Definition and Tithing According to Mosses
What is the tithe?
It is the “gateway for the believer into the covenant of blessings,” a payment or giving or receiving of the tenth.
The tithe is that tenth of our income that we give to God, which enables Him to move on our behalf in the area of blessings.
The tithe principle is this; “He gives unto us, we give back to Him one-tenth of all that He has blessed us with.”
Many Christians do not tithe because they have been taught that they are not under the law, but under grace. While this is a true statement, God did not institute the tithe to bring us under the law, but to get blessings to His children.
Tithing According to the Law as Given by Moses
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 unto the LORD.
Leviticus 27:30
This scripture states that all the tithe, whether it be seed of the land, fruit of the tree, or one tenth of all that you earn, is holy unto the Lord. Deuteronomy 14:22-29 states that one-tenth of all that comes into your possession, belongs to God. This was God’s plan to instruct His people as to the way of blessings that He had for them. God is a multiplier by nature, and He could not multiply that which was not entrusted to Him.
When the children of Israel were obedient to give back to God that which was His, increase was guaranteed. Scripture states, It’s better to be obedient than to sacrifice. When the children of Israel were obedient, blessings came; when they were disobedient, they had to sacrifice. Many Christians today are wanting God to honor the covenant that He has with His children, but disobedient children cannot receive the same reward as the obedient.
The strongest chain is only as strong as its weakest link. When we fail to tithe, we become that weak link.
Malachi 3:8 asks the question “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.”
Statistics show that approximately 20% of Christians tithe. That means, 80% of Christendom is not in covenant with their God, but are like beggars and thieves looking for handouts and what they can steal from Him.
“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
When people see the tithe as an instrument of blessing, they will not be looking for a way to give less, but a way to give more. God will help them so that they can be generous on every occasion.
Adapted from “The Bible and Tithing,” by Pastor Eddie Cude. Follow the link to read the entire article.