2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come. But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ has reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him)."
We discussed the tithe, in the previous lesson. Tithing might be one of the most misunderstood teachings in both the Old and New Testaments. Many have used this for furtherance of their own lives in the ministry, while many have simply ignored teaching about the tithe altogether because of their misunderstanding about it. Genesis 14:18-20 (Amplified) tells us, "Melchizedek King of Salem (later called Jerusalem) brought out bread and wine (for their nourishment); he was the priest of the God Most High And he blessed him and said, Blessed (favored with blessings, made blissful, joyful) be Abram by God Most High, Possessor and Maker of Heaven and earth And blessed, praised, and glorified by God Most High, Who has given your foes into your hand! And (Abram) gave him a tenth of all (he had taken)."
The act of tithing was a source of blessing the people, so God placed it into the Law, in order to bless and sustain His people on a legal means. Leviticus 27:30-34 (Amplified) says, "And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord's, it is holy to the Lord. And if a man wants to redeem any of his tithe, he shall add a fifth to it." Verses 32-34 go on, "And all the tithe of the herd of the flock, whatever passes under the herdsman's staff (by means of which each tenth animal as it passes through a small door, is selected and marked) the tenth shall be holy to the Lord. The man shall not examine whether the animal is good or bad nor shall he exchange it, then both it and the animal substituted for it shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed. These are the commandments which the Lord commanded Moses on Mount Sinai for the Israelites."
One might ask, "Why did God make this a commandment to the people?" Because, as long as they would follow this law, the people would put themselves in a place where God could do what He wanted, which was to bless them in all that they had. God said in Leviticus 26:1-13, 14-41 (Amplified) that He intended to "bless the people if they would obey His laws." In Verses 14-41 God tells what would happen, if the people didn't obey His laws.
Malachi 3:7,8-12 (Amplified) says, "Even from the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My Ordinances and have not kept them, Return to Me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Hosts, But you says How shall we return?" Listen to how the Lord wants them to "return," so He can once bless and provide for them. In Verses 8-12 the Lord begins to explain to the people, why they're in captivity and want, saying, "Will a man rob or defraud God? Yet you rob and defraud Me. But you say, In what way do we rob or defraud You (You have withheld your) tithes and offerings. You are cursed with the Curse (Leviticus 27:3-34) for you are robbing Me, even this whole nation bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My House, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of Hosts, If I will not open the windows of Heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devour-er (insects and plagues) for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruit before the time in the field, says the Lord of Hosts. And all nations shall call you happy and blessed, for you shall be a land of delight, says the Lord of Hosts."
The people robbed God by not doing like He said, so God had to resend His Promise to bless them in all they would do. His heart was toward them, to bless them. He made it a commandment, so they would have no choice but to be blessed, if they would only do as His law commanded.
The people seemed to follow the laws pertaining to sacrifice, but when it came to the personal wealth of each man, they chose to hold onto the tithe, instead of releasing it to God for their increase. In Malachi 3:13-15 (Amplified) God says, "Your words have been strong and hard against Me, says the Lord, Yet you say, What have we spoken against You? You have said, It is useless to serve God, and what profit is it if we keep His Ordinances and walk gloomily and as if in mourning apparel before the Lord of Hosts? And now we consider the proud and arrogant to be happy and favored, evil doers are exalted and prosper, Yes, and when they test God, they escape (unpunished)."
The people had forgotten where the Blessing came from and began looking at the nations that didn't come into covenant with God. Those were already under the Curse, because of the covenant God only made through His law and the blood. They withheld the tithe (which was the source of God's Blessing) to spend it on themselves as the nations did. Soon, it ran out and there was no way to replenish it, without God's Blessing on them.
God made it a command, so He could bless the people in all they had. Abram didn't consider it a command, but an "honor to bless the High Priest with all that God had delivered into his hands." It wasn't an obligation or a command, but was something Abram voluntarily did to honor and God, Who was the Source of his blessing.
The Word tells us that Jesus is our High Priest, in this new covenant and new creation family. Hebrews 7:7-8 (Amplified) says, "Yet it is beyond all contradiction that it is the lesser person who is blessed by the greater one. Furthermore, here (in the Leviticus priesthood) tithes are received by men who are subject to death; while there (in the case of Melchizedek) they are received by one of whom it is testified that He lives (perpetually)."
The individual person must decide whether or not he will tithe. There is no law that demands the new creation family of God must tithe. For me, I choose to tithe, in order to honor the High Priest Who blesses me and mine. I recognize that He is my Source of Blessing and I tithe to honor Him, and not because it's law. This is a part of my inheritance as a child of God. I am able to express to Him even my temporal blessing as coming from Him.
Galatians 3:17-18 (Amplified) says, "This is my argument, the Law, which began 430 years after the covenant (concerning the coming Messiah) does not and cannot annul the covenant previously established (ratified) by God, so as to abolish the Promise and make it void. For if the inheritance (of the Promise depends on observing) the Law (as these false teachers would like you to believe) it no longer (depends) on the Promise; however, God gave it to Abraham (as a free gift solely) by virtue of His Promise."
The tithe came before the Law and by Jesus, is now under grace. Grace makes the tithe voluntary as an act of honor and not a law. Don't allow yourselves to try and fulfill the Law (or any part of it) for your Blessing. If you tithe, then let it be because of a grateful heart and as an act of honoring the One Who Redeemed you. Tithe is now, as is everything else in this new creation, a matter of conscience and love and honor. Whether you tithe or don't tithe, doesn't make you "more of a child of God." It's a matter of conscience to believe.
Proverbs 3:9-10 (Amplified) says, "Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency (from righteous labors) and with the first fruits of all your income So shall your storage places be filled with plenty, and your vats shall be overflowing with new wine." This Promise is still valid for today, to those who will receive it. Do as the Lord directs you and receive your Blessing.
God makes a distinction between those who honored and reverenced Him and those who did not, in Malachi 3. The people didn't rob God by withholding their money or wealth from Him. But, they robbed Him from a means of Blessing and Loving them, when they refused to tithe. Thus, Verses 16-18 say, "Then those who feared (reverenced, honored) the Lord talked often one to another; and the Lord listened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who reverenced and worship-fully feared the Lord and who thought on His Name. And they shall be Mine, says the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I publicly recognize and openly declare them to be My jewels (My special possessions, My peculiar treasure) and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him. Then shall you return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who does not serve Him."
According to the above scripture, there were people who tithed and honored God, in the midst of the others who didn't. God writes about those who tithed and honored Him, in a Book of Remembrances, "They shall be Mine." This isn't about God needing your money or belongings. God's not broke or hungry or in a position where He must layoff some angels, so He can balance His checkbook. When the people fail to honor God and recognize Him as their Source by their tithe, then they rob Him of the joy of Blessing them.
God listened to and heard those who feared the Lord and honored Him by tithing when others didn't. Some tithed because of the Law and murmured and complained when they did, because they viewed it as something they "had to do," instead of something they "got to do." Not everything that is placed in the offerings is dedicated to the Lord, by those who put it in. Some give because of compulsion or pride (fear of what others beside them might think of their not giving). Others give as charitable contributions to help keep the lights and heat on in the building, Not everyone gives in order to honor God for His Goodness.
We're not obligated to give or tithe, in this new creation family. It's not a law or even an obligation, but it's a privilege for us to give to Him. We need not be concerned about whether God will accept our gift, because we might not be "righteous enough." He will receive it. Jesus is our High Priest and is the Source of our righteousness and gives us entry to the Father. Today, many of us simply place our tithes and offerings into a plate or basked, to be received to the Lord. Many of us tithe without tithing. Tithe is what you bring, tithing is what you say. Both are acts of honoring and worshiping the Lord, according to Deuteronomy 26:10-19 (Amplified) which says, "And now, behold I bring the first fruits of the ground which You O Lord, have given me. And you shall set it down before the Lord your God and worship before the Lord your God. And you and the Levite and the stranger and the sojourner among you shall rejoice in all the good which the Lord your God has given you and your household. When you have finished paying all the tithe of your produce the third year, which is the year of tithing, and have given it to the Levite, the stranger and the sojourner, the fatherless and to the widow, that they may eat within your towns and be filled. Then you shall say before the Lord your God, I have brought the hallowed things (the tithe) out of my house and moreover have given them to the Levite, to the strange, and the sojourner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to Your commandments which you have commanded me, I have not transgressed any of Your commandments, neither have I forgotten them."
Verses 17-18 go on, "You have (openly) declared the Lord this day to be your God, (pledging) to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes and His precepts, and to hearken to His Voice. And the Lord has declared this day that you are His peculiar people as He Promised you, and you are to keep all His commandments. And He will make you high above all nations which He has made, in praise and in fame and in honor and that you shall be a holy people to the Lord your God as He has spoken."
Tithing isn't what makes us a "holy people" in this new creation. It was Jesus Who made us a holy and righteous people, before God. Although this isn't what makes us holy, tithing is still what a holy people do with honor, before our Heavenly Father. What if we don't do these things? There's nothing that says we must tither or even give offerings to Him, in the new creation. It depends on how much your honor, esteem, regard or appreciate His Gift of salvation and Blessing in your life. Remember, this isn't a law, it's a privilege for us. We are blessed to be in a place, where we're given the right through Jesus, to come into His Presence and be received as family. I consider it to always be Father's Day, when I get to present Him with my worship and gifts of thanksgiving. "Honor the Lord with the first fruits, your capital and sufficiency of your righteous labors," according to Proverbs 3:9 (Amplified)
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