The Sunday Mail
Pastor Jayson Bradley
Genesis 14:19–20 – Abram had just returned from defeating the armies of the four kings, rescuing his nephew Lot, and reclaiming his possessions, and he’s met by an enigmatic priest of God Most High named Melchizedek.
The priest attributes Abram’s victory to God — Possessor of Heaven and Earth — and he blesses Abram. In gratitude to God’s authority and blessing, Abram gives Melchizedek a tenth of his possessions. He doesn’t do it to invoke God’s blessing; he does it in response to God’s blessing.
Genesis 28:20–22 – Jacob responds to a dream he has received from God by building an altar and vowing that, in exchange for God’s care and provision, he would give God a tenth of his belongings.
Leviticus 27:30–34 – Here we see Moses giving the tithe as a law. The first ten percent is called “holy,” or set apart, as belonging to God. The Israelites were to return to God what was already his, and in doing so, recognise the Almighty’s provision.
If, for some reason, someone needed to “redeem” or keep all or a portion of the goods he was to tithe, he could just give money instead. However, the cash would need to be equal to the tithe’s value, plus an extra fifth. In other words, Israelites could give 10 percent in produce, or 12 percent in cash.
When it came to livestock, a shepherd had to set aside every tenth for God. It was decided by simply counting the animals and consecrating every tenth. The shepherd was not to be deciding based on the quality of the animal.
Numbers 18:21 – The Levites served a special function in Israel; they ministered before God as Israel’s priests. At God’s command, the Levites didn’t share in the other tribes’ inheritance. The Lord was their portion and inheritance.
Here we see the Lord establishing that Israel’s tithe would operate as payment to the levitical priests for their services.
Numbers 18:26 – From the income that the Levites received from the tithe, they were still responsible to give ten percent off the top to God.
Deuteronomy 12:5–6 – The tithe was not a volitional offering. The ten percent off the top belonged to God and the Israelites simply repaid it. But this wasn’t the only obligatory tithe. They also tithed to support a special jubilee festival and took a third tithe every three years to take care of orphans, widows, and the poor. These mandatory offerings averaged out to about 23 percent a year.
On top of these compulsory tithes, there were regularly opportunities for freewill offerings. These were generous gifts that expressed the Israelites’ gratefulness through voluntary giving in response to their devotion.
At a bare minimum, they gave 23 percent a year, but there was no ceiling on their generosity. They could — and frequently would — give exorbitantly out of their excess. In response to Moses’ call for contributions to the building of the Tabernacle, the Israelites literally gave so much that Moses had to command them to stop giving. (Exodus 36:2–7)
Deuteronomy 14:22 – By God’s design, the Israelites were a celebratory people. Part of their tithe went to preparing for festivals and celebrations!
Deuteronomy 14:28–29 – The first tithe taken annually was used to support the Levites. Every third year a special tithe was taken for the distinct purpose of supporting orphans, widows, and strangers. Baked into God’s law was a special provision to take care of the most vulnerable citizens. Interestingly enough, this included caring for people from outside of their community.
2 Chronicles 31:4–5 – Because we trade almost exclusively in currency, it is fascinating to consider what it would be like in a largely cashless society. How do you tithe when tithing means setting aside ten percent of your grain, wine, oil, honey, and produce?
Bringing in your tithe is quite an affair when you realise that it entails exacting division of actual goods and livestock, and then the responsibility of bringing them to the storehouse.
Nehemiah 10:35–37 – Nehemiah is known for rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem as part of God’s plan to restore Israel after a 70-year captivity. Preparing God’s people for temple worship in their homeland required a reorientation to the worship rhythms in the life of an Israelite.At this point, many Israelites have lived their entire lives in captivity. And while the stories and traditions are likely being kept alive verbally, they no longer know what it’s like to live under the law. Here we have the reestablishment of the Law in regards to offerings and tithes.
Even with this preparation, Nehemiah finds that the Levites aren’t receiving the portion of the tithes that are to be sustaining them.
Proverbs 3:9–10 – If the world and everything in it truly belongs to the Lord, why wouldn’t this principle be true? This isn’t the only time that the Lord promises Israel that he will reward generosity with plenty. The challenge is that one must have the faith to give sacrificially to see if the Lord keeps his word.
Amos 4:4–5 – The Lord is angry at Israel, and Amos has come to proclaim God’s judgment against her. It doesn’t matter if the nation of Israel is dependable and exacting in the giving of their tithes and offerings if their behavior negates God’s laws.
In a passage that is thematically echoed by Jesus in Matthew 23:23, God makes it clear that stringent attention to the law in one area isn’t an excuse for license in others.
Malachi 3:8–9 – Throughout the Old Testament, an offering was something you gave, but the tithe was something you owed. It belonged to the Lord and it was repaid – it wasn’t a gift. On top of the importance of recognising God’s sovereignty in the tithe, the whole priestly system relied on the tithe to stay functional.
Of particular interest here is how the withholding of some in Israel put the whole nation at risk of God’s judgment.
Malachi 3:10–12 – In his mercy, God desperately wants to use the carrot rather than the stick. If he can, he will try to get his people to respond to promises of blessing for their obedience instead of having to bring the hammer of judgement down.
In verse 10, the Lord reiterates the problem; the storehouses are empty. If they would only be compliant, there would be not only be a full larder, but they would experience an overabundance of provision and freedom from want. Their abundance would also be proof that God was in Israel, making them the envy of nations.
Matthew 6:1–4 – The terrible thing about our acts of devotion is how easy they are to twist in order to put our faithfulness on display. Once we have made ourselves the object and focus of our generosity, we have undermined the act.
God has always promised reward for the faithfulness of his saint, but Jesus tells us that when you draw attention to your giving, the respect and awe you have inspired becomes your reward – invalidating further blessing.
Matthew 23:23 – The picture here of the religious person carefully measuring out their spices to ensure that their tithe is exact while ignoring justice and mercy is powerful. To show concern for tithing your smallest crops while ignoring the law’s weightier concerns is shortsighted.
Mark 12:41–44 – Obviously the point of this passage is in the faith of the widow to give what she had out of poverty. This is a beautiful picture of trust in God’s provision, and Christ’s response to this act of faith demonstrates God’s feelings toward our sacrifice and generosity.
What is also interesting here is the fact that Jesus went out of his way to sit and watch people give their offerings. God’s interest in our giving isn’t cursory. He recognises more than we do how our faith is revealed in our habits of giving.
Luke 11:42 – There isn’t parity between Matthew and Luke in everything Jesus says. But this is one of the instances where Luke also records Jesus’ words on a matter. Even to a gentile like Luke, Jesus words that we need to give and be mindful of expressing God’s love and justice is important.
Luke 18:9–14 – The Pharisee in this parable finds his value and justification in his devotional acts. He holds up his fasting and tithes up to God like a badge and thanks God that he isn’t like this lowly tax gatherer. As we have seen, the tithe tied Israel together. It was an offering that was common to all and was used to take care of the nation’s priests, widows, orphans, and transients. It wasn’t intended to make the giver self-righteous and prideful.
Hebrews. 7:1–2 – With this discussion on Abraham’s tithe to Melchizedek, we have come full circle. Moses first tells us of this tithe in Genesis, and the author of Hebrews readdresses it as he compares Christ’s ministry to the priest Melchizedek.
The author of Hebrews argues that, although the tithe was supposed to be paid to the Levites, Abraham gave a tenth of his spoils to the priest Melchizedek.
And that, through this act, the Levites also metaphorically tithed to Melchizedek. Not only did the priest take a tithe from Abraham, he blessed him. Hebrew’s author says, “It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior.” The whole chapter compares the priesthood of Christ to this mysterious Old Testament character.
It’s only appropriate that the last place the tithe is mentioned it is being used to point to Christ’s preeminence.
So what’s this mean for us?
In the end, tithing wasn’t something Israel did in the same way we mindlessly toss a gratuity down with our bill at a restaurant.
It was an intentional practice through which God intended to teach Israel about his sovereign ownership of everything. Instead of being consumers of their blessings, they had to stop and think through just how much blessing they had.
Through the tithe, God took care of his people — and through the act of generous giving, God continues to bless his people.
◆ Extracted from Pastor Jayson D Bradley (“20 Bible Verses About Tithing”)
