God, is unsubstantiated by scripture, is contrary to scripture, and is utter rubbish, including his claim that Adam sinned by "eating his tithe" by eating the forbidden fruit, is also utter rubbish and ignorant nonsense. 

ref. The three tithes...

Leviticus 27:30-33, Numbers 18: The First Tithe - a tenth of crops and animals and commanded to take the tithe to the Levites. This tithe is the one church leaders use (and change to fit their needs). This one is sometimes called The Lord's Tithe. It is the ONLY one of the three tithes that God claimed was His. This was a yearly tithe.

Deuteronomy 14:22-27: The Second Tithe aka The Festival Tithe - a tenth of crops, plus add to that the firstborn animals, and take for the yearly feast.

Deuteronomy 14:28-29: The Third Tithe aka The Three-Year Tithe aka The Poor Tithe - a tenth of crops, kept at home, and invite the Levites, widows, orphans, stranger to eat.

Tithing was a total of 23-1/3%, not 10%, there were three required tithes; two paid every year, one paid every third year...

>> THE FIRST TITHE (commonly called "The Temple Tithe," or "The Holy Tithe."). Leviticus 27:30-33 defines this tithe as a tenth of crops and animals in herds and flocks.

Numbers 18 and Nehemiah 10:37-38 gives the ordinances, or instructions, for this tithe, and commands this tithe be taken by the Levites.

> Purpose of this tithe: to support the Levitical Priesthood, the Temple and Temple workers.

>> SECOND TITHE (commonly called "The Festival Tithe.")

Deuteronomy 14:22-27: aka The Festival Tithe - a tenth of crops, plus add to that the firstborn animals, and take to the yearly feasts.

> Purpose of this tithe: that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.

>> THIRD TITHE (commonly called "The Tithe for the Poor.")

Deuteronomy 14:28-29: aka, The Three-Year Tithe, aka The Poor Tithe - a tenth of crops, kept at home, and invite the Levites, widows, orphans, stranger to eat.


> Purpose of this tithe: to feed the poor, the needy and strangers in the land needing help.

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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.