Chapter 8: An Army in Disarray (Interpretation to Vision)

By Hazel Holland

The Background

Although ancient Rome was a metropolis where all the wealth and luxury of the world was concentrated, I discovered, much to my surprise, it was kept in perfect darkness at night! Apparently a public system of city lighting was not yet envisioned at that time. As a result of this state of things merchants were obliged for safety reasons to lock up their premises at sunset. Thus the streets, plunged in total darkness, wore a sinister look making them dangerous for the passer-by.[1]

So a police force for the city of Rome was established in order to protect it from internal predators. They were called Roman Vigiles[2]—“cohorts of the watchmen"—the firefighters and police of Ancient Rome. They were considered a military unit—the nighttime police force of Rome. These “watchmen” of the city primarily dealt with petty crimes such as apprehending thieves and robbers, and capturing runaway slaves, whereas the Roman Cohort handled the more violent crimes.[3]

The Watchmen

 

God is using the vivid imagery of an “army” of night “watchmen” guarding a city, dressed in full Roman armor, but behaving like grasshoppers to portray the condition of many “watchmen” in the church today. Let’ take a further look at the symbolism in order to see what God seems to be saying to us in the church at this time.

Just as one of the functions of Roman Vigiles (watchmen) was to patrol the city of Rome at night, so one of the duties of Christian soldiers (watchmen) in the body of Christ is to stand guard at our position on the “wall” and watch for any sign of the enemy. We are called to sound an alarm (a trumpet) at the first indication that the enemy is approaching in order to prepare the rest of the army (body of Christ) to resist his attack. But if no one is standing as a “watchmen” (Isaiah 62:6) the church—the corporate body of Christ (that is us) is left open to attack by the enemy who is a roaring lion seeking to devour us.

Unfortunately, many of us in the church today fail to see the spiritual application of Isaiah’s message because of our traditional understanding of the word, “church“. For most of us when we say “church” we mentally see a building that we go to in order to worship God. But that is not the New Testament understanding of “church”. The body of Christ is the church, not a building that we assemble in for worship. We don’t go to church. We are the church… and we gather together regularly, usually in a building, for corporate worship.

Although we know that God no longer dwells in a temple made with human hands because He has chosen to come and live in us by His Spirit, I believe many of us continue to follow the man-made rules of the institutionalized church as we continue to build man-made temples according to the obsolete old covenant tithing laws. We continue to try to “Christianize” tithing in order to support the financial needs of the new covenant church instead of trusting that the Spirit of the Lord will impress believers how much and where and when to give . The burden of “law-based” giving continues to be promoted, and as a result is causing many in the body of Christ to be weighed down with a burden that is not there’s to bear.

The Armor

The “watchmen” in the vision represent many of us who are wearing “armor”, but it is not the armor of the Lord, but rather the armor of our flesh. We are weighed down by wearing Saul’s heavy “armor” so that we cannot stand on our feet. The weight of Saul’s “armor” is too burdensome and oppressive for us to wear, because it represents us trusting in what we do (paying tithe) in order to receive protection and blessing from God.

Although we are buckling under its weight, making us unable to stand up and face our real enemy using the spiritual weapons God has already given us, many of us refuse to remove it, because we erroneously believe that if we get rid of our “tithe armor” we will fall out of favor with God, and come under a curse. But the truth is when Jesus said, "It is finished", the "it" included tithing! Our debt is paid in full. Our flesh need not be given, because His flesh has fulfilled the requirements of the Law once and for all!"

Let us become like David who, instead of placing his faith in Saul’s armor that he had never proved worthy of his trust (1 Samuel 17:38-39), chose to place His faith in the God of Israel whom he had proved to be worthy of his trust! God has given us His armor—a symbol of His love! It will equip us to stand up against all the devil’s schemes, so that when the day of evil comes we may be able to stand firm as we are clothed in God’s armor—the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace, the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:10-17).

The Covering of Darkness

In this scene the darkness of night covers many “watchmen” dressed in Roman armor, slowly moving around over the ground like grasshoppers! In fact the vivid imagery resembles a plague of crawling locusts in search of green vegetation!

Judging by the behavior of many of the “watchmen” it appears that they have begun their hunt to “devour” one another instead of love one another. It is interesting to consider the irony in this vision. Remember that in the book of Malachi, one of the promises that God gave Israel under the old covenant was that if they were obedient to the covenant He would prevent locusts from devouring their crops. In this vision we have “watchmen” who are behaving like crawling locusts as they begin to slowly “devour” one another! By holding on to the old covenant tithing law that has become like heavy armor—like a millstone around our neck, many of us have become the “curse” that we were trying to avoid.

I am reminded of the Scriptures where Paul warns the church in Galatia about the Judahizers who were infiltrating the church insisting that new believers in Christ still needed to be circumcised. They still wanted to hold on to circumcision—the old covenant teaching that was the entrance sign into the old covenant community. Many of us are like these Judahizers because we still want to hold on to the old covenant tithing laws—at least the ones we have tried to Christianize, because we claim that they are our “fire” insurance protection even in the new covenant.

Paul spoke against circumcision by telling the Galatians that by letting themselves be circumcised they were obligated to obey the whole law! He said, “You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ” (Galatians 5:4). I think Paul would say a similar thing to many of us who insist on requiring members of the body of Christ to pay tithe.

The Scriptures make it very clear that Jesus fulfilled all of the law and the prophets. Therefore Jesus was the “Whole Tithe” that Malachi spoke of (Malachi 3:10). Jesus gave it all! That was why the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost. Everything we receive in Christ is through faith in His finished work—not ours!

Paul reminds us, “You, my brothers were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ If you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other” (Galatians 5:13-15).

Of course we know that people are not our enemy. Flesh and blood is not the enemy, but spiritual powers of wickedness that have taken up residence in people’s hearts. Paul is telling us quite bluntly that if we pander to the sinful nature, and do not let the Spirit be in control we will give place to the enemy in our lives and end up destroying one another.

Peter cautions us in a similar way when he says, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings” (1Peter 5:8-9). 

Through the imagery in this vision God is showing us that many of us have lost our zeal and passion for serving Him because we have allowed the enemy to use our flesh to sow seeds of jealousy, hatred, envy and strife (to name a few of the works of the flesh) within the church. As a result all we have left is a lifeless and powerless religion.

This was shown in the behavior of the “watchmen” who were more concerned with achieving their own goals that helping others to achieve theirs. Is that true of many of us also in the church? Like the “watchmen” in the vision have we also lost sight of the real goal of being “of one accord” and of being “of one mind” as we “devour” one another instead? This vision shows how the enemy has successfully obstructed our real goal—to become one mouth—one united voice in praising the God who has led us out of darkness into His marvelous light!

Enemy Steals from God’s People

I received an email from my friend, Ramone, today that brought further clarity to what the Lord is saying in this vision. The enemy has successfully hindered us (“watchmen”) from sharing the Good News of the gospel by holding us down in order that he may rob and steal from us! We are the “church”, and just as the Roman police force were called to protect the City of Rome from thieves, today's tithing system is protecting the “thieves” instead of protecting the church! It is stealing from God's people! It is allowing the thief to steal not only the finances of God's people, but more importantly their joy in God's provision.

As long as we are controlled by law in giving we cannot understand the joy of knowing the Spirit as the guide to ALL our giving. By holding on to law-based giving we are allowing the enemy to steal our blessings that come as a result of Spirit-led giving. It is truly a blessing to realize the greater blessings that come as a result of finding fullness in Him instead of in our finances—of seeing His power and hearing His Spirit for ourselves!

Furthermore, Spirit-led giving is giving from God's heart. God's heart always blesses us in order that we may bless others. Abraham is an example of how God blessed him in order to make him a blessing to the nations. But it was not Abraham’s material blessings that blessed the nations, it was Abraham’s offspring. Through Isaac, the seed, Jesus Christ, would come and He would be a blessing to the nations!

In a similar way, God's Spirit will lead us to the same kind of giving—blessing others who do not know Him with the truth of the gospel. But the "tithing system” keeps finances directed inward instead of outward—it keeps the blessings inside the church instead of going out to the people for whom the Spirit intends them to go. 

The enemy has taken us captive by his lies, and is stealing the blessings that are meant to be going out to those who do not know God. As is his usual mode of operation, He is doing this under the cover of darkness. By this stealing (tithing), the enemy is causing God’s people to be weighed down, thus hindering the spreading of the gospel and the salvation of nations. The church is being plundered instead of plundering the enemy!

Grasshoppers

The enemy has succeeded in convincing many of us in the body of Christ, like he did the men who went with Caleb and Joshua to spy out the land of Canaan, that we that we are nothing more than mere “grasshoppers” who are incapable of going up against the “giants” in the land. “We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them” (Numbers 13:33).

The enemy is able to do this because many of us have chosen to put our trust in man instead of in God. Consequently we feel insignificant and powerless and unable to face the strongholds of “Jericho”. Instead of plundering the enemy’s stronghold (Jericho), we, the body of Christ, continue to allow him to steal from us! The “giants” appear to be so huge, and we know that we are no match for them.

However, God doesn’t want us to see ourselves as mere grasshoppers that are just waiting to be squashed by some “giant’s” foot. But as long as we believe the enemy’s lies we will continue to wander in the wilderness and behave like “grasshoppers”, incapable of facing the “giants” in the land with the truth of who we really are in Christ—an army dressed for battle—and the battle belongs to the Lord!

"Father, when our flesh demands this weighty man-made armor, God give us the faith to shed it in favor of armor that hides us in You, and brings glory to Your name. Lord, we want to wear Your armor alone as we lift up the shield of faith and wield the sword of the Spirit. Continue to try us and test us so that we may continually learn to choose your ways instead of our own. Lord, may we become giants of faith through Your name.” 

Armor seen as a “Covering”

The “armor” that the “watchmen” are wearing in the vision reminds me of the teaching in the church at large that every believer and every local church needs a “covering”. I have searched the Scriptures and can find absolutely no biblical support for this notion that every believer and every local church needs a “covering.” I believe the current usage of the church phrase “covering” is a misnomer—one of the church’s most “sacred cows.”

The whole idea in the new covenant gospel is for people to become uncovered—unveiled! “Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers (kaluma) their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil (kaluma, covering) is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (legitimate liberty, no longer a slave. Hence no need for a covering). And we, who with unveiled (anaklupto, uncovered) faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”(2 Corinthians 3:15-18). 

Yes, there is governmental authority in the church. But accurate governmental authority doesn’t mean to “cover.” It is not a “covering” from the top. It is an upholding—an under-girding of support from beneath. It is our safety net built on the foundation of the apostles…and particularly the chief Cornerstone, Jesus Christ (See 2 Timothy 2:9; 1 Corinthians 3:10).

The governmental authority structure in the New Testament church should not represent another hierarchical “covering.” It should not be another multi-level marketing plan where “I’m under your covering and “I’m the covering for these people over there...” 

In the church we have the freedom to yield by preference to those who are veterans in the truth. We see this demonstrated in the New Testament by the apostles who didn’t isolate themselves or consider themselves as spiritual coverings “over” the churches. They had no secret need to control or dominate the churches they supported. Instead they passionately cared for their disciples and considered them as their sons. They served, they helped and they lifted them up. Among many other things, the apostles rightfully set things in order, corrected doctrine, recognized incorrect behavior and called for accountability in the body they served. 

From this example in Scripture we have a clear picture of the leadership of the early church being the “support”—not the “covering.” That is righteous governing—not exploitation. Just as Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve, so the Apostles who were part of the five-fold ministry of the early church were not chosen to lord it over fellow believers, but to nurture them and lend assistance to them in order to help them mature in their Christian walk.

Unfortunately, over the years we have seen excessive abuse in the misunderstanding of the position of leadership in the church. Instead of trying to control, dominate, and intimidate the body into submission, true five-fold ministry today should be the battle-axe that exposes the traditions of men, and frees people’s minds that have been held captive by unscriptural teachings. 

One of these unscriptural teachings that many leaders in the church have insisted on passing on has kept the body of Christ in spiritual darkness for centuries. This false teaching keeps the body they shepherd in bondage to law, specifically in bondage to old covenant tithing laws. The body of Christ is usually expected to come under their “covering” in spite of the fact that they are not being good shepherds and feeding the Father’s sheep. If the sheep (body of Christ) is not vigilant these false shepherds will attempt to place their “armor” upon us. They will attempt to do what King Saul did to David by placing his armor upon the young boy. They will try to bind us to themselves. But David through the power of agape love was able to loose himself from this ungodly “covering”. 

I believe many leaders in the church today who are walking in a fleshly anointing like Saul are espousing false teachings based on old covenant laws that have now become obsolete in Jesus Christ. Tithing is one of these old covenant laws that they continue to promote and advance in the body of Christ as though it were God’s answer to the lack of funds in the church budget. Because they are walking after the flesh they are afraid to trust God and rely on His Spirit to impress people how, when and where to give according to God’s timetable, not theirs. Although many in the church today do not pay tithe that does not mean they are free in Christ. They are still burdened down by guilt and condemnation because they put on Saul’s armor and come under his covering! 

Shylock

Contrary to what some people have been taught, God is NOT like Shylock, the 400-year-old Shakespearean character in “The Merchant of Venice” who focused all of his energy on revenge, by demanding that Antonio pay him his pound of flesh for not paying his debt. God is also not like the Christian Antonio and his friends who refused to show Shylock mercy when the situation was reversed…

The irony in this literary character is that he resembles many of us in the church today. Many of us in the body of Christ fail to recognize the blessing of mercy that we have already been given in Jesus Christ. When Jesus said, "It is finished", the "it" included tithing! Our debt is paid in full! Our flesh need not be given because His flesh has fulfilled the requirements of the Law once and for all! 

And yet many church leaders fail to recognize the enormity of what Christ’s finished work accomplished for us by continuing to use and abuse the old covenant laws regarding tithing in order to generate income within the church. Although God is NOT the hard taskmaster who “exacts His pound of flesh” from His children if they fail to observe the old covenant tithing laws, often spiritual shepherds are. They behave like “Shylock” towards the people in their congregations who fail to pay tithe. At times ministers of the gospel behave like “Shylock” by refusing to let people serve in leadership positions within the church unless they pay tithe. Sometimes church leadership bans people from membership or even from employment within certain denominations if they fail to pay tithe. People who do not “pass” the tithing test are often seen as second-class members of the Christian community, whereas people who do pay tithe are frequently commended and publicly praised. But Jesus warned us:

"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

No. This is a picture of how the enemy has successfully hijacked the old covenant tithing laws in order to ignite fear and guilt among members of the body of Christ today, thereby forcing them to believe that God is exacting his pound of flesh in the form of tithe money. Furthermore, he continues to keep us in bondage to law by exacting a heavy toll on our freedom in Christ if we believe these lies.

God is NOT a hard taskmaster who “exacts His pound of flesh” from His children if they fail to pay tithe. For the truth is that the Law of Moses—the law of sin and death—which includes the tithing laws—ALL became obsolete in Jesus Christ. We desperately need to come to grips with Truth and tear down these ancient strongholds that loom up in front of us like the impregnable walls of Jericho. But eventually the walls of Jericho fell. As the people blew their trumpets, God brought down the walls!

But what keeps these ancient strongholds alive and well is the way many church leaders are shylocking with the gospel in Christianity today! Christ has paid the debt, and the gospel belongs to us freely. But fleshly leaders have stepped in between Christ and the church, between the Shepherd and His sheep, and have said, "No, you are still cursed with a curse if you do not give this much!" Just as the priests in Luther's day gave indulgences, today many leaders are proclaiming divine favors for those who indulge the letter of the old covenant law by paying tithe. Actually by insisting on teaching this error they are proclaiming that our blessings in the gospel are not complete unless we pay tithe.

Peddling for Profit

I have heard it spoken from the pulpit many times over the years that the root cause of lack of funds in the church today is because a large percentage of the body of Christ fails to pay tithe. We are also aware of the insincere merchandizing of the word of God that comes over international television telling people that in order to get out of debt and be blessed by God they need to send a certain amount of money—even if they have to pay it off in smaller monthly increments. This teaching is totally unscriptural even under the old covenant system! This manipulation of people’s minds and emotions is an example of soulish leaders in the church “peddling the word of God for profit.”

Listen to what Paul tells the church at Corinth. “Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God” (2 Corinthians 2:17).

Notice that in this Scripture Paul says that the apostles are not like “the majority, who are peddling the word of God… (Concordant Version). The word translated “peddling” in the Concordant New Testament comes from the Greek word "kapeleuo" which means, “to sell at retail, with the insinuation of improper profit, either by overcharging or adulterating.”[4]

 

From God’s perspective, anyone using the old covenant law to try and coerce people into guilt-based giving is totally out of line with the new covenant gospel of Jesus Christ. The old covenant required simple percentages so that everyone knew how much was required. But under the new covenant there are no such percentages, because we have been given the Holy Spirit to guide us in our giving so that we might become hilarious givers. How that translates monetarily is to be left with us. We decide in our heart as the Spirit leads us, because Love is the motivating power behind our giving now—not Law. 

Personal Reflections

My friend, Ramone, pointed out to me that in the original posting of this chapter I had not only misspelled “Shylock” by writing “Sherlock”, but I had also inadvertently given him the last name of “Holmes”. So the original post stated, “God is NOT like Sherlock Holmes, the 400-year-old Shakespearean character in The Merchant of Venice…” I corrected the first name, but still failed to “see” the error of the second name. So the “corrected” post then read, “God is not like Shylock Holmes, the 400-year-old Shakespearean character in The Merchant of Venice…” It was still wrong, and I still needed to be lovingly corrected again.

Truthfully, I know there is only one “Shylock” in the “Merchant of Venice”, and he doesn’t have the last name of “Holmes”. But Sherlock Holmes is the brilliant London-based fictional detective of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, famous for his intellectual prowess,and his skilful use of "deductive reasoning" and astute observation to solve difficult crimes.

Of course I was embarrassed by my oversight. How could I have not recognized this glaring error, especially since I am English and grew up being very familiar with these famous literary personalities? As I thought about my blunder I began to recognize that perhaps there is a connection between Shylock and Sherlock after all... Perhaps these fictionalized characters behaved more like us than we want to admit… Both men used and abused the “law” to justify their own actions in given situations. Perhaps we have also painted God in their image, giving Him the same fictional kind of "character" that they had, and the same power to abuse us by the law that has now become obsolete in Jesus Christ. 

Sherlock Holmes

In Victorian England, vices such as bending the truth and breaking the law (lying to the police, concealing evidence and burglaries), were not necessarily considered vices as long as they were done by a gentleman for noble purposes such as preserving a woman's honor or a family's reputation. When it suited his purposes, the detective Sherlock Holmes had a strong sense of honor and of "doing the right thing". He became known for his ability to outwit and outsmart police inspectors (who represent the “law”) in solving crimes. He also had an ego that bordered on arrogance because he enjoyed baffling them with his superior deductions… For the most part, Holmes’s actions would in general be out of character for a "law-abiding" detective living by the standards of our day [5]

 

In a similar way haven’t we sometimes seen God as if He is Sherlock Holmes—carefully searching us out and scrutinizing us, looking for any hidden sign of guilt, just waiting to accuse us and expose our sins before everyone? Hasn’t this erroneous belief about God misrepresented His character of agape love? In truth, the enemy is the accuser of the brethren, not God! The enemy is always looking for ways to accuse us and to bring us down to his level, and he does this by using the law to try and produce good works in us. When we cannot measure up (and we never can), he blames us and shames us until we can barely lift our heads up off the ground—just like the scene in the vision. We are no better than grasshoppers! 

So in order to survive the condemnation of the law many of us in the church have been bending the “truth” about our “gross” income by calling it our “net” income so that we wouldn’t have to pay as much tithe as we thought was required? Haven’t we been concealing evidence, and lying so as to make ourselves appear more generous than we actually are? Don’t we sometimes feel proud that we have out-witted the old tithing law system by manipulating numbers with our superior deductions? Honestly, we have been forced to resort to all kinds of creative ways of trying to preserve our sense of honor, and our family’s reputation in the church by justifying why we have not paid a tenth of our income to the church.

Although the modern tithing law promises blessing and protection (removal of the Malachi curse if I do thus and thus…) it is based on old covenant principles that keep us bound to trusting in what we must do in order to please God and get His blessings and approval. Since God Himself is the Tithe, there’s nothing more that we can give in order to get God’s attention and bend His ear to hear our cry. It has already been done in Jesus Christ

.

I pray that as the Holy Spirit shines His Light of Truth into the darkness within each of our hearts we will be healed by the One who has already paid the debt of all the “Shylock’s” and all the “Sherlock’s”, for all the Saul’s and all the David’s—in full! Yes, Jesus Christ is the One who willingly gave His flesh to pay our debt! The verdict has already been decided in Him! There is no debt left to pay except the ongoing debt to love one another as He has loved us! We, as the body of Christ, are being called into the emancipation of God’s liberty as we humble ourselves before one another and consider the interests of others before ourselves. 

Notes:

[1]THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT OF ANCIENT ROME. http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/_Texts/Lanciani/LANARD/8*.html
[2] The word “vigilante” is of Spanish origin and means “watchman” or “guard”, but its Latin root is vigil, which means, “awake” or “observant”. When it is said that someone is taking the law into their own hands, this means that they are engaging in vigilante activity, or vigilantism. (http://faculty.ncwc.edu/tconner/300/300lect10.htm).

[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vigiles

[4] Greek-English Keyword Concordance, page 220

[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherlock_Holmes.[5]

Chapter 7: An Army in Disarray (Vision)

By Hazel Holland

"If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?" Jeremiah 12:5

It was five o’clock in the morning when I finished writing Chapter 5 of "Transformed by Truth". In this chapter I shared how Christian tithing crept into the church after being absent for nearly five centuries. As the church became institutionalized it became necessary to adopt the payment of tithes from the old covenant in order to insure the proper and permanent support of the clergy.
I was eager to get to sleep, but as soon as my head touched the pillow the Spirit came upon me and I began to see the following scene. This is a painting I did this afternoon that captures what I saw in the vision.

It was night. In the darkness I saw what looked like the cohort of a Roman army in total disarray. Instead of standing on their feet ready to protect and guard the city around them, the “soldiers,” dressed in full Roman armor, including the helmet, were down on all fours. Their hands and feet were spread out on the ground as if they were going to do push-ups. But instead of doing push-ups hundreds of “soldiers,” maintaining this position, were walking on all fours in every direction up and down the narrow streets of the city as if they were grasshoppers!

The fact that these “soldiers” had no Roman armor covering their backs was in keeping with the way Roman soldier’s armor was designed. Roman armor covered the front of their bodies, but not their backs. Consequently, because their backs were left unprotected, the position these “soldiers” had taken left them very vulnerable and open to attack, not only from a possible enemy outside the city walls, but more importantly from an enemy from within.

From time to time, some “soldiers” in this “army” (that looked more like “grasshoppers” than people), would climb on top of the backs of other “soldiers” as if they were trying to find a short-cut through the crowded streets. They appeared not to care about the welfare of the “soldier” whose back they were using to get to where they wanted to go. They could have waited and gone around their fellow “soldiers”, but instead they heartlessly mowed them down, using their backs as a “bridge” to get to their desired “destination”—the other side of the narrow city street.

It appeared that the “soldiers” who thoughtlessly used the backs of other “soldiers’ in this way were the ones who were calling the shots. The fearful glances that I saw on many other “soldiers'” faces was most likely because they weren't sure of what to do next, or where to go next in order to get away from being walked on and abused by their “superiors”. They would cast furtive glances behind them at times as if to make sure they were not being followed. Although moving at a snail’s pace because of the weight of the “armor”, the “soldier's” movements appeared frenzied, fearful and disorganized, making it appear as if they had no “leader”, and no purpose or goal that they were trying to achieve other than self preservation.

Furthermore, the crowded “streets” made movement very difficult and painfully slow. There was no place to go that wasn’t already occupied by some other “soldier”. So it appeared that everyone in this “army” was constantly moving. No one ever stopped to rest, not even for a moment. Like robots that had been programmed to perform certain duties, these “soldiers” seemed to roam aimlessly up and down the streets without direction and purpose.

Not once did I see any of these “soldiers” try to stand up on their own two feet in order to avoid being walked on anymore. Not once did I see any of these “soldiers” lift up their shields in order to protect themselves from further abuse. Instead, they each continued to drag their shield along the ground with them using it like a club foot. Not once was any effort made to try and protect themselves from the constant danger of the “enemy” within their walls.

Next: Chapter 8: An Army in Disarray (Interpretation)

Chapter 3: Tithing in Malachi's Prophecy

by Hazel

We are all well aware that the following verses in the book of Malachi continue to be used as the main authority for supporting the doctrine of “Christian tithing.” In order to understand some important truths from this passage, let’s examine these verses in the context of the whole book of Malachi in order to see if we can wrest a doctrine of Christian tithing from this prophecy.

· “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, 'How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have enough room for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the Lord almighty. Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty” (Malachi 3:8-12).

We have already discovered that under the Old Covenant tithing was compulsory. Notice that verse 8 says the people were robbing God of “tithes” (plural). So these tithes must refer to the three different tithes required under the Old Mosaic Law. To withhold these tithes was to become a thief.

Withholding of Tithes & Offerings

Additionally, this verse also states that it was not only the withholding of tithes that God objected to, but also the withholding of offerings. These offerings were the grain offering, the fellowship or peace offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering and the burnt offering, (Leviticus 2-7). Primarily these offerings were animal sacrifices. Also the Levites food supply was provided in large part through these animal sacrifices of which they were permitted to partake of in certain instances.

An important question comes to mind at this point. Why is it that in the Body of Christ today we recognize animal sacrifices to be obsolete under the New Covenant, but tithing is not? Since God lumps them both together (tithes and animal sacrifices) and says that His people were robbing Him by withholding both of them, then if we are obligated to pay tithe today, then most certainly we are also obligated to offer animal sacrifices! Either we must offer both tithes and animal sacrifices (offerings) or both these requirements have been abolished by the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

In verse 9 we are told that if Israel withheld the tithes and offerings the nation would be under a cursed. This is in keeping with the Mosaic Law (See Deuteronomy 28) that Israel had agreed to enter into with God. We are told that if Israel disobeyed God's commandments and statutes their crops would fail, the rains would not come, the harvests would be small, the locusts would consume their food, the fruit of the trees would fail, to name just a few of the curses. In this same chapter God also carefully outlines the many blessings He will pour out upon them as a nation if they were obedient to His commands.

An interesting fact to point out at this time is that if tithing were an eternal moral command for all people for all time, then the whole race of mankind would be under a curse, not just the nation of Israel. But our text says it is the whole nation of Israel who is under a curse for breaking the Mosaic Law.

Let’s take a look at some of the other verses in the book of Malachi that deal more fully with the spiritual condition of God’s people at that time that led to the pronouncement of this curse in verse 9.

. “To you priests who despise My name… You offer defiled food (KJV says “polluted bread”) on my altar…when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil” (1:6-8 NKJ)?

. “Who is there among you who would shut the doors (of the temple), so that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you,” says the Lord of hosts, “nor will I accept an offering from your hands” (1:10 NKJ).

Consider what we have just read. The priests despise God’s name, their sacrifices are blind, lame and sick, and God says He will not accept their offering. So actually the people of Malachi’s day were tithing. It was the quality of their tithes from which they selected the blemished sacrifices that were unacceptable to God.

Why were blind, lame and sick animal sacrifices not acceptable to God? Because the animal sacrifices were a Shadow that pointed forward to the Substance—to the coming Reality—to the One who would become the ultimate and perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world—Jesus Christ!

That is why God had given the Israelites explicit instructions as to how sacrificial animals must be without spot or blemish (Leviticus 6:6; Deuteronomy 15:21; 1 Peter 1:19 NKJ). By offering blemished and second-rate sacrifices to God, the priests misrepresented what God was trying to teach the people spiritually about the coming Messiah—the spotless Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world once and for all time.

However, in another very literal sense it wasn’t the poor quality of their sacrifices that really angered God. It was the mind-set behind their giving. The infected and contaminated animals that they chose to sacrifice were but a symptom of their impure hearts. It was their hearts God was really after! Their tithes and offerings were totally unacceptable to God because their hearts were far from Him. They offered “blind, lame and sick sacrifices” because they themselves were spiritually blind, lame and sick, and were withholding their hearts from God.

The Storehouse

Moving on to Malachi 3:10 we see that God commands the Israelites to bring the tithes into the storehouse so that there will be “meat” in His house. God challenges them to prove His faithfulness to them by opening the windows of heaven and pouring out a blessing so great that there will not be enough room to receive it.

For some reason, many people think that whenever the word “storehouse” is mentioned it always refers to the temple in Jerusalem or to the rooms that were built on to the temple in Jerusalem to store the tithe (food). But that is not so. Since Jerusalem was not a Levitical city it makes no sense to teach that 100% of the tithe was brought to the Temple when most Levites and priests, along with their families did not live in Jerusalem, but in Levitical cities. Furthermore, since the general practice was for one family to serve in the Temple for only one week at a time, there was absolutely no reason to send the entire tithe to the Temple when 98% of those it was designed to feed were living in the Levitical cities.13

· “Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. And give them pasturelands around the towns. Then they will have towns to live in and pasturelands for the cattle they own and all their other animals” (Numbers 35:2-3; Joshua 21:1-8; 1 Chronicles 6).

· “Azmaveth son of Adiel was in charge of the royal storehouses. Jonathan son of Uzziah was in charge of the storehouses in the outlying districts, in the towns, the villages and the watchtowers” (1 Chronicles 27:25).

· “…Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house…” (Malachi 3:10).

Offering “Polluted Bread”
The word “meat” in this verse comes from the Hebrew word “taraph” and means, “to pluck off or pull to pieces; to supply with food as in morsels.” Interestingly enough, from this plucking off, pulling to pieces, and morsels, comes the familiar phrase “breaking bread.”14

We know that the only food in God’s house was a dozen loaves of bread (shewbread) that were placed upon the shewbread table in the Holy Place. We also know that the tithes and offerings were not brought into the Holy Place of the tabernacle. I’m sure the nation of Israel brought enough grain into the storehouses to make twelve loaves of bread on a regular basis for the Holy Place. Therefore, the “meat” (bread) God is addressing in verse 10 must be referring to something other than a lack of shewbread in His house that the priests were permitted to eatis houseHisHis.

We know that all of the offerings, feasts, ceremonies and holy days associated with the temple worship and services were a type—a shadow that pointed forward to the future Substance—the future Reality—Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:16). Therefore, the “bread” in the Holy Place must foreshadow the true “Bread of Life—Jesus Christ.”

Let’s consider for a moment what Jesus had to say to the Jews about the “bread from heaven” which they said their fathers ate in the wilderness.

. “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6:32-33).

We know that under the leadership of the prophet Moses God did feed the nation of Israel bread (manna) in the wilderness.

. “Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat” (John 6:31).

But the “bread from heaven” (manna) in the desert was not the true “bread from heaven”. Although the “bread from heaven” that the Israelites ate in the wilderness was of sufficient quantity it lacked quality because it was only a type of the “true bread from heaven.” It pointed forward to Jesus Christ—the true “bread from heaven.” That’s why Jesus told the Jews that Moses did not give their fathers bread from heaven. That’s why Jesus said; “He who comes down from heaven and gives His life to the world is the true bread of God.”

Just as the bread in the desert that fed the children of Israel was a type (shadow) of the true bread from heaven (Jesus Christ), so the “polluted bread” on the altar in Malachi’s day was a type (shadow) of the unpolluted, fresh, pure, “true bread from heaven”—Jesus Christ!

In order to receive this “blessing from heaven” that God promised the priests and people of Malachi’s day they were urged to turn away from their evil ways and practices that misrepresented God’s name. If they repented of their ways and returned to God He promised to rebuke the devourer for them, so that it would not destroy the fruits of the ground (verse 11). Undoubtedly, the “devourer” refers to locusts that God warns will come upon their crops if they fail to bring the tithe (Deuteronomy 28:38).

Furthermore, if Israel was obedient in the giving of tithes and offerings, all the nations will call her blessed (verse 12) because the promises of blessing included abundant crops, copious rains, and large increases in herds and flocks (Deuteronomy 28).

Although the blessings and cursings spoken of in Malachi 3:8-12 refer to the material blessings God promised Israel if she would obey His commandments and statutes, there is a deeper spiritual meaning that God wants His children in every generation to understand.

I believe the prophetic message of Malachi not only spoke to the hearts of God’s people in that generation who lived under the Old Covenant, but it also speaks to the hearts of people today who live under the New Covenant. We know from the author of Hebrews that God never wanted animal sacrifices in the first place. He wanted our hearts. He wants us.

. “Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body you have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure” (Hebrews 10:5-6).

David also knew that His heart needed cleansing by God after His sin with Bathsheba. Animal sacrifices couldn’t do that. He knew that God delivers those who have a broken heart.

. “For you do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm51:16-17).

. “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

Isaiah knew that God could heal the backslider’s heart.

. “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble” (Isaiah 57:15).

Samuel knew that obedience to God was more important that worship—offering sacrifices. Do we?

. “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams" (I Sam. 15:22).

If God has our hearts we will not be offering “polluted bread” upon His altar, and there would be plenty of fresh “unpolluted bread” in His house. In essence, Malachi’s prophecy not only exposed the polluted hearts of the priests and people of His day, it also causes us to humbly examine our own hearts and see if there be any wicked way within us that needs to be repented of before God.

Summary:

1. Tithe was 10% of the increase taken from agricultural products grown in the fields, along with grains, fruits, herds and flocks.

2. Tithe was food, not the giving of money.

3. Only landowners tithed.

4. The First Tithe (Levitical Tithe) was used to support the Levite priests and their families because they had no land inheritance

5. The Second Tithe (Festival Tithe) was used to provide for the religious feasts and festivals.

6. The Third Tithe (Poor Tithe) was used to take care of the poor in their towns and provide for the alien, orphan and widow.

7. Tithe under the Old Covenant was similar to our government taxation today. Since Israel was ruled by a theocracy the people were responsible to support the priests, religious festivals and the poor and needy.

8. The people never tithed from their poverty, but only on their increase.

9. Storerooms were built on to the temple in Jerusalem to hold the overflow of tithe.

10. Tithing was mandatory, never voluntary. The Law of Moses required it.

11. If Israel failed to bring the tithe into God’s house and failed to offer acceptable sacrifices the nation would be under a curse so that the devourer (locusts) would eat their crops and destroy the fruits on their trees.

12. If Israel tithed on her increase and offered acceptable sacrifices required by the Law of Moses the nation would be materially blessed by abundant crops, plentiful rains and large increase in herds and flocks.

13. God did not require the best of the cattle and flocks for tithe, but He did require the best for sacrifices because they were a type (shadow) that pointed forward to the coming Reality—Jesus Christ.

14. If the people of Israel brought blind, lame and sick animals to the priests to offer as sacrifices the nation was under a curse.

15. Tithing was not an eternal moral command for people for all time, but a requirement of the Law of Moses for the nation of Israel.

16. God lumped both tithes and offerings (animal sacrifices) that were required by the Law of Moses, together when He objected to the way the nation of Israel was robbing Him of tithes and offerings.

17. If the Law of Moses (Old Covenant) became obsolete after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, then tithing, along with animal sacrifices required under that Law have also been abolished.

Notes:
4.Verses that describe the contents of tithe: Leviticus 27:30, 32; Numbers 18:27, 28; Deuteronomy 12:17; 14:22, 23; 26 12; 2 Chronicles 31:5, 6; Nehemiah 10:37; 13:5; Malachi 3:10; Matthew 23:23; Luke 11: 42.
5.Russell Earl Kelly, Ph. D, “Should the church Teach Tithing?” A Theologians Conclusions About a Taboo Doctrine, p. 3. (http://www.shouldthechurchteachtithing.com/).
6.Levi-Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
7.Russell Earl Kelly, Ph. D, “Should the church Teach Tithing?” A Theologians Conclusions About a Taboo Doctrine.
8.Levi-Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
9.See Numbers 18:20-26; Deuteronomy 12:12; 14:27, 29; 18:1, 2; Joshua 13:14, 33; 14:3; 18:7; Ezekiel 44:28.
10.Brian Anderson, “Are Christians Supposed to Tithe?” (www.evangelizeamerica.org/apologetics/apologeticssub/tithing1.html). 11. The Truth about Tithing: http://www.biblebb.com/files/tithing.htm.
Should the Church Teach Tithing: http://www.inplainsite.org/html/the_church_and_tithing.html.
12. http://www.inplainsite.org/html/the_church_and_tithing.html
13.The American Heritage College Dictionary, p. 1444
14.Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary, p. 105, #2963.

Chapter 6: How Tithing became a Doctrine of the Church

by Hazel

Many books on Jewish social life explain how the earliest Christian assemblies patterned themselves after the Jewish synagogues which were led by rabbis who, like Paul, refused to earn income from preaching and teaching God’s Word.

Apparently for the first 200 years of church history the majority of great church leaders took self-imposed vows of poverty. They took Jesus’ words to the rich young ruler literally (Luke 18:22). A Christian leader living during that time could hardly tell a Roman census-taker that he was a full-time preacher of an “outlaw” religion!

Some early opponents of tithing were Clement of Rome, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus and Tertullian. All opposed tithing as a strictly Jewish tradition. The Didache, a brief early Christian treatise containing instructions for Christian communities, condemned traveling apostles who stayed longer than three days and asked for money.

Around A. D. 250, Cyprian tried to impose tithing in Carthage, North Africa, but his ideas of tithing were never adopted. In A.D 585 the local church Council of Macon in France, also tried to enforce tithing on its members, but they were unsuccessful in their endeavors. It wasn’t until A.D. 777 that Charlemagne legally allowed the church to collect tithes.

Let’s look at a couple pieces of telling information from the Encyclopedia Britannica and The Catholic Encyclopedia.

. “Tithes in Christendom—The earliest authentic example of anything like a law of the State enforcing payment appears to occur in the capitularies [ecclesiasticals] of Charlemagne at the end of the 8th or beginning of the 9th century. Tithes were by that enactment to be applied to the maintenance of the bishop, clergy, the poor, and the fabric of the church. In the course of time the principle of payment of tithes was extended FAR BEYOND its original intention. Thus they became transferable to laymen and saleable like ordinary property, in spite of the injunctions of the third Lateran Council; and they became payable OUT OF SOURCES OF INCOME [not just farming and herding, but other trades and occupations and salaries paid in the form of money] NOT ORIGINALLY TITHABLE." (Encyclopedia Britannica 1963, volume 2, page 253, ‘TITHES’).

. “As the Church expanded and various institutions arose, it became necessary to make laws which would insure the proper and permanent support of the clergy. The payment of tithes was adopted from the Old Law... The earliest positive legislation on the subject seems to be contained in the letter of the bishops assembled at Tours in 567 and the [canons] of the Council of Macon in 585." (The Catholic Encyclopedia)

So we begin to see how this unscriptural law of Christian tithing crept into the church after being absent for nearly five centuries. Eventually the church "extended" their base of tithe collecting to include all forms of income.

I would venture to say that most Christian scholars and pastors today know that money was in wide use in ancient Israel, but was never used as a titheable commodity. In spite of the fact that they know this, they still insist that money be used as a tithe today.

Does God have a word for the "shepherds of the sheep" today that is the very same message that He had for the Levites in the book of Malachi? "My people have been lost sheep [Why? How did they get that way?] their SHEPHERDS have caused them to go astray" (Jer. 50:6).

Most in Israel were not consciously aware of the fact that they were being led astray by their spiritual leaders. Neither is the majority in the body of Christ today aware that they are being lead astray by their spiritual leaders.

After looking at these facts we see that it took over 700 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for tithing to become an accepted doctrine in the church. I wonder how many years it will take to reverse this old covenant mind-set that continues to remain a part of our lifestyle in the new covenant community?

We are well aware that tithing continues to be taught in many churches today as an obligatory duty for all believers. Therefore, most preachers today ignore the original instructions concerning the giving of tithes under the old covenant that we already discussed in Chapter 2. Since tithing was only required from those who either farmed the land or raised animals that meant that not everyone under the old covenant tithed. As we have already seen the biblical “tithe” was narrowly defined and limited by God Himself under the old covenant. as:

. only the “tithe of food”
. only from the farms and herds
. only Israelites who lived inside God’s Holy Land
. only under Old Covenant terms
. only the increase could be gathered from what God produced.

Therefore the following is also true under the old covenant system:

. non-food items could not be tithed
. clean wild game animals and fish could not be tithed
. non-Israelites could not tithe
. food from outside God’s holy land of Israel could not be tithed
. legitimate tithing did not occur when there was no Levitical priesthood
. tithes did not come from what man’s hands created, produced or caught by hunting and fishing.” 14

Since we are no longer under the old covenant system today the tithing rules must be “re-interpreted” by church leaders who insist that everyone today under the new covenant is still supposed to give 10% of their income to the local church. Notice that the dictionary definition of “Christian tithing” is not the biblical definition of tithing.

. “tithe (tith) n. 1a. A tenth part of one’s annual income contributed voluntarily or due as a tax, esp. for the support of the clergy or church.”15

Church leaders even encourage the poor to tithe often promising them that they can tithe their way out of their poverty. Such notions of obtaining material blessings appeal to the carnal nature, but continue to keep many members of the body of Christ in ignorance (I use to be) of what the Bible actually teaches on tithing.

Although the early church did not tithe, the apostle’s needs were met, the believer’s needs were met, and abundant resources were dispersed to the poor and needy, because the eternal principles of sacrificial giving remained. So if the early church did not tithe, and Jesus and the apostles did not advocate tithing, when are new covenant believers in the body of Christ today going to stand up for truth by resisting this old covenant teaching that continues to keep them in bondage to old covenant shadows?

Many ministers of the gospel have failed to teach the body of Christ that tithing is no longer required under the Better Covenant? Since Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross made the old covenant obsolete, then it follows that the package of laws that commanded tithes to be given to the Levites under the old covenant is also obsolete. The offering of physical sacrifices and the need for a Levitical priesthood is also obsolete. Since the Levitical priesthood has ended and has been replaced by the “priesthood of all believers” it follows that the temporary purpose of tithing has also ended. Just as God originally intended for every Israelite to become a priest before the golden calf incident, so today God intends that every new covenant believer (including the minister) become a priest who offers spiritual sacrifices to God.16

Why is this truth not clearly taught by those who know better? Most likely it is because they are afraid to trust the Holy Spirit to lead the people in voluntary and sacrificial giving. They are afraid that the finances of the church, along with their own personal incomes will suffer if people are freed from guilt-based giving.

By the lack of correct teaching regarding tithing the leadership of the church is actually saying that they believe that law-based giving works better than grace-based giving. But I wonder how many pastors would agree to obey Leviticus 25:4-7 that forbids collecting tithes every seventh year?

Insisting that believers continue to pay tithe in order to please God suggests that there is something we must do in order to gain His favor. Surely Jesus words in Matthew 23:23 where he criticized law-keeping Pharisees, should make it very clear that faithful tithing is no guarantee that we are pleasing God, and most certainly no guarantee of financial riches.

Unfortunately, the manner in which tithing is taught today reflects a failure of the leadership of the church to believe and act on the far better principles of love, grace and faith. This mandatory giving of 10% of one’s income NEVER can, NEVER has and NEVER will prosper the church more than the principles guided by love for Christ and lost souls.

By holding on to this “sacred cow” of tradition that has been handed down over the centuries (Matthew 15:3; Mark 7:8, 13) many spiritual leaders in the church are nullifying the word of God. Although religious leaders have resisted change in this area it will come because God wants His children transformed by truth. God wants His children freed from the traditions of men that cannot be substantiated by the Word of God (Mk. 7:1-13). God wants His children freed to become hilarious givers as they are led by the Spirit to give.

Perhaps we would do well to consider the author of Hebrews as he admonishes those who make of no effect the new covenant with these words:

· “Anyone who rejected the Law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think those deserve to be punished who have trampled the Son of God underfoot, who have treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who have insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:28-29).

In reality, “tithing” is the very least we can do. As redeemed believers, we are neither under the law, nor under the pressure of giving to “get” something in return. As redeemed believers we are God’s “house” in whom He chooses to dwell by His Spirit. Because Christ has already liberated us from the penalty of the law of sin and death we can be free to serve him as loving children—not slaves! We have been released to give freely as the Spirit leads us without the expectation of personal reward (Luke 14:12-14; 5:28). We are released to BE a blessing!

Notes:

14Russell Earl Kelly, Ph. D. “Tithing is Not a Christian Doctrine,” (March 4, 2007 Updated), Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Americana and the Roman Catholic Encyclopedia,
(www.shouldthechurchteachtithing.com).

15Greek-English Keyword Concordance, page 220.

16Russell Earl Kelly, Ph. D, “Should the church Teach Tithing?” A Theologians Conclusions About a Taboo Doctrine, p.4.

Chapter 5: New Covenant Understanding of Giving

by Hazel

As we have already established, tithing under the Old Covenant was required for the support of the Levitical priests and their families, for sponsoring religious feasts and festivals and for taking care of the poor and needy. Obedience to the Old Covenant Law in these matters was rewarded by physical and material blessings, but failure to obey them was punished by the removal of such blessings.

However, as New Covenant believers we have already received a far better spiritual blessing than any physical or material blessings Old Covenant believers received. Since Jesus paid the price for our sins making the cross a finished work, how can we by our actions earn further blessings from God? Aren’t we already the inheritor’s of “all things” in Christ (2 Peter 1:3)?

Although the New Testament is silent on tithing being part of any New Covenant lifestyle it is very vocal on the subject of giving. Therefore, how much more willing ought we to be to give from a heart of thankfulness for the eternal spiritual blessings we have freely received in Christ? To ever think or imagine, “If I don’t tithe, or I don’t give I’ll loose favor with God,” negates the very reason that Jesus died. The “blessing” we have already received from Him is eternal life (John 17:1-3; 1 John. 5:20). What could be greater than that?

Under the New Covenant God desires a love relationship with us, not a legal obligation from us. We are being empowered by the Spirit to give out of love for God without any minimum expectation. Because we have been freed from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2), we are released into the law of the spirit of Life! Everything we are and everything we have belongs to Him. Surely God deserve more than we could ever possibly give

Giving in the Early Church

I believe the principle of sacrificial and voluntary giving established in the early church stemmed from their clear understanding that the precious blood of Jesus had redeemed them from their futile attempts at trying to obey the Law of Moses.

· For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake” (1 Peter 1:18-20).

Let’s look at some New Testament examples of how redeemed believers gave intentionally of themselves and their possessions out of sincere love for one another, because they had “been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God” (I Peter 1:23).

· “Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common (a localized practice of the early church). They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need” (Acts 2:43-45).

· “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need” (Acts 4:32-35).

· “During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the believers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul” (Acts 11:27-30).

· “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship” (Acts 20: 34-38).

· “After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings” (Acts 24:17).

· “Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord's people there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord's people in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this fruit, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way” (Romans 15:25-28).

· “In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. But I have not used any of these rights” (1 Corinthians 9:14-15).

· “Nevertheless, those who receive instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:6, 10).

· “Now about the collection for the Lord's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made” (1 Corinthians 16:1-2).

· “And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability… Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little” (2 Corinthians 8:1-15).

· “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion (‘anagke’ under constraint, coercion, or distress), for God loves a cheerful (hilarious, prompt, and willing) giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).

. “James, Cephas and John…gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me… All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along” (Galatians 2:9-10).

. “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (Hebrews 13:16).

. “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for one another. If any one of you has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in you? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth” (1 John 3:16-18).

. “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself” (Galatians 5:14).

. “Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).

Giving versus Tithing in the Church Today

After reading these New Testament examples of giving in the early church we can’t help but come to the conclusion that giving willingly and sacrificially images the character of God. Just as redeemed believers in the early church were no longer constrained by the obsolete rules and regulations of the Old Covenant in their practice of giving, neither should we be.

But many believers in the church today are constrained by the obsolete rules of the old covenant. Why is this? How did the old covenant mind-set regarding tithing become a part of the new covenant community when it was absent in the early church? Why do many church leaders teach that tithing is not only mandatory for church membership, but also that the historical church has always taught tithing. Let’s take a look at the historical facts and see how this change came about in the next chapter.

Summary:

. Old Covenant tithing has been replaced by New Covenant giving.

. Redeemed believers no longer give under the fear of being “cursed” (Galatians 3:13), because we are not under the Old Covenant law anymore—not for tithing, not for obeying Sabbath laws, not for burning sacrifices, not for any of those things the Israelites were required to do.

. Redeemed believers should never give out of guilt.

. Redeemed believers should never give to “get” a blessing from God because the blessings are already ours in Christ.

. From the way so many in the early church gave of their means to help those who were in need we can safely say that their giving far exceeded that of an Old Covenant tithe.

. No guilt tactics were ever used by Paul to coerce believers into giving.

. Although Paul waived his right to be financially supported by the church at Corinth where he ministered the gospel, ministers of the gospel today have the right to expect provision, “for workers are worth their keep” (Matthew 10:10).

. Redeemed believers share a deep love for one another

. Giving to the needs of the poor and presenting offerings for the work of ministry is done out of our love for God’s children.

. Setting a sum of aside in advance to help meet the need of helping people is being a responsible steward.

. Putting money aside for a church building fund was not mentioned in the early church!

. The fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) cannot be regulated by a percentage, because against such there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23).

. The New Testament never gives a certain percentage point as an obligatory and required standard for our giving.

. Voluntary giving from the heart is what Abram and Jacob were doing before the institution of the Law, voluntary giving from the heart is what the early church did, and voluntary giving from the heart is what all believers are to be doing today.

. Believers are free to give the amount they choose to give as the Spirit leads them.

. Christ is the standard of the believer’s giving who gave 100% of Himself—, including His very life in order to redeem sinful man.

. Believers are freed to give sacrificially.

. Anyone using the old covenant tithing laws to try and coerce people into guilt-based giving is totally out of line with the new covenant gospel of Jesus Christ.

Chapter 4: Tithing in the New Testament

by Hazel

There are four different passages that mention the subject of “tithe” in the New Testament. Let’s examine each one, and see if there’s a command or even a word to suggest that Christians should tithe today.

• "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone” (Matthew 23:23).

• “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone” (Luke 11:42).

Notice that in both of these passages the tithe had to do with garden herbs, which are products of the field—not money. But even more importantly Jesus criticized these very religious, law-keeping Pharisees for treating tithing (was a law at the time Jesus spoke this) as more important than mercy, love, justice and faithfulness.

It is essential that we understand that these Pharisees lived under the Old Covenant. They lived under a different covenant than New Testament believers today. It was Christ’s death that inaugurated the New Covenant, thereby bringing about a change in the law (See Luke 22:20; Hebrews 7:12). Also notice that the tithe mentioned here was not voluntary. Jesus tells them they “ought” to have tithed, because tithing was still obligatory.
• “I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get”(Luke 18:12).

In this passage in Luke Jesus is telling the parable about the Pharisee and the tax collector. Christ is speaking about a self-righteous Pharisee who trusts in something he does (tithing) to be acceptable before God while living under the Mosaic Law, not of a Christian tithing under the New Covenant.

• “For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he abides a priest perpetually. Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils. And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest's office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from Abraham. But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected a tenth from Abraham, and blessed the one who had the promises. But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater. And in this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on. And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes, for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him” (Hebrews 7:1-10).

The design of the author in this rather lengthy passage of Scripture is to show the superiority of the priesthood of Jesus Christ over the Levitical priesthood. The author of Hebrews is simply restating the fact that Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek from the spoils of war—a fact that we discussed earlier.

Notice that this passage of Scripture is not exhorting believers to give tithe like Abraham did, but rather instructing believers to perceive the excellence of Christ, who ministers as a Priest far superior to the Levites. Therefore, this passage cannot be used to impose mandatory tithing on Christians. It is not written to address that issue and has nothing to do with Christian giving, but everything to do with the superiority of Christ.

After checking out these four New Testament references on tithing it is clear that there is not one command or even a suggestion that New Covenant believers are supposed to tithe. Although this long held Christian tradition has survived some two thousand years after the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, there is no Scriptural support for it. Whatsmore, in my opinion, anyone teaching such a doctrine has no clear understanding of the mission of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the New Covenant.

Summary:

• There are only four different passages in the entire New Testament that mention the subject of “tithe”. Tithing is not mentioned as part of any teaching in the New Testament.

• Tithing was a Law of Moses at the time Jesus denounced very religious, law-keeping scribes and Pharisees for treating tithing (garden herbs) as more important than mercy, love, justice and faithfulness (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42).

• The author of Hebrews simply restates the fact that Abraham voluntarily paid tithes to Melchizedek from the spoils of war before the Law of Moses was in effect

• The author of Hebrews is not exhorting believers to give tithe like Abraham did, but rather instructing believers to perceive the excellence of Christ who ministers as a Priest far superior to the Levitical priesthood.

• The passage from Hebrews cannot be used to impose mandatory tithing on Christians today because it was not written to address that issue and has nothing to do with Christian giving, but everything to do with the superiority of Christ.

• There is no command or even a word of suggestion in these New Testament verses that New Covenant believers are supposed to tithe.

• Although this Christian tradition of tithing has survived some two thousand years after the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, there is no Scriptural support for it.

• Although Jesus spoke a lot about money and giving, He did not teach the apostles, the disciples, or His followers about tithe being obligatory for believers who followed Him.

• Jesus did not receive tithes. He was supported by "gifts" (Luke 8:3, 9:1-6 10:3-16, Matthew 10:1-10; Mark. 6:7-11).

• There is no record that tithing was part of the apostles teaching.

• No New Testament believer ever tithed or gave money to “get” something from God.

Chapter 2: Tithing Under the Old Covenant Law

by Hazel

In this section we will examine everything that the Bible teaches about tithing under the old covenant. We will learn what the tithe was, who paid tithe, what the purpose of the four different tithes were under the Hebrew economy, and who benefited from receiving them.

What was Tithe?

. “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord. If a man redeems any of his tithe he must add a fifth of the value to it. The entire tithe of the herd of the flock—every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd’s rod—will be holy to the Lord. He must not pick out the good from the bad or make any substitution…” (Leviticus 27:30-33).

From these verses we have just read we learn the following:

. Tithe came from the “land.”
. It was the “seed” of agricultural products from the fields that were to be tithed.
. Fruit from “trees” was to be tithed.
. The “tenth” animal from a “herd or flock” that passed under the rod was holy to the Lord.

Contrary to the popular practice of tithing today, it was not the first tenth, but rather the tenth tenth that belonged to God. It was the tenth one of a herd that belonged to God. In other words if a herdsman had only nine cattle or a shepherd had only nine sheep, he didn’t tithe his cattle or sheep at all. Notice also as you look at this Scripture that God did not require the best of the cattle for tithe (as he did for sacrifices), just the tenth one to pass under the rod even if it was the “runt of the litter.”

To summarize, these verses identify the tithe to be 10% of the increase taken from agricultural products of the fields, fruits from the trees, herds and flocks. In other words the tithe was food, not money!4 Nowhere in the old covenant will you find that tithing was the giving of money to God. Furthermore, this tithe was probably given on an annual basis.

Who Paid Tithe?

But what about people who lived under the Law of Moses, but were neither agricultural farmers, nor herdsmen or shepherds? Did they tithe 10% of the increase from their labor? Here are the facts.5

· Tradesmen who made baskets for harvesting did not tithe.
· Cobblers who made shoes for the servants of the field did not tithe.
· Carpenters who made wagons used for harvesting the fields did not tithe.
· Potters who made the jugs for carrying water to servants in the fields did not tithe.
· Women who made garments for field-workers did not tithe.
· Servants who worked in the fields for wages did not tithe.
· Fishermen did not tithe.
· Only landowners tithed.

Purpose of the Tithes

We have already established that the tithe was food and not money. Since God doesn’t need food, and He doesn’t need us to give him a tenth of our money when He already owns everything (Psalm 24:1), then the tithe must be needed to feed and support people. In order to see who the first people were that God chose to support in this way let us take a brief look at the background of Levites and priests.

Who were the Levites and Priests?

The Levites trace their geneology back to “Levi, one of the twelve sons of Jacob (also called Israel). Levi had three sons—Gershon, Kohath, and Merari (Genesis 46:11). Kohath's son Amram was the father of Miriam, Aaron and Moses. The decendants of Aaron: the Kohanim (“Priests”) had the special role as priests in the Tabernacle in the wildereness and also in the Temple in Jerusalem. The remaining Levites divided into three groups: the descendants of Gershon (Gershonites), the descendants of Kohath, (Kohathites), and the descendants of Merari, (Merarites) each filled different roles and had different responsibilies in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple services.”6

The First Tithe (Levitical Tithe)

· “I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance, in return for the work they do while serving at the Tent of Meeting… It is the Levites who are to do the work at the Tent of Meeting, and bear the responsibility of offenses against it… They will receive no inheritance among the Israelites. Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the Lord…’” (Numbers 18:21-24).

From this passage of Scripture we learn that this tithe did not go to the priests, as is most frequently taught, but it went to support the Levites who were the servants of the priests and were responsible for taking care of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle in the wilderness and later temple in Jerusalem).

This Levitical tithe was the compensation God provided for the Levites and their families for their service in the Tent of Meeting. In the Hebrew economy, this tithe was used in a totally different manner than it is preached about today. It was similar to the support that government workers receive today in America through the taxes of the common workingman.

The Levites’ work

In Number 3 we find the Levites described as carpenters, metal workers, leather-craftsmen and artists who maintained the small sanctuary. During the time of King David and King Solomon, the Levites were still skilled craftsmen who inspected and approved all work in the Temple: 24, 000 worked in the Temple as builders and supervisors; 6,000 were officials and judges; 4,000 were guards and 4,000 were musicians. As political representatives of the king, Levites used their tithe income to serve as officials, judges, tax collectors, treasurers, temple guards, musicians, bakers, singers and professional soldiers (1 Chronicles 23-27).7 Levites also served as teachers and judges, maintaining cities of refuge in Biblical times. Also the Book of Ezra reports that the Levites were responsible for the construction of the Second Temple, and also translated and explained the Torah when it was publicly read.”8

These biblical examples of the use of tithe-income (food) are not well known about in the body of Christ today!

Levites Tithe to Priests

· The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Levites and say to them: 'When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I give you as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the Lord’s offering… From these tithes you must give the Lord’s portion to Aaron the priest. You must present as the Lord’s portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you.'” (Numbers 18:25-29; Nehemiah 10:38).

In these verses in the same chapter we notice that the Levites gave the best tenth of the tithe they received to the priests who ministered the sin sacrifices and served inside the sanctuary and later in the Temple.

Levites and Priests forfeit land inheritance

· “The LORD said to Aaron, ‘You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites. I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the tent of meeting… It is the Levites who are to do the work at the tent of meeting and bear the responsibility for any offenses they commit against it. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. They will receive no inheritance among the Israelites. Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the LORD. That is why I said concerning them: 'They will have no inheritance among the Israelites'" (Numbers 18:20-24).

It’s also important to note that in exchange for receiving these tithes, both Levites and priests forfeited all rights to permanent land inheritance inside Israel.9 Unlike the rest of the tribes of Israel who were given land as their inheritance in the land of Canaan, neither the Levites nor the priests were given any land. God was their inheritance (Numbers 18:20-21). Without the tithe “inheritance” the Levites would have been forced to raise their own food that would take them away from their temple duties.

In fact, Nehemiah 13:10-13 records a time when the Levites did abandon their daily temple duties to work the farms to feed their families, because the remaining tribes failed to provide food for them. Is it possible that by failing to take care of the Levites (who in turn were supposed to tithe to the priests) by providing food for them and their families, the remaining tribes were ‘robbing God’ of ministry and worship in the temple?

Also, in verse three of this same chapter (Numbers 18) notice that the Levites, who received this First Tithe, were prohibited from ministering blood sacrifices under penalty of death. There seems to be no continuation to the New Covenant here!

It seems safe to say that during most of Israel’s history the Law never motivated tithe-receiving Levites and priests to ever encourage a single Gentile to become an Israelite. Why is this? I believe it is because the Law mandated Old Covenant tithing, not love.

Purpose of a Second Tithe (Festival Tithe)

I would venture to say that most of us have only heard of the first tithe that we have already discussed. Nevertheless, the following verses speak of a tithe being used to provide for the religious feasts and festivals of Israel. Since we already read in Numbers 18:21 that God gave all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance to the Levites, how can this tithe be used for the religious feasts and festivals of Israel? The answer must be that this is a second tithe. The first tithe was used to support the Levites (Levitical Tithe), who in turn supported the priests, but this second tithe was used to sponsor the religious festivals (Festival Tithe). This tithe (food) was eaten by worshipers in the streets of Jerusalem during their three yearly festivals.

. “Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and 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 14:22-27; See also 12:6-7, 11-12, 17-18).

The people of Israel were to use this second tithe to eat in the presence of the Lord in Jerusalem (the place where He chose to establish His name). If it was too burdensome for them to bring their tithe all the way to Jerusalem, they were permitted to sell it and bring the money to Jerusalem where they could purchase goods for the festivals. God expressly encourages them to spend their money on “whatever their heart desires,” including strong drink! The purpose was so that the people of Israel would learn to fear the Lord their God and rejoice before Him. Eating one’s own tithe before the Lord, and rejoicing in God’s provision was a very personal act of worship. Apparently, having a sense of the fear of the Lord and rejoicing before Him are not mutually exclusive. This tithe made it possible for the people of Israel to obtain all the food and drink necessary to enjoy the religious feasts of Israel and worship before Him.10

Purpose of a Third Tithe (Poor Tithe)

Although Bible commentators are divided as to whether this tithe is actually a third separate tithe, or just the second tithe used in a different way on the third year, the Jewish historian Josephus supports the view that this was a third separate tithe. Other ancient Jewish commentators have written in support of the latter view also.

. “At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands” (Deuteronomy 14:28-29; also 26:12-13).

In any event, the Israelites were commanded to give at least 20 per cent of their harvests, herds and flocks and perhaps even more. This particular tithe was not to be gathered in Jerusalem, but in their own towns. The people in the towns were to bring a tithe of their crops and herds and flocks and gather them together to take care of the poor of their towns including the aliens, orphans and widows (Poor Tithe).

It is interesting to note that the poor in Israel were not required to pay tithe—they received tithes. Besides this third year tithe, much of the Festival Tithe also went to the poor. In fact, many laws protected the poor from abuse and expensive sacrifices that they could not afford.

In many respects, it appears that the tithe required under the Old Covenant Law is similar to our governmental taxation today. Since Israel was ruled by a theocracy the people were responsible to support the government workers (priests), holidays (festivals), and poor (aliens, widows and orphans).11

Purpose of a Fourth Tithe

According to these verses in 1 Samuel, the King would collect the first and best ten per cent for political use.

· “He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you in that day” (1 Samuel 8:15-18).

It is also interesting to note that during Jesus’ time Rome collected the first ten per cent (10%) of most food and twenty per cent (20%) of fruit crops as its spoils of war from Israel.12

Tithe on the Increase Only

Notice that Israel never tithed from their poverty, but only on their increase. God never intended for people to tithe on what they didn’t have, but only on the increase of what God gave them.

. “When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of your increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and has given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled” (Deuteronomy 26:12).

Storerooms for the Tithe

After cleaning house in the cities of Judah by destroying the idols and altars to pagan gods, the people of Nehemiah’s day covenanted to turn away from these sins and pledge themselves to God by obeying and observing the duties of the law they had neglected.

Again, there is no mention of money, but only agricultural products from the fields. Only the Levites and priests could have access to these tithes and offerings

. “Moreover, we will bring to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees, and of our new wine and oil. And we will bring a tithe of our crops to the Levites, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the towns where we work. A priest descended from Aaron is to accompany the Levites when they receive the tithes, and the Levites are to bring a tenth of the tithes up to the house of our God, to the storerooms of the treasury” (Nehemiah 10:37-38).

Under King Hezekiah’s reign the order had been given to prepare storerooms in the temple to hold the overflow of tithe (verse 11). Apparently the “tithe” of grain, new wine, honey, and all that the fields produced was heaped up in the streets because there was such an abundance of blessing from the Lord. Thus, storerooms were rooms built on to the temple in Jerusalem.
. “As soon as the order went out (from King Hezekiah), the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits of their grain, new wine, oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything. The men of Israel and Judah who lived in the towns of Judah also brought a tithe of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things dedicated to the Lord their God, and they piled them in heaps” (2 Chronicles 31:5-6).

Tithing was Mandatory

Tithing was never voluntary under Mosaic Law. In Nehemiah's day men were appointed to gather the offerings and tithes that were required by the law into storerooms designated for that particular purpose. This giving was not voluntary as it had been in the case of Abraham and Jacob.
· “At that time men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the contributions, firstfruits and tithes. From the fields around the towns they were to bring into the storerooms the portions required by the Law for the priests and Levites, for Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites” (Nehemiah 12:44).

· “Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people…” (Hebrews 7:5).

Tithing in Malachi’s Prophecy

We are all well aware that the following verses in the book of Malachi continue to be used as the main authority for supporting the doctrine of “Christian tithing.” In order to understand some important truths from this passage, let’s examine these verses in the context of the whole book of Malachi in order to see if we can wrest a doctrine of Christian tithing from this prophecy.
· “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, 'How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have enough room for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the Lord almighty. Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty” (Malachi 3:8-12).

We have already discovered that under the Old Covenant tithing was compulsory. Notice that verse 8 says the people were robbing God of “tithes” (plural). So these tithes must refer to the three different tithes required under the Old Mosaic Law. To withhold these tithes was to become a thief.

Withholding of Tithes & Offerings

Additionally, this verse also states that it was not only the withholding of tithes that God objected to, but also the withholding of offerings. These offerings were the grain offering, the fellowship or peace offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering and the burnt offering, (Leviticus 2-7). Primarily these offerings were animal sacrifices. Also the Levites food supply was provided in large part through these animal sacrifices of which they were permitted to partake of in certain instances.

An important question comes to mind at this point. Why is it that in the Body of Christ today we recognize animal sacrifices to be obsolete under the New Covenant, but tithing is not? Since God lumps them both together (tithes and animal sacrifices) and says that His people were robbing Him by withholding both of them, then if we are obligated to pay tithe today, then most certainly we are also obligated to offer animal sacrifices! Either we must offer both tithes and animal sacrifices (offerings) or both these requirements have been abolished by the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

In verse 9 we are told that if Israel withheld the tithes and offerings the nation would be under a cursed. This is in keeping with the Mosaic Law (See Deuteronomy 28) that Israel had agreed to enter into with God. We are told that if Israel disobeyed God's commandments and statutes their crops would fail, the rains would not come, the harvests would be small, the locusts would consume their food, the fruit of the trees would fail, to name just a few of the curses. In this same chapter God also carefully outlines the many blessings He will pour out upon them as a nation if they were obedient to His commands.

An interesting fact to point out at this time is that if tithing were an eternal moral command for all people for all time, then the whole race of mankind would be under a curse, not just the nation of Israel. But our text says it is the whole nation of Israel who is under a curse for breaking the Mosaic Law.

Let’s take a look at some of the other verses in the book of Malachi that deal more fully with the spiritual condition of God’s people at that time that led to the pronouncement of this curse in verse 9.

. “To you priests who despise My name… You offer defiled food (KJV says “polluted bread”) on my altar…when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil” (1:6-8 NKJ)?

. “Who is there among you who would shut the doors (of the temple), so that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you,” says the Lord of hosts, “nor will I accept an offering from your hands” (1:10 NKJ).

Consider what we have just read. The priests despise God’s name, their sacrifices are blind, lame and sick, and God says He will not accept their offering. So actually the people of Malachi’s day were tithing. It was the quality of their tithes from which they selected the blemished sacrifices that were unacceptable to God.

Why were blind, lame and sick animal sacrifices not acceptable to God? Because the animal sacrifices were a Shadow that pointed forward to the Substance—to the coming Reality—to the One who would become the ultimate and perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world—Jesus Christ!

That is why God had given the Israelites explicit instructions as to how sacrificial animals must be without spot or blemish (Leviticus 6:6; Deuteronomy 15:21; 1 Peter 1:19 NKJ). By offering blemished and second-rate sacrifices to God, the priests misrepresented what God was trying to teach the people spiritually about the coming Messiah—the spotless Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world once and for all time.

However, in another very literal sense it wasn’t the poor quality of their sacrifices that really angered God. It was the mind-set behind their giving. The infected and contaminated animals that they chose to sacrifice were but a symptom of their impure hearts. It was their hearts God was really after! Their tithes and offerings were totally unacceptable to God because their hearts were far from Him. They offered “blind, lame and sick sacrifices” because they themselves were spiritually blind, lame and sick, and were withholding their hearts from God.

The Storehouse

Moving on to Malachi 3:10 we see that God commands the Israelites to bring the tithes into the storehouse so that there will be “meat” in His house. God challenges them to prove His faithfulness to them by opening the windows of heaven and pouring out a blessing so great that there will not be enough room to receive it.

For some reason, many people think that whenever the word “storehouse” is mentioned it always refers to the temple in Jerusalem or to the rooms that were built on to the temple in Jerusalem to store the tithe (food). But that is not so. Since Jerusalem was not a Levitical city it makes no sense to teach that 100% of the tithe was brought to the Temple when most Levites and priests, along with their families did not live in Jerusalem, but in Levitical cities. Furthermore, since the general practice was for one family to serve in the Temple for only one week at a time, there was absolutely no reason to send the entire tithe to the Temple when 98% of those it was designed to feed were living in the Levitical cities.13

· “Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. And give them pasturelands around the towns. Then they will have towns to live in and pasturelands for the cattle they own and all their other animals” (Numbers 35:2-3; Joshua 21:1-8; 1 Chronicles 6).

· “Azmaveth son of Adiel was in charge of the royal storehouses. Jonathan son of Uzziah was in charge of the storehouses in the outlying districts, in the towns, the villages and the watchtowers” (1 Chronicles 27:25).

· “…Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house…” (Malachi 3:10).

Offering “Polluted Bread”

The word “meat” in this verse comes from the Hebrew word “taraph” and means, “to pluck off or pull to pieces; to supply with food as in morsels.” Interestingly enough, from this plucking off, pulling to pieces, and morsels, comes the familiar phrase “breaking bread.”14

We know that the only food in God’s house was a dozen loaves of bread (shewbread) that were placed upon the shewbread table in the Holy Place. We also know that the tithes and offerings were not brought into the Holy Place of the tabernacle. I’m sure the nation of Israel brought enough grain into the storehouses to make twelve loaves of bread on a regular basis for the Holy Place. Therefore, the “meat” (bread) God is addressing in verse 10 must be referring to something other than a lack of shewbread in His house that the priests were permitted to eatis houseHisHis.

We know that all of the offerings, feasts, ceremonies and holy days associated with the temple worship and services were a type—a shadow that pointed forward to the future Substance—the future Reality—Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:16). Therefore, the “bread” in the Holy Place must foreshadow the true “Bread of Life—Jesus Christ.”

Let’s consider for a moment what Jesus had to say to the Jews about the “bread from heaven” which they said their fathers ate in the wilderness.

. “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6:32-33).

We know that under the leadership of the prophet Moses God did feed the nation of Israel bread (manna) in the wilderness.

. “Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat” (John 6:31).

But the “bread from heaven” (manna) in the desert was not the true “bread from heaven”. Although the “bread from heaven” that the Israelites ate in the wilderness was of sufficient quantity it lacked quality because it was only a type of the “true bread from heaven.” It pointed forward to Jesus Christ—the true “bread from heaven.” That’s why Jesus told the Jews that Moses did not give their fathers bread from heaven. That’s why Jesus said; “He who comes down from heaven and gives His life to the world is the true bread of God.”

Just as the bread in the desert that fed the children of Israel was a type (shadow) of the true bread from heaven (Jesus Christ), so the “polluted bread” on the altar in Malachi’s day was a type (shadow) of the unpolluted, fresh, pure, “true bread from heaven”—Jesus Christ!

In order to receive this “blessing from heaven” that God promised the priests and people of Malachi’s day they were urged to turn away from their evil ways and practices that misrepresented God’s name. If they repented of their ways and returned to God He promised to rebuke the devourer for them, so that it would not destroy the fruits of the ground (verse 11). Undoubtedly, the “devourer” refers to locusts that God warns will come upon their crops if they fail to bring the tithe (Deuteronomy 28:38).

Furthermore, if Israel was obedient in the giving of tithes and offerings, all the nations will call her blessed (verse 12) because the promises of blessing included abundant crops, copious rains, and large increases in herds and flocks (Deuteronomy 28).

Although the blessings and cursings spoken of in Malachi 3:8-12 refer to the material blessings God promised Israel if she would obey His commandments and statutes, there is a deeper spiritual meaning that God wants His children in every generation to understand.

I believe the prophetic message of Malachi not only spoke to the hearts of God’s people in that generation who lived under the Old Covenant, but it also speaks to the hearts of people today who live under the New Covenant. We know from the author of Hebrews that God never wanted animal sacrifices in the first place. He wanted our hearts. He wants us.

. “Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body you have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure” (Hebrews 10:5-6).

David also knew that His heart needed cleansing by God after His sin with Bathsheba. Animal sacrifices couldn’t do that. He knew that God delivers those who have a broken heart.

. “For you do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm51:16-17).

. “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

Isaiah knew that God could heal the backslider’s heart.

. “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble” (Isaiah 57:15).

Samuel knew that obedience to God was more important that worship—offering sacrifices. Do we?

. “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams" (I Sam. 15:22).

If God has our hearts we will not be offering “polluted bread” upon His altar, and there would be plenty of fresh “unpolluted bread” in His house. In essence, Malachi’s prophecy not only exposed the polluted hearts of the priests and people of His day, it also causes us to humbly examine our own hearts and see if there be any wicked way within us that needs to be repented of before God.

Summary:

1. Tithe was 10% of the increase taken from agricultural products grown in the fields, along with grains, fruits, herds and flocks.

2. Tithe was food, not the giving of money.

3. Only landowners tithed.

4. The First Tithe (Levitical Tithe) was used to support the Levite priests and their families because they had no land inheritance

5. The Second Tithe (Festival Tithe) was used to provide for the religious feasts and festivals.

6. The Third Tithe (Poor Tithe) was used to take care of the poor in their towns and provide for the alien, orphan and widow.

7. Tithe under the Old Covenant was similar to our government taxation today. Since Israel was ruled by a theocracy the people were responsible to support the priests, religious festivals and the poor and needy.

8. The people never tithed from their poverty, but only on their increase.

9. Storerooms were built on to the temple in Jerusalem to hold the overflow of tithe.

10. Tithing was mandatory, never voluntary. The Law of Moses required it.

11. If Israel failed to bring the tithe into God’s house and failed to offer acceptable sacrifices the nation would be under a curse so that the devourer (locusts) would eat their crops and destroy the fruits on their trees.

12. If Israel tithed on her increase and offered acceptable sacrifices required by the Law of Moses the nation would be materially blessed by abundant crops, plentiful rains and large increase in herds and flocks.

13. God did not require the best of the cattle and flocks for tithe, but He did require the best for sacrifices because they were a type (shadow) that pointed forward to the coming Reality—Jesus Christ.

14. If the people of Israel brought blind, lame and sick animals to the priests to offer as sacrifices the nation was under a curse.

15. Tithing was not an eternal moral command for people for all time, but a requirement of the Law of Moses for the nation of Israel.

16. God lumped both tithes and offerings (animal sacrifices) that were required by the Law of Moses, together when He objected to the way the nation of Israel was robbing Him of tithes and offerings.

17. If the Law of Moses (Old Covenant) became obsolete after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, then tithing, along with animal sacrifices required under that Law have also been abolished.

Notes:

4.Verses that describe the contents of tithe: Leviticus 27:30, 32; Numbers 18:27, 28; Deuteronomy 12:17; 14:22, 23; 26 12; 2 Chronicles 31:5, 6; Nehemiah 10:37; 13:5; Malachi 3:10; Matthew 23:23; Luke 11: 42.
5.Russell Earl Kelly, Ph. D, “Should the church Teach Tithing?” A Theologians Conclusions About a Taboo Doctrine, p. 3. (www.shouldthechurchteachtithing.com).

6.Levi-Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
7.Russell Earl Kelly, Ph. D, “Should the church Teach Tithing?” A Theologians Conclusions About a Taboo Doctrine.
8.Levi-Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
9.See Numbers 18:20-26; Deuteronomy 12:12; 14:27, 29; 18:1, 2; Joshua 13:14, 33; 14:3; 18:7; Ezekiel 44:28.
10.Brian Anderson, “Are Christians Supposed to Tithe?” (www.evangelizeamerica.org/apologetics/apologeticssub/tithing1.html).

11. The Truth about Tithing: http://www.biblebb.com/files/tithing.htm.
Should the Church Teach Tithing: http://www.inplainsite.org/html/the_church_and_tithing.html.

12. http://www.inplainsite.org/html/the_church_and_tithing.html

13.The American Heritage College Dictionary, p. 1444

14.Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary, p. 105, #2963.