Tithing
Note on number 7 in the previous post:

If I hear one more message on the tithe based upon Malachi 3:6-12 I think I might actually scream. Preachers use that verse to get people to give to their churches. "You're robbing God if you don't tithe...test Him...He wants you to put Him to the test on this one thing." One church I know even gives a "Money Back" guarantee if you aren't "blessed" by tithing to their church.

Now, I don't disagree that perhaps by not tithing we could be robbing God. But I think we miss the context of the tithe entirely. In the Torah¹ the tithe is described most clearly in the following passage from Deuteronomy 14:

Tithes
Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. 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. 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), then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the LORD your God will choose. 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. And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own.
At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, 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.

The book of Numbers clarifies for us that part of the tithe was to be presented as an offering in the Temple and that part belonged to the sons of Aaron--the priests and a portion of it was to serve as the inheritance of the Levites.

Honestly, I like the Scriptural version of the tithe rather than the version I hear in most churches. How cool would it be to use the tithe of your annual income to pay for a big cook-out for your family at the end of the year? You invite the pastor and the poor over...what a time! And every three years, your tithe is completely dedicated to those who have no inheritance. That's the storehouse God is talking about in Malachi. God repeatedly identifies Himself with the poor and disinherited in the Scriptures. By not brining food into the storehouse, the Israelites were not taking care of those members of their society. Why don't we present it that way to our congregations: "Hey, gang. We're robbing God by not using a tithe of our stuff to take care of the poor."

It seems that we've confused the tithe with the Temple tax...the money used to take care of the Temple facility and its services. Of course the word tax would be harder to sell to congregations. "At this time in our service, we will now take up the taxes and offerings."

¹Of course, the New Testament doesn't mention the tithe at all. It does mention offerings to support the poor, and as well as passages that suggest that church leaders are supported by the congregation. I guess if we were to actually keep the tithe, we should be giving our money to a synagogue somewhere.

Here's a great humorous link about tithing.
posted by Jimmy at 9:36 AM | |