This is Part III of the article on “Is Tithing a Biblical Requirement Today.” Because of the extensive Biblical research involved, it will be posted in 15 Parts. Although this subject may be controversial, the Bible tells us to, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15). “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32).
Only Levite priests could collect tithes.
Numbers 18:24-28, “But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the Lord, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.
And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the Lord, even a tenth part of the tithe. And this your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshing floor, and as the fullness of the winepress. Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the Lord of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the Lord’s heave offering to Aaron the priest.” According to these Scriptures, only the Levites could collect tithes.
Only food products from the land were to be tithed.
Deuteronomy 12:6, 7, 11, 12, 17, 18, “And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flock. And there, ye shall eat before the Lord your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the Lord thy God hath blessed thee. Then there shall be a place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the Lord. And ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God, ye, and your sons and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that is within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you. You may not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of the flocks, nor any of thy vows which thou vow, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of your hand: But you must eat them before the Lord thy God in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose…”
Deuteronomy 14:22-29, “Thou shall truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field brings forth year by year.” “And you shall eat before the lord your God, in the place which He shall choose to place His name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of your oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks: that thou may learn to fear the Lord thy God always. And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the Lord thy God shall choose to set His name there, when the Lord thy God hath blessed thee: Then shall thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in your hand, and shall go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose: And thou shall bestow that money for whatsoever your soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever your soul desires: and you shall eat there before the Lord thy God, and thou shall rejoice, thou, and thine household. And the Levite that is within thy gates, thou shall not forsake him; for he has no part, nor inheritance with thee. At the end of three years thou shall bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shall lay it up within thy gates: And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of your hand which thou doest.”
Deuteronomy 26:12, “When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of your increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and has given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled.”
Israel never tithed from their poverty, but only on their increase. According to what we read, God never intended for people to tithe on what they didn’t have, but only on the increase of what God gave them.
PART IV TOMORROW
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