Cherem 1999
February 7, 1999 AM
Deut 29:9
(Deu 29:9 NKJV) "Therefore keep the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.
Most of you know that one Sunday each February I minister on Tithing.
Most of you also know that the center focus of that message usually has to do with the "cherem principle".
And indeed we will get to that this morning -- but I want to address some other points before we get into the cherem principle.
One of the richest men of this planet was a man by the name of Abram.
He was the Sam Walton of his day -- or the Bill Gates of his era.
Look with me at the story of Abram -- (Gen 12:1 NKJV) Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.
(Gen 12:2 NKJV) I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
(Gen 12:3 NKJV) I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
Note verse 2 -- "I will bless you -- and you will be a blessing."
Write this down -- you need to always remember this -- this is a revelatory truth;
The ultimate purpose of financial prosperity is to preach the gospel.
The ultimate purpose of financial prosperity is to preach the gospel.
With that understanding then we can set in order the principles of financial prosperity.
Understanding that the purpose of our being blessed is to make the gospel known.
The foundation, or primary principle of financial wellbeing -- based on God’s economy, and based on God’s provision --
That’s important, because there are lots of rich non-believers.
But there wealth is not based on God’s economy.
And when world markets collapse, or financial disaster hits -- their wealth is subject to destruction.
However -- wealth based on God’s economy is not subject to the world’s markets.
God’s provision supercedes world catastrophes.
God’s abundance is inexhaustable.
The primary foundational principle of God’s economy is the principle of tithing, or the cherem principle.
You say why is that?
Look at (Gen 14:18 NKJV) Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High.
(Gen 14:19 NKJV) And he blessed him and said: "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth;
(Gen 14:20 NKJV) And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand." And he gave him a tithe of all.
This same principle was recorded in the new testament as well -- (Heb 7:1 NKJV) For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
(Heb 7:2 NKJV) to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated "king of righteousness," and then also king of Salem, meaning "king of peace,"
That’s for all those who don’t believe tithing is mentioned in the new testament.
But there is a greater principle to note here:
First -- Abram was tithing prior to any "law" being given.
Some folks believe that tithing was done away with because we are out from under the law.
Good theory, lousy theology -- using that theology we could say that murder is okay now -- Jesus abolished the law.
Or stealing is okay now -- we are not under the law.
The real fact is: tithing was never attached to any of the laws. It was a principle of living that God ordained from the earliest times.
I really need more than one message to deal with all of the excuses and false teachings that circulate about tithing.
But I am afraid that if I teach on this for more than one week -- no body will come the second week.
I guess we could hand out contracts stating that you agree to pay tithe if I promise not to preach for three hours today.
The first presentation of the cherem principle or the first fruits offering, or the tithe was with Cain and Able.
(Gen 4:3 NKJV) And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD.
(Gen 4:4 NKJV) Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering,
(Gen 4:5 NKJV) but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
Now -- some teachers say that the reason for the unacceptableness of Cain’s offering was because it was not a blood sacrifice.
They say this is a prototype of what God was going to establish later on.
Those same teachers say that offering grains and fruits are unacceptable to God.
Good theory -- lousy theology.
Have you ever noticed the what you think is the greatest teaching is usually a teaching that agreed with what you wanted to do to begin with?
You can hear 20 good teachings on God’s requirement of tithing -- from 20 excellant teachers --
And hear one questionable teaching on no need to tithe and you’ll instantly adopt the "no tithe" message because it agrees with your flesh.
Truth is -- grain offerings were acceptable to God.
look at (Lev 2:4 NKJV) ’And if you bring as an offering a grain offering baked in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.
(Lev 2:5 NKJV) ’But if your offering is a grain offering baked in a pan, it shall be of fine flour, unleavened, mixed with oil.
(Lev 2:6 NKJV) ’You shall break it in pieces and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering.
(Lev 2:7 NKJV) ’If your offering is a grain offering baked in a covered pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.
(Lev 2:8 NKJV) ’You shall bring the grain offering that is made of these things to the LORD. And when it is presented to the priest, he shall bring it to the altar.
Truth is -- a grain offering is accetable to God except for a sin offering. Sin offerings do have to be "blood sacrifices".
Cain and Able were offering a thanks giving offering to the Lord for their flocks and their harvests.
But Cain did not bring a first fruits offering -- he brought just "an" offering.
Able brought the first fruits -- his tithe --
But back to Abraham -- he gave Melchizedek a tithe -- 10% of everything he had.
Now this shoots down another theory -- let me ask you;
Did Melchezidek "need" the tithe? See I hear from some folks that they don’t pay tithe because the church doesn’t need it.
Did Melchizedek need the tithe?
Doubtful. He was the king of Salem. Now just so you understand the geography here -- king of salem -- that was the land or territory that eventually became "Yeru-salem" -- Jerusalem.
This was the king of a very fertile area.
Abram did not pay tithe because Melchizedek needed to receive it --
He paid tithe because Abram needed to give it.
Principle number one in prospering in God’s economy is tithing --
Not because the church needs it -- not because you agree with all the ways it is spent --
But because you need to give it. If God can’t trust you honor him with something so simple and minor as the tithe --
He cannot trust you with big blessings or financial prosperity.
In order for all the other principles to work -- you have to get the first one right.
Your ability to be blessed is not based on what you have in your hand -- butbased on what you are willing to turn loose of.
Some people pay tithe on their business income and on their personal income.
And for the most part -- their business shows it.
There are others who say "well I can’t really figure what I make so I’ll just give a little and hope it works out."
I would be afraid to try and operate a business and make a living in this current economic market with out honoring God according to his word.
From retail to farming -- I would want God on my side from the start.
Abraham established the tithing standard -- Cain and Able established the first fruits principle.
Those two together form the understanding of the cherem principle.
Cherem is a hebrew word -- first mentioned in:
(Lev 27:16 NIV) "’If a man dedicates to the LORD part of his family land,
the word "dedicate" means to "set apart and to make ceremonially clean"
If a man dedicates to the LORD part of his family land, its value is to be set according to the amount of seed required for it--fifty shekels of silver to a homer of barley seed.
.... (Lev 27:19 NIV) If the man who dedicates the field wishes to redeem it, he must add a fifth to its value, and the field will again become his.
(Lev 27:20 NIV) If, however, he does not redeem the field, or if he has sold it to someone else, it can never be redeemed.
(Lev 27:21 NIV) When the field is released in the Jubilee, it will become holy, like a field devoted to the LORD; it will become the property of the priests.
That word "devoted" is the first time the word "Cherem" is used.
The word means " a doomed object, something set for extermination, a cursed thing, something destined for utter destruction."
It is translated as the word "doomed, devoted, accursed, and utterly destroyed."
The principle of cherem being the first fruits is explained in (Josh 6:17 NKJV)
"Now the city shall be doomed by the LORD to destruction, it and all who are in it. Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
(Josh 6:18 NKJV) "And you, by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.
Did you know the greatest detriment to the blessing of your home is keeping the "cherem"?
The greatest hinderance to your business prospering is trying to operate on "cherem".
What happens when we keep the tithe -- the first fruits -- the "cherem?
Look at the book of Joshua again ...
Jericho was the first fruits -- first city they were going to conquer in the new promised land.
It sounds cruel that God would not let Israel have any of the spoils of Jericho -- after all it had been 40 years since they had been to the mall.
But God requires the cherem -- the devoted thing -- the accursed thing -- the first fruits -- the tithe ....
(Josh 7:1 NKJV) But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things; so the anger of the LORD burned against the children of Israel.
How many know it is not a good thing to have the "anger of the Lord burning against you?"
Theological question -- did God lose the ability to get angry when he wrote the new testament?
Did He change his standards of what is right when he wrote the new testament?
Back to the Jericho story -- Jericho was a "cherem" city -- doomed for destruction -- an accursed thing.
(Josh 7:2 NKJV) Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, "Go up and spy out the country." So the men went up and spied out Ai.
(Josh 7:3 NKJV) And they returned to Joshua and said to him, "Do not let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not weary all the people there, for the people of Ai are few."
(Josh 7:4 NKJV) So about three thousand men went up there from the people, but they fled before the men of Ai.
(Josh 7:5 NKJV) And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water.
You see it was now time to move on and claim the blessings God had promised --
The holy spirit brought this to my attention --
Israel had to choose to remain in the desert -- with what little they stole from God ..
Or move on into the blessings -- the cities, the gardens, fields....
Too many people have chosen to take God’s part instead of God’s blessing.
Revelation here --
If israel had never tired to move forward -- what Aichan stole might never be found out.
He would have had God’s portion -- but not God’s blessing.
Only when Israel decided to move forward and taske possession of the blessing did the sin come out.
Back to Joshua -- (Josh 7:10 NKJV) So the LORD said to Joshua: "Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face?
(Josh 7:11 NKJV) "Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them.
For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff.
(Josh 7:12 NKJV) "Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction.
Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you.
What powerful words from God --
Let’s read on ...(Josh 7:13 NKJV) "Get up, sanctify the people, and say, ’Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says the LORD God of Israel:
"There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel;
you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you."
What a revelation -- you cannot see the defeat of your enemies until you remove the accursed thing from your midst.
Is it possible that this explains why you seem to be beating your head against wall -- never seeing the enemy defeated?
Let’s keep reading ...(Josh 7:16 NKJV)
So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel by their tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken.
(Josh 7:17 NKJV) He brought the clan of Judah, and he took the family of the Zarhites; and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man, and Zabdi was taken.
(Josh 7:18 NKJV) Then he brought his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
(Josh 7:19 NKJV) Now Joshua said to Achan, "My son, I beg you, give glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me."
(Josh 7:20 NKJV) And Achan answered Joshua and said, "Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I have done:
(Josh 7:21 NKJV) "When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them.
And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it."
Achan said you know, "it’s been 40 years since I got a new coat" -- "if I took my tithe and bought me a coat, God would understand."
He said "if I pay tithe, I won’t have anything left to put in savings. And we really need some gold put back. After all they are expecting a real calamity in that Y1KBC thing coming up."
"God doesn’t need all that gold and silver -- and my family does."
"Besides that tithing thing was an Abrahamic covenant thing -- it doesn’t apply to us today."
Let’s keep reading --
(Josh 7:24 NKJV) Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the garment, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and they brought them to the Valley of Achor.
(Josh 7:25 NKJV) And Joshua said, "Why have you troubled us? The LORD will trouble you this day." So all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.
(Josh 7:26 NKJV) Then they raised over him a great heap of stones, still there to this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Achor (valley of calamity) to this day.
You make some decisions about whether you remain in the dryness of the desert or move on to the blessing.
But you cannot move on to God’s blessing as long as you hold on to God’s portion.
The normal next phase or quesiton is "what do we do with the tithe, the first fruits, the cherem"?
Note -- Abel brought the first fruits to God, Abram brought the tithe to the priest, or the physical representation of the temple.
For Jericho God required anything of great value -- gold, silver, precious jewels -- fine art, etc was placed in the house of God -- the temple.
The concept is explained in Malachi --
(Mal 3:7 NKJV) Yet from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances And have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," Says the LORD of hosts. "But you said, ’In what way shall we return?’
(Mal 3:8 NKJV) "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ’In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.
(Mal 3:9 NKJV) You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.
(Mal 3:10 NKJV) Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.
The bringing of the tithe -- the cherem into the storehouse -- the temple where you attend -- sanctifies it and removes the curse.
Important to note -- it doesn’t say mail the tithe -- it says bring it.
Your tithe does not belong to TV ministries.
Your tithe does not belong in building fund or any other fund-- if you can tell God what to do with it -- you really didn’t give it to him.
Your tithe is not for blessing the homeless.
Some of you are stuck in the desert. you are operating with a desert mentality --
You are forfeiting the blessings because you won’t turn loose of the portion.
God’s portion is not God’s blessing.
You see -- Israel knew God’s provision in the desert -- but they did not know God’s blessing.
You cannot know God’s blessing until you turn loose of God’s portion.
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