So, what was asked of his people? Let me guess, it isn’t actually 10% that we give but actually 10% that we keep, and the rest goes to the Church. First of all, no. Secondly, not everything that we give, or tithe is necessarily meant to go straight to the church, but we’ll get to that.
The Lord’s Tithe
It might sound really dumb, but I’m sure it isn’t only me who didn’t realise that the word tithe itself means one tenth. See, I was reading through Numbers 18 looking for where they explicitly say 10%, and I even thought it was just the version I was reading. So here it is, the definition of tithe according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary: a tenth of the goods that somebody produced or the money that they earned, that was paid as a tax to support the Church.
Okay, but what was actually said in Numbers?
Turning to Numbers 18:25-26 you’ll find a familiar name, Moses. 25 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 26 “Speak thus to the Levites, and say to them: ‘When you take from the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them as your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave offering of it to the Lord, a tenth of the tithe. Leviticus 27:30 also says: And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord.
This meant that a tithe (10 percent) of all the people’s produce and animals was given to the Levites. No Israelite had any option about this. Really, any man who chose not to pay this was actually robbing God. Malachi 3:8 refers to this saying:
8 “Will a man rob God?
Yet you have robbed Me!
But you say,
‘In what way have we robbed You?’
In tithes and offerings.
So, this covers the 10% that most of us would’ve heard about. Now this is where we usually get the, “Ten percent of what though? Like my earnings? My Savings? Everything?” And my answer is…I can’t tell you. I think this should be left to the individuals own discretion and what their faith leads them to do. If you choose to give 10% of the amount left over after paying bills, groceries, and saving just a bit, then start to feel convicted…maybe you’ve gotta reconsider your approach. But I am not going to tell you how to work out your 10% or whether you even “qualify to give”.
On to the next one!
The Festival Tithe
In addition to this initial 10 percent, you’re telling me there was a second tithe! This must be one of those things that people did in the days of the Bible but doesn’t apply to us, you know, like wearing clothes with mixed fabrics (which actually has some justified reasoning behind it but that’s for another day ).
Once again, I am not going to tell you how to handle your finances, I am just here to bring light to information. Deuteronomy 12 describes the festival tithe which took effect when Israel conquered the promised land and the extra 10% had to be given for an annual celebration. So whereas the purpose of the Lord’s tithe was to perpetuate ministry, the festival tithe was to build religious celebration and mutual community in God’s people.
10 + 10. At the time, a mandatory 20 percent.
One more to go.
There’s more, gosh.
The Poor Tithe
Deuteronomy 14:28-29 commands a third tithe, a poor tithe:
28 “At the end of every third year you shall bring out the tithe of your produce of that year and store it up within your gates. 29 And the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates, may come and eat and be satisfied, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.
Yeah…you can keep that blessing and I’ll keep the money, thanks!
This provided not for the church, nor any glorious celebration, but for the social welfare of those who could not provide for themselves. Since the 10% was across 3 years, lets go with 3.3% per year, thus bringing the total to over 23% per year.
23% that’s a lot!
I know I said that was the last one but Leviticus 19:9-10 actually gave them another instruction. The people were also told to refrain from harvesting the corners of their fields or even picking all of the grapes so that the remnants can be received by the poor.
Considering other taxes and temple offerings, God’s people were required to give at least 25%.
My Sunday Skl 