Tithing

1. What is Tithing and what does it mean to tithe?
   1. A tithe is one tenth of annual produce or earnings, formerly taken as a tax for the support of the Church and clergy – a tenth of an individual’s income pledged to the Church.
   2. Tithing is taking the first 10% right off the top and giving it to God. We see this in Leviticus 23:10: Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: The firstfruits means right off the top, not the leftovers.

2. Where else do we find tithing in the bible?
   1. Numbers 18:21 – nd, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.
   2. Proverbs 3:9-10: Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
   3. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
   4. 2 Chronicles 31:4-5: Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the Lord.And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly.
   5. Malacchi 3:8-12: Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.

3. Who in the Old Testament gave tithes?
   1. Genesis 14:18-21: And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.

4. What does the New Testament say about tithing?
   1. Hebrews 7:1-4: For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
   2. In case you think tithing is just old testament law, here’s what Jesus had to say. Matthew 5:17-20: Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

5. Is there a benefit to tithing?
   1. Let’s go back to our passage in Malacchi. Malacchi 3:8-12: Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.
   2. It says prove me now herewith. It is the only place in the bible where we are encouraged to test God.
   3. He said if you do this, he will open the windows of heaven and pour out such a blessing that you won’t have room enough to receive it. That’s a lot of blessing.
   4. He will rebuke the devourer. Does it seem like your finances are being devoured? Maybe a lot of bills and sudden expenses keep coming up? Start tithing and test God on this. He will help you. You may still have tough moments, but He will meet your needs.

6. Should I be a tither?
   1. Looking at the passages we just read, yes, you should be a tither. Tithing shows our level of trust in God. To take 10% right off the top and give it to Him lets Him know we trust Him as our provider and the source of all that we have. Try it. Test and see if you are not more blessed than before.

7. People say we’re just giving money to the preacher. Is there any accountability for tithing?
   1. 2 Kings 12:4-8: And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the Lord, even the money of every one that passeth the account, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that cometh into any man’s heart to bring into the house of the Lord, Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found. But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house. Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house. And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people, neither to repair the breaches of the house.
   2. When you tithe to a church or ministry, you are trusting God, and also the leadership of that ministry to handle the funds according to God’s Will.
   3. As a member, you agree with the vision and mission of that ministry and support it with your tithes. If you find they are not using the finances in a godly way, you can bring your concerns to the leadership, and withdraw your support as we see in the passage above.

8. Who was the greatest tither of all.
   1. We read about the greatest tither in Luke 21:1-4: And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.