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 Chapel
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...The Tithe...
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And what about the tithe? What is it? Why is it? Is it in force in the New Testament?... Well, let's see if we can
answer those questions in light of the Book.
Early in the Old Testament, the Lord God selected a tribe of Israel to handle all the things which pertained to Him. He chose the tribe of Levi to be the
caretakers of the temple and of the priesthood. These people were to undertake nothing else...no farming, no herding, no tending of land... only the work of the Lord.
Considering this, the question then arises, how then, shall they live if they cannot raise their own food? The Lord God set this responsibility upon the other 11 tribes of Israel.
In the Book of Numbers, chapter 18, beginning with verse 21, it says:
21: And behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.
23: But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.
24: But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the Lord, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.
Now we begin to see what the tithe was and why it was instituted. It was a tenth part of the gains of the people, and it was set aside so that those who carried out the work of the Lord would have their needs fulfilled and would not do without. But it doesn't end here. Continue from verse 25:
25: And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
24: Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the Lord, even a tenth part of the tithe.
At this point, for the purpose of clarity, it should be noted that a "heave" offering was that portion of an offering or sacrifice that was set apart for the Lord and for the priests. Now let's continue from verse 27...
27:... And this your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshing floor, and as the fulness of the winepress.
In other words, this was the overflow of God's abundance... the bounty of his blessings, and it was reckoned for the work of the Lord. Now look at
verse 28...Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the Lord of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the Lord's heave offering to Aaron the priest.
We see, then, that those who received the tithe from the people were then required to pay a tenth part of that to the next level of the Lord's work. In other words, everyone was required to pay tithe upon that which he received. The end result was the fact that all God's workers were taken care of and his work was carried on...all through the tithing of the people. Conclusion, the tithe is necessary for the work of God to be carried on.
Now, is it carried on in the New Testament? Let's look at
Luke 11, verse 42... But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
So Jesus himself, in the New Testament, told the Pharisees that they should certainly have continued to tithe. If we use our heads we know that God's work is still being carried on in the same way, and in the same way it must be supported. It follows then that we, as Christians, are responsible for tithing to the work of the Lord. Look at Hebrews 7:5...
5... And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham.
6: But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
So the Book says that even those who did not descend from the Levites, but who carried on God's work, (namely Melchisedec) received tithes from the most blessed of God's people. If, then, we are God's people, we are required to tithe to His work. The only thing remaining then is to know what is God's work. Consider these scriptures...
Matthew 28: verse...18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19...Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost;
20...Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
And in James, 1:27...Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
So we see then that God's work encompasses not only teaching and preaching, but also visiting and helping others. In other words, it consists of displaying His precious love to everyone we are given the opportunity to display it too. And therefore the tithe applies in helping to bring these things about. Tithe first to God's workers, but also, be one of God's workers, helping those who are in need, and by so doing, further the Word and the work of God. Do that which the Lord says do, and you cannot misuse his tithe.
In Jesus' Name,
AMEN
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