Week Six Giving Series

The problem here was that the house of God was in shambles after the Jews were taken captive. They are now returned and they are building their own houses, but not God's house. God's house was taken care of by the tithes and offerings. They were not doing this, so what was cursed? Their crops, in essence their prosperity, were cursed. Does the last part of verse six sound like your paycheck? Does our economy based upon consumer debt sound like this passage? Have we not had some serious crop problems in the last few years? Is our nation blessed or cursed by our neighbors and the world?

OK, enough of the Old Testament, what about the New Testament?

Matthew 23:23

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Luke 11:42

But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

It is interesting that one of the few things that Jesus said the Pharisees did right was tithing. They had that down pat, but had trouble with weightier or more important matters of the law.

Luke 18:12

I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

They were so good at it that they were down right proud of their tithing and their fasting. But the rest of the story tells us this did not make them righteous.

Now there are some that say that we cannot "sneak back into the Old Testament" to teach any church doctrine, especially tithing. We are under grace and not under law. I agree that we are under grace, but I am also told many times that all scripture is of God and profitable for doctrine, learning, and example. (II Timothy 3:16; Romans 15:4; I Corinthians 10:11) Jesus and the Apostles quoted the Old Testament extensively. The following verse is especially interesting.

I Corinthians 9:9

For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

Paul was quoting this to prove that the Apostles had a right to receive a salary from those they ministered to, though they were choosing not to do so at that time. In a previous lesson we learned that the law was righteous. There is nothing wrong with the law except that no one can keep it perfectly: therefore, we cannot obtain salvation by seeking to keep it. Right is right and wrong is wrong, and it does not matter in which Testament I find it. Truth is eternal.

Genesis 14:18-20

18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all

Hebrews 7:5-9

5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: