The Salvation Army Planned Giving Conference, 2008

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The Salvation Army Planned Giving Conference, 2008

Lecture Five

Is tithing a Christian concept?

The tithe is a God-specified and God-blessedbasic standard of giving

(Bible quotations throughout, unless otherwise indicated, are from the New International Version NIV. 1973, 1978, 1984. United Bible Society; and anglicised from

If the motivation and integrity of our giving to God are more important than the amount we give, then what about tithing? Is this still a valid Christian standard for our giving to God?

Some might point out that most references to tithing are in the Old Testament. Therefore, they might argue that tithing is an Old Covenant standard that Christ superseded rather than New Covenant expectation.

Old Testament background of tithing

Let us remind ourselves about the Old Testament background initially.

Abram

You will recall our earlier studies of Genesis 14:8-20 in discussing Principles One and Three. Abram was so thankful after God enabled him to the defeat the five kings that he gave one tenth (a tithe) of the spoil to priest and king,Melchizedek.

17 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).

18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying,
"Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth.

20 And blessed be God Most High,
who delivered your enemies into your hand."

Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Jacob

Abram’s grandson, Jacob, must have become aware and paid attention to the stories told by the now renamed Abraham. He would have learned that Abraham believed it was the right and proper thing to give one tenth of the spoil of the victory to Melchizedek. God had been good to his grandfather. That was why Jacob’s own father, Isaac; his mother, Rebecca; his slightly older twin, Esau; and the rest of the family and their servants were living securely in the land of Canaan.

So when Jacob ran from Esau after tricking his brother out of both birthright and his father Isaac’s blessing, he may well have had his grandfather’s example in mind (Genesis 28:10-22).

10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. 11 When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 There above it stood the LORD, and he said: "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."

16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it." 17 He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven."

18 Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. 19 He called that place Bethel, [c] though the city used to be called Luz.

20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear 21 so that I return safely to my father's house, then the LORD will be my God 22 and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth."

Footnotes:

1. Genesis 28:19Bethel means house of God.

Sleeping overnight with his head on a rock near the city of Luz, he became very aware of God’s presence. As Jacob paid attention, he saw a vision of angels ascending and descending where he was. His attention increased as his vision expanded to seeGod standing at the head of the stairway. God proclaimed that he would give Jacob the land on which he was laying, and that his descendants would spread out into the surrounding countryside. All people on earth would be blessed through Jacob and his children. Furthermore, God would watch over him and bring him back to the land from which he was running at that time.

Jacob responded with a declaration that the Lord was in this place but he had not been aware of it. Small wonder that he concluded this must be heaven’s gate! Although Jacob was not yetstronglycommitted to God, he committedhimself in a vow that if God would indeed watch over him and bring him back safely, the stone on which he rested would become God’s house (Beth-El), ‘and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth’ (28:22).

Jacob’s relationship with God was at a very early stage – the lowest level of the helix of growing relationships introduced with Principle One. As he lived and worked with Laban, secured his wives, and grew his family and wealth, his commitment continued to grow stronger.You will note Jacob’s more frequent references to God (demonstrating better awareness and attention) and his better responses and commitment to God (Genesis 31:3-16, 42, 53; 32:1)

Another significant breakthrough moment came at Peniel that strengthened his commitment to God (Genesis 32:22-32). His relationship with God still had to grow.

22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak."
But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."

27 The man asked him, "What is your name?"
"Jacob," he answered.

28 Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, [a] because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."

29 Jacob said, "Please tell me your name."
But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there.

30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, [b] saying, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared."

31 The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, [c] and he was limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the tendon attached to the socket of the hip, because the socket of Jacob's hip was touched near the tendon.

Footnotes:

1. Genesis 32:28Israel means he struggles with God.
2. Genesis 32:30Peniel means face of God.
3. Genesis 32:31 Hebrew Penuel, a variant of Peniel.

Jacob certainly was aware of and paid attention to the man who wrestled with him. He responded to the question ‘What is your name?’ and listened to the response – a response of great blessing. He tried to discover his opponent’s name so the relationship would continue. Jacob concluded that he had, ‘seen the face of God and yet my life was spared.’

The Scriptures do not tell us how Jacob fulfilled his promise made 20 years earlier of giving one tenth of all he had gained during those years to God. To which of God’s representativescould this gift of the tithe have been given (Principle Three)? Melchizedek would not have been alive or present to receive it. As all his possessions had crossed the ford of the Jabbok he could not make the offering to the heavenly visitor after the wrestling match.

I find interesting to speculate thatJacob’s tithe to God may have been the gift he made to Esau! In those days – and even more recently – without an established system of priests and worship, the oldest living member of the family often acted as priest or representative of God. Noah and Isaac as family heads built altars and made sacrifices to God.

In the pioneering 1840’s in New South Wales, my great, great grandfather, Thomas Southwell, also fulfilled such a role. Although at that stage he was a humble labourer, he loved the Lord and was an enthusiastic Wesleyan. He conducted regular family worship in his own home at Parkwood, near the Ginninderra Creek each Sunday. Eventually, neighbours joined the family for worship. Through his influence and example as family head, a Methodist church waseventually established in the district in 1862.[1]

Through his servants, and in direct conversation, Jacob refers to Esau as ‘lord’ (Genesis 32:18, 33:8,14). Was he serious when he said to Esau that ‘to see your face is like seeing the face of God’ (Genesis 33:10)? Perhaps Jacob hoped that Esau, like the loving deity who spared his life beside the Jabbok, would graciously forgive his earlier trickery and dishonesty!

Tithes to support the Levitical priesthood– and for celebration

Under the inspiration of God, the children of Israel were told very clearly that a tithe of everything belonged to the Lord (Leviticus 27:30-33).

30 " 'A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD. 31 If a man redeems any of his tithe, he must add a fifth of the value to it. 32 The entire tithe of the herd and flock—every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd's rod—will be holy to the LORD. 33 He must not pick out the good from the bad or make any substitution. If he does make a substitution, both the animal and its substitute become holy and cannot be redeemed.' "

Furthermore, Numbers 18:21-24 specifies that Levites are to receive these tithes as religious leaders of God’s people. As mentioned earlier (Principle Three), the Levites were to receive the tithes instead of a tribal land allocation and in recompense for their work in the tabernacle.

21 "I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the Tent of Meeting. 22 From now on the Israelites must not go near the Tent of Meeting, or they will bear the consequences of their sin and will die. 23 It is the Levites who are to do the work at the Tent of Meeting and bear the responsibility for offenses against it. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. They will receive no inheritance among the Israelites. 24 Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the LORD. That is why I said concerning them: 'They will have no inheritance among the Israelites.' "

The Levites, in turn, were to give a tithe of tithes to the Lord (Numbers 18:25-32) and to Aaron as God’s senior representative. That tithe was to be the best and holiest part of everything given to them by the people (Numbers 18: 29).

25 The LORD said to Moses, 26 "Speak to the Levites and say to them: 'When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I give you as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the LORD's offering. 27 Your offering will be reckoned to you as grain from the threshing floor or juice from the winepress. 28 In this way you also will present an offering to the LORD from all the tithes you receive from the Israelites. From these tithes you must give the LORD's portion to Aaron the priest. 29 You must present as the LORD's portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you.'

30 "Say to the Levites: 'When you present the best part, it will be reckoned to you as the product of the threshing floor or the winepress. 31 You and your households may eat the rest of it anywhere, for it is your wages for your work at the Tent of Meeting. 32 By presenting the best part of it you will not be guilty in this matter; then you will not defile the holy offerings of the Israelites, and you will not die.' "

Tithes were also given to enable celebration of God’s goodness (Principle One). This provision is outlined in Deuteronomy 14:22-31.

22 Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. 23 Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the LORD your God always. 24 But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the LORD your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the LORD will choose to put his Name is so far away), 25 then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the LORD your God will choose. 26 Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice. 27 And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own.

28 At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, 29 so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

So, the tithe could be eaten at a community feast every three years in the presence of the Lord, or exchanged for money so that a person could go and celebrate at the place the Lord would choose. Levites, aliens, widows and orphans would benefit as well. Again, the Israelites were reminded that the Levites had no allotment of land. Tithes not eaten would be stored so that the Levites would have sufficient to live on for the next three years. Then the peoplewould come together again from around the country for the next community feast of celebration of God’s goodness and replenish the Levites’ supplies.

Falling short of God’s expectations

Sadly, the Hebrews often fell short of God’s standard.

Malachi needed to remind the priests living in post-exilic times that only the best was good enough for God (1:6-14).

6 "A son honours his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honour due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?" says the LORD Almighty. "It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name.
"But you ask, 'How have we shown contempt for your name?'

7 "You place defiled food on my altar.
"But you ask, 'How have we defiled you?'
"By saying that the LORD's table is contemptible. 8 When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?" says the LORD Almighty.

9 "Now implore God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?"-says the LORD Almighty.

10 "Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you," says the LORD Almighty, "and I will accept no offering from your hands. 11 My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations," says the LORD Almighty.

12 "But you profane it by saying of the Lord's table, 'It is defiled,' and of its food, 'It is contemptible.' 13 And you say, 'What a burden!' and you sniff at it contemptuously," says the LORD Almighty.
"When you bring injured, crippled or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?" says the LORD. 14 "Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king," says the LORD Almighty, "and my name is to be feared among the nations.