I don’t think any subject has more deep-rooted bitterness surrounding it than this one. A resentment towards people who have abused their tithe is almost universal in the church today. This article is targeted specifically at those who are familiar with the tithing doctrines of the tattered stragglers of what was once the Worldwide Church of God; I say targeted because these groups, in bickering amongst themselves, have produced a rather massive amount of literature on the subject, almost all of which is wrong.

Who am I to say that? I am, perhaps alone of all people who have written on this subject, nearly impartial; I say nearly because only a fool claims full impartiality as long as he has a heart that “lusteth to envy.” But I am impartial in so much that unlike the “maximalists” – those who lean towards you paying as much as the Bible allows – I don’t want your money. Oh, they all say that, but I really don’t. I don’t have a work to support, I don’t have a car I want you to buy for me; I work for a living and I support myself. Nor am I trying to get you to give your money to a certain organization. This makes me unique among that group, as far as I know.

On the other hand, the “minimalists” believe that there is no law of tithing today, and we just give whatever we feel like at the time. Couched in terms like “compassion” and “love,” we are to give “offerings,” not because of any obligation, but because we are good people. These people believe that tithing is done away, or at least changed so far as to be unrecognizable. For the most part these people are bitter about having given “20 or 30 percent of their income” so that Herbert Armstrong (henceforth referred to as HWA) could live and house his ministers in a fashion that bordered on, and in some cases exceeded, royalty.

They resent having given their tithes to an organization that they felt didn’t need or misused it, and condemn the ministry for not having “trusted God” to supply their needs, and instead “intimidated” and “browbeat” the members with “guilt trips” to squeeze every last penny from them.

I am different from the minimalists, and more objective, because I don’t resent Worldwide; although I personally didn’t, my family paid tithes (all of them) to Worldwide or some offshoot of it as far back as 50 years ago. In addition to offerings and financial requests. They (and I) feel that all the tithes they gave were well rewarded for the things they learned for it, and would gladly pay twice as much to receive the same amount again.

So you see, I don’t care one way or the other; I neither want your money, nor resent people taking “my money.” I am more than happy to give 20 or 30%, and would happily give more if I thought it was needed or required. On the other hand, if the minimalists are correct, I could spend that 20% on new DVDs or 4-wheelers as well as you could.

So it is on this basis that I say, that the majority of the tracts on the subject of tithing are wrong. One article in particular on the subject “How Should We Give To God” by Norm Edwards is highly revered among the offshoots of Worldwide today. Since it is essentially a summary of the disagreements in the church today on tithing, I address most of the points in it in this paper.

HOW MANY TITHES

The maximalist believes that there is one tenth for the church for salary, buildings, and preaching the gospel, one tenth for yourself for travel and celebration expenses at the feast (some of which you give to the church also), and every third year in a seven year cycle a third tenth is given for “the poor,” which is usually sent to headquarters to be redistributed in various ways. The minimalist camp is divided; one side believes tithing is not commanded in the new testament, period. Every man gives as he feels he should. The other believes tithing is commanded, but only one tenth – out of which the feast expenses, ministry, building, gospel, and poor are paid. Who determines these proportions varies. So who is right?

Let’s see. There was a tithe commanded in the Old Testament. A tithe is just an old word that means “tenth.” So tithe=tenth, and vice versa. Same Hebrew word. No one debates these two points, so let’s start from there. God gave the tithe – along with the offerings and a few other things – to Levi.

Numbers 18:20-21 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. And, behold, I have given the children of Levi ALL the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Verse 21 is particularly relevant, so let’s read it in the Young’s Literal Translation (YLT)

Verse 21 and to the sons of Levi, lo, I have given ALL THE TENTH in Israel for inheritance in exchange for their service which they are serving—the service of the tent of meeting.

Now what does that say? It says that the God gave the tithe – the tenth – ALL of the tenth out of Israel to Levi, IN EXCHANGE, or AS PAYMENT FOR their service in the temple. He didn’t say that He told Israel to set aside a tenth, out of which to pay the Levites, build the temple, travel to the feasts, take care of the poor, and give offerings, did He? That would have been stealing from the Levites, whom God had ALREADY GIVEN ALL OF THAT TENTH!

Now consider the comparison. God gave to Reuben, for example, a portion of land across the river Jordan. That was their inheritance. God specifically compares Levi’s “inheritance” of a tithe to the other tribes receiving their inheritance of land. So when God gave Reuben his inheritance, did He then further command Reuben to take of that land, and give some to the poor, and sell some so he could travel? No, on the contrary, that land of Reuben’s COULD NEVER BE SOLD! It was his, FOREVER!

By the same token then, God gave Levi one TITHE. It was Levi’s, free and clear. It was his inheritance, the only one he received; And that tithe could not be stolen, sold, or given away, any more than Reuben’s land could be. God made sure of this by making all offerings to God hallowed – holy – so that only male priests could eat of them (with minor exceptions). So in order to have these tithes usable by Levi to buy things from other tribes, or to feed their families Levi had to pay a TITHE on THOSE tithes!

Numbers 18:26-31 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 threshingfloor, and as the fulness 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.
Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the LORD, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it.
Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshingfloor, and as the increase of the winepress.
And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation.

To summarize that rather long passage, when the tribes of Israel set aside a tenth out of their flocks, it was holy unto the Lord:

Leviticus 27:32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.

And only a priest could eat of the holy things, and as a rule only in the temple. So in order for this “holy tithe” that God had given to Levi to be usable by anyone else, it had to be “laundered” so to speak. So by paying a tithe on that tithe, that tithe of the tithe – now 1% of the original income of Israel upon which they tithed – became holy instead of the other nine-tenths and was given to Aaron, while the rest of the tithe became “unhallowed” and could be eaten “in every place” by “ye and your households.”

So by this method, God made certain that NO ONE but Levi could EVER eat of the tithe (tenth) given to Levi, until after Levi paid his tithe to Aaron! And so you see, when God commanded a tithe to be given to Levi, He meant that ONE COMPLETE, WHOLE TENTH was to be given to Levi. Not various portions of the same tithe used in different ways.

SECOND TITHE

For the sake of simplicity, we refer to the tithe we just discussed as “first” tithe, although that term isn’t in the Bible. There was also another, “second” tithe. Remember, the first tithe is holy (Leviticus 27:32 again, among other places). And only the priest may eat of the holy things (stated dozens of places in the Bible, specifically Leviticus 22:10-16). Bear that in mind as you read about this “tithe” in the next passage:

Deuteronomy 14:22-23 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. AND THOU SHALT EAT before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.

As everyone agrees from context, this chapter is talking about the pilgrimage festivals. And this refers to taking a tithe of ALL the increase of your seed, and EATING IT at the feast! Besides the fact that Levi’s tithe was Levi’s inheritance, and not for anyone else to use in any other way, LEVI’S TITHE WAS HOLY AND ONLY A PRIEST COULD EAT IT! And so if you are eating a TITHE before the Lord at the feast, you have to be eating A DIFFERENT TITHE – a different TENTH!

Deuteronomy 14:24-26 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 shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,

And notice a complete distinction of purpose! FIRST tithe was a PAYMENT to Levi for his work in the temple, but THIS tithe must be bestowed “for whatever your soul lusts after.” Not the bare necessities, as some would have you think, but WHATEVER your soul lusts after! Remember, throughout history man’s diet has been one that couldn’t afford daily meat, and wine was consumed sparingly; but this describes a time when you could have BEEF, and LAMB, and WINE, or WHATEVER your heart desires!

In our time that would translate into unusual cheeses we can’t ordinarily afford, good wines and top shelf margaritas, or WHATEVER your soul lusts after to enjoy and REJOICE before God, both you AND YOUR HOUSE! With this TENTH that has been saved from your work since the last feast!

Those tithes simply cannot mesh into one. Those who try to make them one must lower the feast to a “bare minimum expenditure,” and make the feast, the ministry, the gospel, and and the poor all fit into one small tenth.

Verse 27 And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.

And this scripture is heavily relied on to do that. They say that since the Levite is mentioned in both scriptures, “clearly” they must be the same tithe! When all it says is not to forsake him as you go to the feast. That that tithe goes to support the feast work of the Levites (a time when ALL priests were in the temple working). That you give out of that feast tithe to make sure that the feast runs, and that you give to those who have less. Unlike giving the Levite a flat 10% and saving another 10% for the feasts, giving to the Levite for feast expenses (hall rentals, setting up entertainment, food, etc) and helping those who have less than you IS actually a matter of discretion.

There is also a third tithe mentioned, which further indicates that all tithes cannot be one;

Deuteronomy 14:28-29 At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt 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 thine hand which thou doest.

This can’t be first tithe, because the “stranger” eats it, and the stranger cannot eat first tithe. Furthermore, you wouldn’t suspend the activities of the priesthood every three years to feed the poor, and no mention of a division is made here or anywhere else.

This can’t be second tithe, because if you spend a “tenth” on charity, you can’t be spending “a tenth to go to the feast.” And, if this tenth is “ALL” “laid up within your gates” and the poor come “in your gates” and eat of it…

Deuteronomy 12:17 Thou mayest 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 thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand:

…Then that directly contradicts this scripture specifically speaking of second tithe which forbids the eating of second tithe “within your gates!” Which means this must be a THIRD tithe. I won’t get into the details about that, because for now it doesn’t matter. The point is, there are THREE tithes mentioned in the old testament. Not one that was divided as every man saw fit, but THREE.

DOES IT APPLY TO US OR NOT?

Now. If you’ve followed me so far, we’re making progress. Now the BIG question; does ANY of that matter to us today? Moses’ law was done away, and with it the Levitical system, so is all of that a moot point?

If you’re still in the Church, whatever branch you are in, then you probably believe in unclean meats, the holy days, the sabbath, etc. You also don’t eat fat or blood. From the New Testament, proving any of these is not easy. To do it, we rely on Old Testament scriptures that commanded things to be done “forever.”

For example: fat is not mentioned in the New Testament at all. Why not just eat the fat now? Because God said not to AND HE NEVER RESCINDED THAT COMMAND!

God said to obey the Sabbath; we have tacit observances of the Sabbath in the NT, but Christ never specifically commanded it. If you don’t believe that, ask a Baptist. So why do we keep it? Because we see the example in the NT, and after making clear commands in the OT, GOD NEVER COUNTERMANDED THAT ORDER!

The holy days are almost nonexistent in the New Testament; which is why the Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and others don’t keep them. We have one command to “keep the feast” in 1 Corinthians, and a few references to Paul “hoping to make it by the feast,” which is not a command to KEEP the feast, but merely a statement that he wanted to be someplace BY the feast when the Jews are gathered together (or at least, that’s what the Protestants say). So why do we keep it? Because THEY WERE COMMANDED FOREVER!

Unclean meats, to the cursory examination, actually appear to have been DONE AWAY by the NT. They weren’t, but it looks that way to most people, and without a lot of work (and references to the OT) it is hard to prove otherwise. And yet you don’t eat unclean meats. Why? BECAUSE GOD DIDN’T TELL YOU HE CHANGED HIS MIND!

You already know where I am going with this, but I’ll say it anyway; show me where God said that He commanded a tithe in the OT and that He later changed His mind, and we don’t have to tithe. It isn’t there. There are a few examples of Paul NOT ACCEPTING tithe, but that ISN’T the same thing. Let’s look at the primary one people quote:

2 Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

So there, they say, is the NEW TESTAMENT tithe; every man doing what is right in HIS OWN EYES (Compare Deuteronomy 12:8, Judges 17:6, and Proverbs 12:15). Every man GIVING freely to support the work and the full-time ministry, but not being OBLIGATED to give 10% or any given number.

READ THE CONTEXT PEOPLE! This was NOT a tithe situation! This was NOT money Paul was accepting for the support of the ministry! This was NOT money to go to pay for a festival! This was money for another church that was poor! This was a FREE WILL OFFERING, NOT A TITHE!

Starting in 2 Corinthians 8:1, Paul starts talking about a church in poverty in Macedonia, who even though they had little gave them money to distribute to the other churches. And Paul uses that example (verse 8) to shame the Corinthians (yes, shame is the proper word) into doing what they had promised to do a year ago (verse 10) and put their money where their mouth was (verse 11). And he said he did this not to burden them…

Verse 14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:

This abundance was to be a supply for THEIR WANT! Not for Paul’s wants! Not to support the ministry! But to supply for the needs of a poverty-stricken congregation! And for a FREE WILL offering, it is by DEFINITION FREE to be however much YOU WANT TO GIVE! Not of necessity, nor grudgingly, BUT BECAUSE IT IS YOUR FREE WILL TO GIVE IT!

Verse 9:13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto THEM, and unto all men;

These offerings were for distribution to THEM! Not for distribution to the Apostles, headquarters, Titus, or Paul, but to THEM! But this cannot be used as a proof one way or another of a tithe in the NT!

The other scripture, also of Paul and also involving Corinthians, was in response to people who were accusing him of taking money from the church people.

1 Corinthians 9:3-6 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this, Have we not power to eat and to drink? Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

Cephas is another name for the apostle Peter who by all accounts carried around quite an entourage when he went places, with his wife and other apostles. And Paul demands of the Corinthians a rhetorical question: DO WE NOT HAVE THE RIGHT to the finances to lead about not only ourselves, but also all these people with us? And to eat and drink? Isn’t that our RIGHT?? Not a matter of “free will offerings” or “giving as he is able,” but as a GOD GIVEN RIGHT? He then proceeds to justify his right… (you probably know these scriptures fairly well so I will try to hit the highlights)

Verses 7-11 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof?… Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn… For our sakes, no doubt, this is written:… If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

Paul justifies his point by saying that if a man works in his vineyard, he deserves a living off that vineyard; and if a man works in the gospel, he deserves a living from that gospel. And it is not a question of however the people want to handle it, and give however much they wanted – they had a God-given OBLIGATION to give Paul their “carnal things” in exchange for his spiritual things!

Verse 12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

And these people had acknowledged that fact by giving to OTHER people of their carnal things – and they hadn’t complained then! But now they were condemning Paul for taking them, when Paul HADN’T even taken them! And Paul basically says that he had every right to take them if he’d wanted to, but he hadn’t.

Verses 13-15 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? EVEN SO HATH THE LORD ORDAINED THAT THEY WHICH PREACH THE GOSPEL SHOULD LIVE OF THE GOSPEL. But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.

So Paul didn’t take money, therefore (despite no scriptures that say this!) they conclude that NT testament tithing is done away! Besides the fact that that logic is incredibly weak, PAUL HIMSELF COUNTERMANDED THAT STATEMENT!

2 Corinthians 11:7-8 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely? I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.

Paul says that he ROBBED other churches by taking wages – already established as HIS RIGHT – from other churches, in order to minister to the Corinthians for free. He thinks that this may have been an offense – a mistake – and after musing about it and a few other things in the rest of the chapter, he concludes in

2 Corinthians 12:13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? FORGIVE ME THIS WRONG.

Paul says that he REGRETS having not charged them! He says he WRONGED them, and ROBBED from other churches by not collecting his due from them, and by supporting himself instead! Citing that Paul “made tents” and therefore “NT tithing doesn’t exist,” PAUL SAYS IS WRONG! He says IT WAS A MISTAKE!

The Greek word used for “wrong” (adikia) is in the Bible 25 times; in 16 of this it is translated “unrighteousness,” as in:

Romans 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness <adikia> unto sin:…

Paul says begs forgiveness for HIS UNRIGHTEOUSNESS in not charging them and supporting himself instead! By doing so, he yielded himself as an instrument of UNRIGHTEOUSNESS!

A 10% TITHE?

Now that those objections are soundly dealt with, let’s look at what really happened; see if tithing, in the good old 10% fashion is still binding today. I have two good lines of reasoning I will use, both totally independent. Only one has to be right for it to be binding today.

God offered a promise to Jacob as he was on his way to his uncle’s place where he was to meet his wife and live for the next 40 years….

Genesis 28:13-15 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

These were the promises of God to Jacob. Jacob awoke, visibly impressed, built an altar and accepted the deal God had offered him, and added a few bonus conditions:

Genesis 28:20-22 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the TENTH unto thee.

Jacob restated what God had promised – to be with him, and protect him – and Jacob responded saying that if God did His part, he would do all that God had said, and God would be his God… AND that of all the things God gave him (the promises He had just made) he would give a tenth back to God.

Since Melchizedek was the high priest of the most high God at the time, prior to the establishment of the Levitical priesthood, Jacob’s intention was probably to give it to Him, just as his grandfather had done. But however it is that he intended to give it to God, the deal they made was very clear – one tenth was God’s, nine tenths were Jacob’s.

As we know, God held up His end and gave Jacob children as the sands of the sea and enormous wealth so that all of northwestern Europe and most of north America are his descendants. But Jacob DIED BEFORE HE SAW THESE PROMISES FULFILLED! Jacob was UNABLE to fulfill his end of the bargain, so GOD DID IT THROUGH HIS CHILDREN! And to this day, the descendants of Israel are BOUND by the oath of their ancestor Jacob to give a tenth part of all that they earn to God! Not part to their feast purposes, part to the poor, part to their grandmother and part to the church! But ONE FULL TENTH OF ALL God gives to the children of Israel is GOD’S!

It’s as if you and I started up a corporation; you gave me 20,000 dollars to start my business in exchange for 10% of the stock. When I die, my heirs inherit my 90% of the stock – but the deal with you continues! And it is PERPETUAL! And if I EVER take ONE PENNY of that 10% that is yours, IT IS STEALING, which brings us to the famous scripture in Malachi…

Malachi 3:8-9 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.

Notice it isn’t “just the priests” who robbed, as some say it is, but YOU, THIS WHOLE NATION OF ISRAEL ROBBED GOD by not giving him a FULL 10% of their increase! Because God has invested in the nation of Israel, and DESERVES 10% to use however He sees fit!

So what do you care? Maybe you’re descended from Indian, African or Chinese heritage, and not a child of Israel. You’re not obligated to this covenant, are you? No, you WEREN’T! But if you become a member of the church of God, YOU ARE GRAFTED INTO THE NATION OF ISRAEL (Romans 11)! And as a part of that nation, YOU ARE PARTAKER OF IT’S BLESSINGS AND IT’S DEBTS!

And that means you owe God 10% of your increase in honor of His agreement with your adopted father Jacob!

HEBREWS 7 – ALL THAT REALLY NEEDS SAID

Someone honestly looking for the truth and not trying get money out of the church people or trying to get out of paying money to the church need really read no further than Hebrews 7 to find absolute proof that tithing was never rescinded and is just as binding today if not more so than it ever was. Again I’m just quoting the high points

Hebrews 7:1-2 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all;…

Melchisedec was Christ of course; He was the high priest before Aaron took over the job. His office almost certainly started at the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3, but that’s another story. To Christ, then, high priest, Abraham gave a tenth part of “all.” Mind you, this was 450 years before the Exodus and the Levitical covenant.

Verse 3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.

Melchisedec is alive today and is now a priest forever. He is our high priest, actually, since Aaron was removed from office.

Verses 4-5 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. 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:

Now read that carefully; this man was greater than Levi or Aaron (He was Christ, duh). Now Levi had A COMMANDMENT (not a suggestion!) to take tithes of the people ACCORDING TO THE LAW (and we already read what those commandments were – this chapter primarily speaks of first tithe, which was given to Levi himself, but if that stands the other two stand as well).

So then, Levi had a commandment to take these tithes from the people, even though they were all children of Abraham. The subject is clearly that LEVI TOOK TITHES.

Verses 6-7 But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.

But Melchisedek (Christ) took tithes from Abraham! In exchange for a blessing! And since the greater blesses the less (and by extension, the lesser gives tithes to the greater!), Melchizedek is better than Abraham.

Verses 8-10 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

And so here we see that Levi was in a sense in the loins of Abraham paying tithes to Melchisedec. So Levi RECEIVED tithes, and PAID Melchisedec tithes. We draw from this that Melchisedec was the high priest of God on earth from creation to Moses. At that time, God set up a new priesthood under the old covenant and placed Aaron as literal high priest instead of Jesus (although Aaron, since he paid tithes to Melchisedec through Abraham, in a sense was always subjected to Jesus).

The tithe that had been used by Melchisedec to support the work of the temple (whatever that was at the time of Abraham) was then given by God to Aaron and to the Levites under him. Since Melchisedec wasn’t doing the job at the time, He gave the money that came with the job to the person who WAS doing it – Levi.

Verse 11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

But the Levites and the order (rank) of Aaron were not perfect, and so ANOTHER high priest was needed to rise after the order (rank) of Melchisedec!

Verse 12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the LAW.

And when that priesthood changed at the resurrection and acceptance of Jesus Christ as high priest with the rank of Melchisedec, THE LAW HAD TO CHANGE!

What law? GET THE CONTEXT, WHAT LAW?? What is the ONLY SINGLE SOLITARY LAW THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED FOR THE PAST 12 VERSES???

Verse 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...

When the priesthood changed and Levi was FIRED from his job as high priest, and no longer DID the job of the high priest in teaching the law and being the messenger of the Lord of Hosts (Malachi 2:7), HE STOPPED BEING ENTITLED TO TITHES! And then there had to be a CHANGE in the law – not a reversal, or a rescinding, or a cancellation of the law, but a CHANGE! No longer was the tribe of LEVI to get the tithe, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO WERE DOING THE JOB THAT LEVI FAILED TO DO WERE TO GET IT!

NOW the MELCHISEDEC PRIESTHOOD was again claiming the tithe! NOW that tithe – the full tenth promised by Jacob, given to Levi, was now given to THE priests of Melchisedec! To those people doing the job of a priest!

Malachi 2:7 For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

Did Paul do the job of a priest? Were the people “receiving the law at his lips?” Was he spreading the gospel? Then he was a priest of Melchisedec, and as he himself said, ENTITLED TO BE SUPPORTED BY THE CHURCH! And supported, as we see now, in the SAME FASHION as LEVI was supported – by TITHES – tenths – and offerings besides!

Was Peter? Phillip? Absolutely! Was HWA doing the job of the Melchisedec priesthood? More than any other single man in this century! And as such HE and those who worked for him and did the same job were ENTITLED to EVERY CENT that God promised to Levi! And HOW DARE anyone resent giving them that due, promised to them by God for their inheritance!!

LET US HEAR THE CONCLUSION

Bottom line, tithing wasn’t invented for Levi, it was invented for Melchisedec, to whom we clearly see that Levi paid tithes. And so when the Levitical priesthood was abolished, tithing couldn’t go along with it, because it hadn’t come in with it.

Galatians 3:17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

The tithe was invented for the support of the ministry and the spread of the gospel. When Melchisedec was doing that, He got the tithe. When Levi was doing that, he got the tithe. When Paul did that, he deserved the tithe. When HWA did that, he deserved the tithe. When you do that, you deserve the tithe.

Why is that so hard? God is able to provide your needs, whether you give 2% or 75% of your income. But that requires faith. Faith that God will actually DO as He promised He would do, and that faith is the one thing above all else that is lacking in today’s churches, and which is so totally left out of arguments about tithing.

Deuteronomy 14:22-23 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed,… that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.

That’s the real bottom line of tithing. That you can use it to learn to trust God. To fear Him. It’s a test commandment, just like the Sabbath. And if you’re so greedy that 10% of your income is too much to support a work you profess to believe in, whichever work that is, plus 10% more to celebrate before God and to support travel and living expenses to learn more about God at the holy days, then frankly you haven’t got a prayer of getting into the first resurrection anyway.