“How much more would we understand about the Lord’s ways
if we spent as much time in our Bibles as we do in newspapers and magazines?”
Rick Joyner – “The End of the Age?”
if we spent as much time in our Bibles as we do in newspapers and magazines?”
Rick Joyner – “The End of the Age?”
What Test?
Do you ever recall when you were young
going to school and having a friend say to you,
“Are you ready?”
Your response might have been,
“Ready for what?”
They responded,
“For the test!”…
With a blank look on your face, you said,
“What test?”
I had the distinct honor of graduating in the top ten
of the bottom third of my high school class…
so I can relate to this.
There is another test we face from week to week
and many Christians, it is sad to say
don’t even realize they are taking it.
Let’s take a look at the third chapter of Malachi
to discover the intent of this exam.
Malachi is a book of restoration.
Chapter 1 – return to faith
Chapter 2 – return to family
Chapter 3 – return to proper finances
Chapter 4 – God returning to His people
The whole Bible (both Old and New Testaments)
is a progression of restoration:
Here is the Bible’s common theme:
“I will be their God
They will be my people
I will dwell among them.”
[See Exodus 29:46 & 2 Corinthians 6:16]
God’s desire for us is that we are in Him a perfect reflection of the Trinity
Perfect Love
Perfect Harmony
Perfect Unity
Perfect Grace
God’s desire is that we would be one with Him…
Just as the Father, Son and Spirit are One.
“…that all of them may be one, Father,
just as you are in me and I am in you.
May they also be in us
that the world will know that you have sent me.”
John 17:21-22 NIV
“As the father has loved me, so have I loved you.
Now remain in love .
If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love,
just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in love.”
John 15: 9-10NIV
God cannot change, He can’t change because He is perfect
God is God
There is not an Old Testament God
and a New Testament God
You can’t improve perfection!
In the Psalms it proclaims
“The ordinances of the Lord are sure
and altogether righteous.” Psalm 19:9b NIV
Ordinance:
Means ordinary or commonplace
An ordinance of God
is a principle of common behavior
i.e. The ordinances of God are common principles
that are absolutely right and holy.
We read from the third chapter of Malachi:
6. “ I the Lord do not change.
So you, O descendents of Jacob, are not destroyed
7. Ever since the time of your forefathers
you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them.
Return to me and I will return to you says the Lord Almighty.
But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’
8. Will a man rob God?
Yet you rob me.
In tithes and offerings.
9. You are under a curse - the whole nation of you –
because you are robbing me.
10. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse,
that there may be food in my house.
Test me in this says the Lord Almighty,
and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven
and pour out so much blessing
that you will not have room enough for it.
11. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops,
and the vines of your fields will not cast their fruit.
says the Lord Almighty.
12. Then the nations will call you blessed,
and yours will be a delightful land, says the lord Almighty.
13. You have said harsh things against me, says the Lord.
Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’
14. You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God.
What did we gain by carrying out his requirements
and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty?
15. But now we call the arrogant blessed.
Certainly the evildoers prosper
and even those who challenge God escape.
16. Then those who feared the Lord talked to each another,
and the Lord listened and heard.
A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence
concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name.
17. “They will be mine,” says the Lord Almighty,
“in the day when I make up my treasured possession.
I will spare them,
just as in compassion a man spares a son who serves him.
18. And you will again see the distinction
between the righteous and the wicked,
between those who serve God and those who do not.
Malachi 3:6-18NIV
The Tithe is a principle of God
that is often abused and neglected by God’s people
It is a test of the faithfulness of God’s people
each time you receive any remuneration.
‘Tithe’ literally means tenth or one-tenth (1/10 or 0.10)
The number ten (10) in the Scriptures represents testing or trials…
- There were ten (10) plagues against Egypt
Ten (10) testings of Pharaoh’s heart (Exodus Chapter 7-11)
- There were ten (10) commandments (Deuteronomy Chapter 5)
- There were ten (10) tests of God’s people in the wilderness (Exodus)
- There were ten (10) changes to Jacobs wages in his testing
(Genesis 31:7)
- There were ten (10) days of testing for Daniel (Daniel)
- There were ten (10) virgins tested awaiting the bridegroom
(Matthew 25:1-13)
- Parable of the ten (10) minas (Luke 19:11-27)
A little rabbit trail:
‘Sozo’ is the Greek word used in the Bible for Salvation:
It has three distinct meanings:
Forgiveness from sin: 1 Peter 2:24 ; Acts 4:12 ; Romans 10:9 ; Ephesians 2:8
Healing from sickness: Matthew 8:17 ; Matthew 9:22 ; Mark 6:56 ; Mark 10:52
Deliverance from demonic oppression: Luke 8:36 ; 2 Timothy 4:18 ; Jude 1:5
So when we are saved (‘sozoed’)
God’s intention is that we will be:
restored in righteousness
healed of all illness
delivered from any mental or demonic depression
End rabbit trail.
Let us now take a closer look of these verses from Malachi chapter three (3):
6. “ I the Lord do not change.
So you, O descendents of Jacob, are not destroyed
Malachi 3:6
Note: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever”
Hebrews 13:8 NIV
Our sin doesn’t destroy us, only because of God’s love and grace
Jesus is grace upon grace.
Again:
God cannot change
He can’t change because He is perfect
God is God
There is not an Old Testament God
and a New Testament God
7. Ever since the time of your forefathers
you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them.
Return to me and I will return to you says the Lord Almighty.
But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’
All we like sheep have gone astray
Each of us has turned to our own way. Isaiah 53:6
The big question asked in this verse is this!
How are we to return?
In other words…
How are we to show God
we desire to return to Him?
Here is God’s answer:
8. Will a man rob God?
Yet you rob me.
In tithes and offerings.
9. You are under a curse - the whole nation of you –
because you are robbing me.
10. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse,
that there may be food in my house.
Test me in this says the Lord Almighty,
and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven
and pour out so much blessing
that you will not have room enough for it.
God says we are to tithe to Him
He also clearly states the results of our tithing or failure to tithe.
Because we fail to tithe
the whole nation is under a curse:
I can’t help but wonder what part this has played
in the current economic climate in the world
Let’s be clear about what this is not saying.
It is not saying that God has placed a curse on us…
When we step out from under God’s prescribed commands
we leave ourselves open for the attack of the enemy,
and we can fall into a curse.
It is our own rebellion that results in the curse.
If we walk in obedience and tithe the result is that God will
“throw open the floodgates of heaven
and pour out so much blessing
that you will not have room enough for it.”
The intent here is that
we will be so blessed spiritually and materially
that we will become a conduit
of God’s blessing to others.
The Choice Simply is…
Do I want God’s blessing
Or
The enemies curse
Let’s be clear here,
the tithe is not the only avenue
to spiritual and material blessing,
but it is a foundational one,
one that can’t be bypassed or ignored.
It is like one of those required questions that must be answered on
the multiple question part of the test.
Some additional benefits of tithing:
11. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops,
and the vines of your fields will not cast their fruit.
says the Lord Almighty.
12. Then the nations will call you blessed,
and yours will be a delightful land, says the lord Almighty.
- The tithe will protect your “stuff ” from the enemy
- The tithe will make your land delightful
and cause others to see the blessing of God upon your life.
Now comes one of my favorite Scriptural quotes:
16. Then those who feared the Lord talked to each another,
and the Lord listened and heard.
A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence
concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name.
17. “They will be mine,” says the Lord Almighty,
“in the day when I make up my treasured possession.
I will spare them,
just as in compassion a man spares a son who serves him.
18. And you will again see the distinction
between the righteous and the wicked,
between those who serve God and those who do not.
What a promise!...
All this blessing is ours,
for following a simple principle of God:
- our names written in the Lord’s Book of Remembrance
- being part of God’s treasured possessions
- being spared, and receiving His compassion
- seeing the righteous blessed and the unrighteous judged.
Our Personal Example:
Warning: This example is several pages long.
So it you desire to skip it at the moment,
you can go directly to page 13 where the above study resumes…
Do not pass go, do not collect $200.00.
Just prior to moving to the Hershey area we had lived in upstate New York.
We had dabbled in real estate sales, buying “handy-man specials” fixing them up and turning them over. We had great success for a season and had saved quite a tidy sum of money.
Then an investment opportunity opened for us to build a new home (investing some sweat equity) and selling it for a profit. It seemed like a logical next step, so
we invested our savings in the project and financed the balance for the building of this home.
About two weeks prior to our completing the home the mortgage market took a nationwide dive. Interest rates went through the roof, upwards to 16-17% - if you could even find a bank to give you a mortgage. So there sat a brand new home with a ‘For Sale’ sign on it, but no buyers in sight. To compound the problem, I was not gainfully employed (actually between jobs, working part time in both real estate and in a restaurant as a cook.)
This story didn’t end with “happily-ever-after!”
After many months of paying the mortgage and our rent as well, it became apparent that we were heading for a financial impasse. After consulting with the bank and a lawyer friend of ours, we decided that we would surrender the property to the bank and eat the substantial financial loss. This was painful, but it preserved our credit standing. So when we moved to the Hershey area to work for Milton Hershey School, we were quite literally penniless and frankly a little disillusioned and bitter.
We stated again from scratch, building up a nest-egg for a home in the Hershey area. Over time we built up our savings and began looking locally for a home. The market was still fluctuating and we were looking but not seriously. Mortgage rates were still high, but money was available.
One day we drove past a small home in downtown Hershey that was for sale and decided to look at it. The owners were a young couple who had lived in Denver, Colorado, and they desperately wanted to return there. We knew real estate, so we made them a very low offer on the home and left. To our great surprise the following day they accepted our offer. We financed the home at 15.5%! Ouch.
Shortly after the purchase of this home, my wife LeAnn and I rededicated our lives to the Lord (September 1984). We had no concept of tithing. I personally thought I was doing God “a big favor” putting $10.00 in the offering on a Sunday.
About a year into our renewed walk with the Lord a traveling minister, Larry Cox, came through our area and spoke at our church about tithing.
I was immediately convicted by the Holy Spirit that we needed to start tithing immediately and get totally out of debt. This to me naturally meant the selling of the home in Hershey. The home we purchased was rented as we lived on the MHS campus.
The problem with my plan was that my wonderful wife (who paid all our bills) was not convicted, and saw no way that we could tithe 10% of our income and still
be true to our financial obligations. Nor was she willing to part from the home that we had sacrificed to purchase - after all the emotional upheaval we had gone through in New York.
We searched the Scriptures and prayed about it but in the end, we could not agree. Understanding that unity was essential to our walk and marriage, we made a compromise.
I agreed that we wouldn’t sell the house, and we agreed to test God at His word.
The Word does say “test me in this,” so we decided to try tithing for a month. I agreed that if we found we couldn’t pay our obligations after that month that we would stop tithing.
At the end of the first month of tithing, hallelujah, we had money left over. It seems that several times during that month we were blessed with unexpected checks in the mail, from family or corporate rebates etc. This encouraged us to commit hole-heartedly to tithing, which we did. The blessings continued.
The selling of our home was quite another matter. I was convinced God wanted us to put the house on the market so we could be debt free. So I secretly prayed that the Lord would change LeAnn’s heart. I never mentioned it again to her, just kept my petition before God as a frequent request: “Lord, if you want us to sell this home, please change Your daughters heart about it.”
A year later we were still tithing on our gross pay. We were now thoroughly convinced that this principle was exceptionally effective. Not only were things financially improved, but our spiritual lives were in overdrive. We were drawing closer and closer to the Lord and to His bride, the Body of Christ.
One evening after all the children were in bed, we were sitting at the kitchen table and LeAnn said to me, “I’m ready.” I said, “You’re ready for what?” “To sell the house,” she replied. I almost fell off my seat. A few weeks later we listed the house with a friend of ours who was a real estate broker in Hershey who actually lived on our block. By this time the market was much changed. In fact a substantial part of our blessing was that mortgage rates had come down and we had refinanced the house at 12%. The agent was confident the house would move
quickly in the Hershey market. It didn’t. The house sat on the market unsold for over six months. Homes all around us sold throughout our neighborhood, but not ours. The agent would often call or come see us to apologize saying: “I just don’t understand it, you’re house is so much better that some of the others I’ve sold and comparably priced. We would always console him saying, “The Lord has just the right couple for this house, and when they show up it will be sold.” Finally Jim came to us and said, “I think you should take the house off the market over the winter months, and try again in the Spring.
While all this is taking place I was also trying to complete my Masters Degree in Education at Temple University. I was at the point in the program that I only needed two courses to finish. Those courses were offered the summer we were trying to sell our house. We were making all our payments on bills and our mortgage, but the money for tuition was another matter. At the time a three credit course was about $350.00, so two courses required about $700.00. This was above and beyond our budget, even with the earlier blessings mentioned. We were convinced that God could do it, but time was getting short, registration was actually closed, but the Dean of the School of Education called me and said if I could get the money together in three days he would see that I got into the classes. So we prayed, and reminded the Lord of His promise in Malachi. (He really didn’t need reminding – but we were still young in the faith).
The following day when our mail arrived, there was a letter to me from Temple University. The letter simply stated: “Dear Mr. Jackson, our records show that you have overpaid your tuition costs by $700.00. Please accept our apologies for this error and find a check enclosed for the full amount.
Now we knew that there was no way we ever paid $700.00 access in tuition. But we saw this as God’s provision to allow me to finish my graduate studies. We pledged to the Lord that we were going to “borrow” this money and that we would pay it back to Temple University as soon as we could. The next day I hurried to the bank and then I registered for those last two classes, which allowed me to finish my degree.
This miracle was only followed by a greater one. Early one morning during the following week, we were sitting at our kitchen table having a cup of coffee. Suddenly a car pulled into our driveway and our boss came to the door. When he came in, he apologized for coming so early and unannounced. He said, “It’s the strangest thing, I drove right by your house, I wasn’t even thinking of you, when something made me turn around and come here. Are you guys all right?”
We both shared our hearts with him about how faithful God had been, and how we received the miracle money from Temple. We shared how tight our budget had been trying to juggle holding on to our home and pay tuition. At this time the school did not contribute to tuition for the position we held as house-parents.
After hearing all of this he simply said, “Well then, I guess it was no mistake that
I turned around after all. Fred you stop by my office in the morning.”
The next morning I was right there, and we again discussed the whole situation.
He then handed me a form and said fill this and let’s see what we can do. I was shocked and amazed. I looked at the form which asked to list the courses taken.
I asked him how many courses I should list on the form. “Well, let’s try for the last five you’ve taken.” Within a few days I had a check for $1750.00 in hand.
Not only was I blessed, but this incident spurred a policy change at the school, which opened tuition reimbursement for all house-parents. Needless to say, I sat right down and wrote Temple a check for their $700.00! God is good, all the time. He will often use your obedience to bless others.
See the account of Jacob and Laban in Genesis 28-29-30
What happened to the house? I’m so glad you asked.
In the midst of the Christmas holiday our boss came back to our kitchen for another visit. After the usual pleasantries he asked, “Have you sold your house yet?” We brought him up-to-date with the housing story. “Well,” he said “that’s good, because I’m here to tell you that a teaching position has opened up for you and you’re going to need to move. I guess God had your family in mind as that ‘special couple’ all along.”
We were overjoyed at the news, but at the same time somewhat perplexed about the house. We were sure that God had directed us to put it on the market. One morning shortly after the visit, LeAnn was in prayer about the whole matter and the Holy Spirit spoke to her and said, “Just as I asked Abraham to put Isaac on an alter I asked you to place your house there to see if you would be obedient.”
The family God had for the house was truly us, and now we were released to enjoy His provision. We have walked in this principle ever since and have been blessed and protected by God. Thru giving to the Lord begins after the tithe has been fulfilled.
End Example
Common Excuses for not tithing:
I. Tithing is only for the Old Testament
i.e. Tithing is under the law and we live under grace.
If we follow this reasoning to its illogical end point we would say:
A. It’s all right to lie, because lying was under the law.
B. It’s all right to steal, because stealing was under the law.
C. It’s all right to commit adultery
because adultery was under the law.
Jesus said that He came to fulfill the law and the Prophets.
If it was right under the law
then it is right under grace.
If it was wrong under the law
then it is wrong under grace.
Matthew 5:17-22, 27,28 NIV
17. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the Prophets;
I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
18. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear,
not the smallest letter, nor the least stroke of a pen,
will by any means disappear from the law
until everything is accomplished.
19. Anyone who breaks the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do the same
will be called least in the kingdom of heaven,
but whoever practices and teaches these commands
will be great in the kingdom of heaven.
20. For I tell you that unless your righteousness
surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will
certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
21. You have heard that it was said to the people long ago,
‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders is subject to judgment.’
(Exodus 20:13)
22. But I tell you that anyone who says to his brother Raca
(Raca: an Aramaic term of contempt)
is answerable to the Sanhedrin.
But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’
will be in danger of the fire of hell.
27. You have heard that it was said,
‘Do not commit adultery,’ (Exodus 20:14)
28. But I tell you that any one who looks on a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
The righteousness of grace always exceeds the law
Just as God’s mercy is above the law
This is pictured for us in the arc of the covenant
where the mercy seat of God was above the arc’s contents
which included the law.
The Letter of the law kills but the Spirit breathes life. (2 Corinthians 3:6)
The Law says, “Don’t kill.”
Grace says, “Don’t even be angry.”
The Law says, “Don’t do it.”
Grace says, “Don’t even think about doing it.”
Grace always goes father than the requirements of the law.
Grace goes the second mile.
So it would seem that there is a higher standard for living in grace…
So if you claim to live in grace and not the law
Your tithe should exceed that which the law required! J
II. False Concept of Tithing being only under the Law
Let’s take a look at this common misperception
A. The first mention of tithing in the Scripture
involved Abraham (Abram)
and the king of Salem (Peace) Melchizedek
18. “Then Melchizedek brought our bread and wine.
He was the 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.”
Genesis 14:18-20 NIV (my emphasis bold and underlined)
This incident took place
500 years before God gave the law to Moses.
So the principle of the tithe was established
outside of, or independent of the law.
Let’s look at a cross-section of Jacob’s life:
David has his dream at Bethel
Stairway from heaven to earth
Angels ascending and descending
Above the stairs the Lord standing and saying
“I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham
and the God of Isaac.”
Genesis 28:13 NIV
God renews his covenant promise with Jacob
“All peoples on earth
will be blessed through you and your offspring.”
Genesis 28:14b NIV
Jacob consecrates the spot where his head was laying
By anointing the stone with oil
as a stone of remembrance.
Jacob named that place Bethel (house of God)
It had previously been known as Luz ( )
Jacob makes a vow before the Lord:
“If God will be with me
and watch over me on this journey I am taking
and will give me food to eat
and clothes to wear
so that I return safely to my father’s house
then the Lord will be my God.”
Genesis 28:20-21 NIV (my emphasis bold and underlined)
Jacob is no longer serving “the God of his fathers”
He now is walking in covenant relationship
If God will be with me… = personal intimacy with God
watch over me…
I return safely… = protection
give me food to eat…
and clothes to wear… = provision
God’s cry has always been and will always be:
I will be their God…
They will be my people…
And I will dwell among them…
See: Exodus 29:46 & 2 Corinthians 6:16
(my emphasis bold and underlined)
“And this stone that I have set up as a pillar
Will be God’s house,
and all that you give me
I will give you a tenth.” (tithe)
Genesis 28:22 NIV (my emphasis underlined)
This covenant tithe took place 400 years before the Law was given!
The Tithe is Holy:
“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.”
Leviticus 27:30 NIV (my emphasis underlined)
Holy means set apart
So we set apart a tenth unto the Lord for His use.
Moral men in God’s service are given the tithe…
but Jesus receives the tithe!
1. “When you have entered the land that the Lord your God is giving you
as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it,
2. take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce
from the soil of the land the Lord your God has given you
and put them in a basket.
13. Then say to the Lord your God,
‘I have removed from my house the sacred portion
and given it to the Levite,
the alien,
the fatherless
and the widow,
according to all you have commanded.
I have not turned aside from your commands
nor have I forgotten any of them.
14. I have not eaten from the sacred portion while I was in mourning,
nor have I removed any of it while I was unclean,
nor have I offered any of it to the dead.
I have obeyed the Lord my God;
I have done everything you commanded me.’”
Deuteronomy 26:1-2, 13-14 NIV
The tithe is sacred to the Lord.
The tithe goes from our house
to the house of the Lord and it is holy.
The Prayer of the Tithe:
“Look down from heaven, your holy dwelling place,
and bless your people Israel
and the land you have given us
as you promised on oath to our forefathers,
a land flowing with milk and honey.”
Deuteronomy 26:15 NIV
What is the promised-land for us this side of the Cross?
What is…
“the land that the Lord your God is giving you
as an inheritance”
Our Inheritance - Seven Mountains Strategy: [Dr. Lance Wallnau]
There are seven areas of influence
that God wants us to take for His kingdom.
Home
Church
Business & the Marketplace
School
Government
Arts
The Media
These are the areas, domains or (lands) of our influence
which we are called to take (conquer)
as an inheritance for God.
We are to:
1. take possession of them
2. settle them
3. set aside a sacred portion of them for God
4. walk in obedience
III. The False Idea that Tithing is not Required
by Jesus in the Gospel Message:
This is an all too common misconception in the church.
Listen carefully to what Jesus says
in regard to the tithe in the Gospel of Matthew:
“Woe unto you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!
You give a tenth of your spices – mint, dill and cumin.
But you have neglected the more important matters of the law –
justice, mercy and faithfulness.
You should have practiced the latter,
without neglecting the former.”
Matthew 23:23 NIV (my emphasis bold and underlined)
Jesus is saying that Justice, Mercy and Faithfulness
are more important than the strict religious adherence
to the law regarding tithing
on every last little increase
like spices grown in your garden.
But notice what He said:
“You should have practiced the latter,
without neglecting the former.”
We are not to neglect the former. i.e. tithing!
Here is a clear reference to tithing in the New Testament!
Jesus in the Old Testament:
Just who was this Melchizedek?
19. “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.
It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,
20. where Jesus who went before us, has entered on our behalf.
He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
1. This Melchizedek was king of Salem
and priest of God Most High.
He met Abraham (Abram)
returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him.
2. and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything.
First his name (Melchizedek) means ‘king of righteousness’;
Then also, king of Salem means ‘king of peace.”
3. Without father or mother,
without genealogy,
without beginning of days or end of life,
like the Son of God
he remains a priest forever.”
Hebrews 6:19 through 7:3 NIV
Bible scholars still debate the issue:
some saying that he was a “type of ” Christ.
others believe that this was Christ Himself.
I personally believe that it was Christ for the following reasons:
Melchizedek’s name means king of righteousness
He was the king of Salem (Peace) – Jesus is the Prince of Peace
He was without father and mother so he couldn’t have been a natural man
He was without genealogy
He was without beginning of days or end of life
He is said to be like (literally - in the image of) the Son of God
And he remains a priest forever
Christ is all through the Old Testament,
and there are times when He appeared in person.
Any time the Word describes “the angel of the Lord ”
I believe that is Christ in person.
In the Book of Daniel…
Hananiah - (Shadrach) -
Mishael - (Meshach) -
Azariah - (Abednego) -
…were persecuted by Nebuchadnezzar
for worshipping the Lord
rather than his image of gold.
The execution furnace was stoked to 7 times its normal level
The flames were so hot it killed the soldiers who were fueling the fire!
They were bound and thrown into the fire.
The king himself saw them in the flames
their bonds were broken
and they were walking around in the furnace.
A fourth man was seen and described as
“looking like the Son of the gods”
Who do you think that man was? I think it was undoubtedly Christ
The king was so startled by this that he called to them:
“servants of the Most High God, come out, come out!”
They came forth without any harm,
not a hair on their heads was even singed by the intense flames.
They didn’t even smell like smoke.
See: Daniel 3:19-30
The Blessing of the Tithe:
Hezekiah and the heaps of tithes:
3. “The king contributed from his own possessions
for the morning and evening burnt offerings
and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths,
New Moons and appointed feasts
as written in the Law of the Lord.
4. He ordered the people living in Jerusalem
to give the portion due the priests and Levites
so they could devote themselves to the Law of the Lord.
5. As soon as the order went out,
the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits
of their grain, new wine, oil and honey
and all their fields produced.
They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything.
6b… they piled them (their tithes) in heaps
9. Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps.
10. and Azariah the chief priest,
from the family of Zadok, answered,
‘Since the people began to bring their contributions
to the temple of the Lord,
we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare,
because the Lord has blessed his people,
and this great amount is left over.’
12. They faithfully brought in the contributions,
tithes and dedicated gifts.
20. This is what Hezekiah did throughout the Judah,
doing what was good and right and faithful
before the Lord his God.
21. In everything that he undertook
in the service of God’s temple
and in obedience to the law
and the commands,
he sought his God
and worked wholeheartedly.
So he prospered.”
2 Chronicles 31:3-5,6b,9,10,12,20.21 (my emphasis bold and underlined)
Notice that Hezekiah himself
demonstrated to the people by providing offerings
3. “The king contributed from his own possessions
for the morning and evening burnt offerings
and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths,
New Moons and appointed feasts
as written in the Law of the Lord.”
The purpose of the tithes and offerings
Was so the priests and Levites
could dedicate themselves to the work of the Lord
4. He ordered the people living in Jerusalem
to give the portion due the priests and Levites
so they could devote themselves to the Law of the Lord.
Some Christians complain that they are not being adequately fed spiritually
or that programs and teachings are not available
at their house of worship…
Could it be that (and others in the congregation) they are not tithing
so their pastor and elders
can devote themselves fully to the things of God?
If you don’t tithe…
you are not paying your fair share
for the spiritual food you receive
Would you go to a restaurant and eat a delicious meal while enjoying excellent service and not leave a tip?
Would you go to a restaurant and eat a delicious meal while enjoying excellent service and not pay for the meal?
The people responded generously…
The Lord loves a cheerful giver… (2 Corinthians 9:7)
5. the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits
Tithing released a blessing from God:
‘Since the people began to bring their contributions
to the temple of the Lord,
we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare,
because the Lord has blessed his people,
and this great amount is left over.’
Hezekiah’s Secret of Success:
21. In everything that he undertook
in the service of God’s temple
and in obedience to the law
and the commands,
he sought his God
and worked wholeheartedly.
So he prospered.”
In everything he did, Hezekiah…
1. walked in obedience
2. sought God’s face
3. worked wholeheartedly
so he prospered.
Three Men Example:
There were three men who were given $10,000.00 a month from a wealthy benefactor. The only stipulation was that they each were to give their benefactor’s wife $1,000.00 a month for her support while he was away
The first man was so taken by the benefactor’s generosity, that he saw to it that his wife received $2000.00 each month promptly on the first of the month.
The second man sent the wife $800.00 the first month, $500.00 the second month, $300.00 the third month and nothing after that.
The third man being very self-serving sent nothing to his benefactor’s wife.
How do you think the benefactor
will react to these men when he returns?
The tithe says:
1. I love you to Jesus
2. I am trustworthy with what you have given me
3. I am providing for your bride (the church)
The tithe is personal to Jesus
Every time we get paid, or receive a blessing
what we do with the firstfruits of it
tells the Lord where our heart is
The tithe is a test…
don’t be caught saying “What test.”
30fkj
Do you ever recall when you were young
going to school and having a friend say to you,
“Are you ready?”
Your response might have been,
“Ready for what?”
They responded,
“For the test!”…
With a blank look on your face, you said,
“What test?”
I had the distinct honor of graduating in the top ten
of the bottom third of my high school class…
so I can relate to this.
There is another test we face from week to week
and many Christians, it is sad to say
don’t even realize they are taking it.
Let’s take a look at the third chapter of Malachi
to discover the intent of this exam.
Malachi is a book of restoration.
Chapter 1 – return to faith
Chapter 2 – return to family
Chapter 3 – return to proper finances
Chapter 4 – God returning to His people
The whole Bible (both Old and New Testaments)
is a progression of restoration:
Here is the Bible’s common theme:
“I will be their God
They will be my people
I will dwell among them.”
[See Exodus 29:46 & 2 Corinthians 6:16]
God’s desire for us is that we are in Him a perfect reflection of the Trinity
Perfect Love
Perfect Harmony
Perfect Unity
Perfect Grace
God’s desire is that we would be one with Him…
Just as the Father, Son and Spirit are One.
“…that all of them may be one, Father,
just as you are in me and I am in you.
May they also be in us
that the world will know that you have sent me.”
John 17:21-22 NIV
“As the father has loved me, so have I loved you.
Now remain in love .
If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love,
just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in love.”
John 15: 9-10NIV
God cannot change, He can’t change because He is perfect
God is God
There is not an Old Testament God
and a New Testament God
You can’t improve perfection!
In the Psalms it proclaims
“The ordinances of the Lord are sure
and altogether righteous.” Psalm 19:9b NIV
Ordinance:
Means ordinary or commonplace
An ordinance of God
is a principle of common behavior
i.e. The ordinances of God are common principles
that are absolutely right and holy.
We read from the third chapter of Malachi:
6. “ I the Lord do not change.
So you, O descendents of Jacob, are not destroyed
7. Ever since the time of your forefathers
you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them.
Return to me and I will return to you says the Lord Almighty.
But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’
8. Will a man rob God?
Yet you rob me.
In tithes and offerings.
9. You are under a curse - the whole nation of you –
because you are robbing me.
10. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse,
that there may be food in my house.
Test me in this says the Lord Almighty,
and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven
and pour out so much blessing
that you will not have room enough for it.
11. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops,
and the vines of your fields will not cast their fruit.
says the Lord Almighty.
12. Then the nations will call you blessed,
and yours will be a delightful land, says the lord Almighty.
13. You have said harsh things against me, says the Lord.
Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’
14. You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God.
What did we gain by carrying out his requirements
and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty?
15. But now we call the arrogant blessed.
Certainly the evildoers prosper
and even those who challenge God escape.
16. Then those who feared the Lord talked to each another,
and the Lord listened and heard.
A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence
concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name.
17. “They will be mine,” says the Lord Almighty,
“in the day when I make up my treasured possession.
I will spare them,
just as in compassion a man spares a son who serves him.
18. And you will again see the distinction
between the righteous and the wicked,
between those who serve God and those who do not.
Malachi 3:6-18NIV
The Tithe is a principle of God
that is often abused and neglected by God’s people
It is a test of the faithfulness of God’s people
each time you receive any remuneration.
‘Tithe’ literally means tenth or one-tenth (1/10 or 0.10)
The number ten (10) in the Scriptures represents testing or trials…
- There were ten (10) plagues against Egypt
Ten (10) testings of Pharaoh’s heart (Exodus Chapter 7-11)
- There were ten (10) commandments (Deuteronomy Chapter 5)
- There were ten (10) tests of God’s people in the wilderness (Exodus)
- There were ten (10) changes to Jacobs wages in his testing
(Genesis 31:7)
- There were ten (10) days of testing for Daniel (Daniel)
- There were ten (10) virgins tested awaiting the bridegroom
(Matthew 25:1-13)
- Parable of the ten (10) minas (Luke 19:11-27)
A little rabbit trail:
‘Sozo’ is the Greek word used in the Bible for Salvation:
It has three distinct meanings:
Forgiveness from sin: 1 Peter 2:24 ; Acts 4:12 ; Romans 10:9 ; Ephesians 2:8
Healing from sickness: Matthew 8:17 ; Matthew 9:22 ; Mark 6:56 ; Mark 10:52
Deliverance from demonic oppression: Luke 8:36 ; 2 Timothy 4:18 ; Jude 1:5
So when we are saved (‘sozoed’)
God’s intention is that we will be:
restored in righteousness
healed of all illness
delivered from any mental or demonic depression
End rabbit trail.
Let us now take a closer look of these verses from Malachi chapter three (3):
6. “ I the Lord do not change.
So you, O descendents of Jacob, are not destroyed
Malachi 3:6
Note: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever”
Hebrews 13:8 NIV
Our sin doesn’t destroy us, only because of God’s love and grace
Jesus is grace upon grace.
Again:
God cannot change
He can’t change because He is perfect
God is God
There is not an Old Testament God
and a New Testament God
7. Ever since the time of your forefathers
you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them.
Return to me and I will return to you says the Lord Almighty.
But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’
All we like sheep have gone astray
Each of us has turned to our own way. Isaiah 53:6
The big question asked in this verse is this!
How are we to return?
In other words…
How are we to show God
we desire to return to Him?
Here is God’s answer:
8. Will a man rob God?
Yet you rob me.
In tithes and offerings.
9. You are under a curse - the whole nation of you –
because you are robbing me.
10. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse,
that there may be food in my house.
Test me in this says the Lord Almighty,
and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven
and pour out so much blessing
that you will not have room enough for it.
God says we are to tithe to Him
He also clearly states the results of our tithing or failure to tithe.
Because we fail to tithe
the whole nation is under a curse:
I can’t help but wonder what part this has played
in the current economic climate in the world
Let’s be clear about what this is not saying.
It is not saying that God has placed a curse on us…
When we step out from under God’s prescribed commands
we leave ourselves open for the attack of the enemy,
and we can fall into a curse.
It is our own rebellion that results in the curse.
If we walk in obedience and tithe the result is that God will
“throw open the floodgates of heaven
and pour out so much blessing
that you will not have room enough for it.”
The intent here is that
we will be so blessed spiritually and materially
that we will become a conduit
of God’s blessing to others.
The Choice Simply is…
Do I want God’s blessing
Or
The enemies curse
Let’s be clear here,
the tithe is not the only avenue
to spiritual and material blessing,
but it is a foundational one,
one that can’t be bypassed or ignored.
It is like one of those required questions that must be answered on
the multiple question part of the test.
Some additional benefits of tithing:
11. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops,
and the vines of your fields will not cast their fruit.
says the Lord Almighty.
12. Then the nations will call you blessed,
and yours will be a delightful land, says the lord Almighty.
- The tithe will protect your “stuff ” from the enemy
- The tithe will make your land delightful
and cause others to see the blessing of God upon your life.
Now comes one of my favorite Scriptural quotes:
16. Then those who feared the Lord talked to each another,
and the Lord listened and heard.
A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence
concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name.
17. “They will be mine,” says the Lord Almighty,
“in the day when I make up my treasured possession.
I will spare them,
just as in compassion a man spares a son who serves him.
18. And you will again see the distinction
between the righteous and the wicked,
between those who serve God and those who do not.
What a promise!...
All this blessing is ours,
for following a simple principle of God:
- our names written in the Lord’s Book of Remembrance
- being part of God’s treasured possessions
- being spared, and receiving His compassion
- seeing the righteous blessed and the unrighteous judged.
Our Personal Example:
Warning: This example is several pages long.
So it you desire to skip it at the moment,
you can go directly to page 13 where the above study resumes…
Do not pass go, do not collect $200.00.
Just prior to moving to the Hershey area we had lived in upstate New York.
We had dabbled in real estate sales, buying “handy-man specials” fixing them up and turning them over. We had great success for a season and had saved quite a tidy sum of money.
Then an investment opportunity opened for us to build a new home (investing some sweat equity) and selling it for a profit. It seemed like a logical next step, so
we invested our savings in the project and financed the balance for the building of this home.
About two weeks prior to our completing the home the mortgage market took a nationwide dive. Interest rates went through the roof, upwards to 16-17% - if you could even find a bank to give you a mortgage. So there sat a brand new home with a ‘For Sale’ sign on it, but no buyers in sight. To compound the problem, I was not gainfully employed (actually between jobs, working part time in both real estate and in a restaurant as a cook.)
This story didn’t end with “happily-ever-after!”
After many months of paying the mortgage and our rent as well, it became apparent that we were heading for a financial impasse. After consulting with the bank and a lawyer friend of ours, we decided that we would surrender the property to the bank and eat the substantial financial loss. This was painful, but it preserved our credit standing. So when we moved to the Hershey area to work for Milton Hershey School, we were quite literally penniless and frankly a little disillusioned and bitter.
We stated again from scratch, building up a nest-egg for a home in the Hershey area. Over time we built up our savings and began looking locally for a home. The market was still fluctuating and we were looking but not seriously. Mortgage rates were still high, but money was available.
One day we drove past a small home in downtown Hershey that was for sale and decided to look at it. The owners were a young couple who had lived in Denver, Colorado, and they desperately wanted to return there. We knew real estate, so we made them a very low offer on the home and left. To our great surprise the following day they accepted our offer. We financed the home at 15.5%! Ouch.
Shortly after the purchase of this home, my wife LeAnn and I rededicated our lives to the Lord (September 1984). We had no concept of tithing. I personally thought I was doing God “a big favor” putting $10.00 in the offering on a Sunday.
About a year into our renewed walk with the Lord a traveling minister, Larry Cox, came through our area and spoke at our church about tithing.
I was immediately convicted by the Holy Spirit that we needed to start tithing immediately and get totally out of debt. This to me naturally meant the selling of the home in Hershey. The home we purchased was rented as we lived on the MHS campus.
The problem with my plan was that my wonderful wife (who paid all our bills) was not convicted, and saw no way that we could tithe 10% of our income and still
be true to our financial obligations. Nor was she willing to part from the home that we had sacrificed to purchase - after all the emotional upheaval we had gone through in New York.
We searched the Scriptures and prayed about it but in the end, we could not agree. Understanding that unity was essential to our walk and marriage, we made a compromise.
I agreed that we wouldn’t sell the house, and we agreed to test God at His word.
The Word does say “test me in this,” so we decided to try tithing for a month. I agreed that if we found we couldn’t pay our obligations after that month that we would stop tithing.
At the end of the first month of tithing, hallelujah, we had money left over. It seems that several times during that month we were blessed with unexpected checks in the mail, from family or corporate rebates etc. This encouraged us to commit hole-heartedly to tithing, which we did. The blessings continued.
The selling of our home was quite another matter. I was convinced God wanted us to put the house on the market so we could be debt free. So I secretly prayed that the Lord would change LeAnn’s heart. I never mentioned it again to her, just kept my petition before God as a frequent request: “Lord, if you want us to sell this home, please change Your daughters heart about it.”
A year later we were still tithing on our gross pay. We were now thoroughly convinced that this principle was exceptionally effective. Not only were things financially improved, but our spiritual lives were in overdrive. We were drawing closer and closer to the Lord and to His bride, the Body of Christ.
One evening after all the children were in bed, we were sitting at the kitchen table and LeAnn said to me, “I’m ready.” I said, “You’re ready for what?” “To sell the house,” she replied. I almost fell off my seat. A few weeks later we listed the house with a friend of ours who was a real estate broker in Hershey who actually lived on our block. By this time the market was much changed. In fact a substantial part of our blessing was that mortgage rates had come down and we had refinanced the house at 12%. The agent was confident the house would move
quickly in the Hershey market. It didn’t. The house sat on the market unsold for over six months. Homes all around us sold throughout our neighborhood, but not ours. The agent would often call or come see us to apologize saying: “I just don’t understand it, you’re house is so much better that some of the others I’ve sold and comparably priced. We would always console him saying, “The Lord has just the right couple for this house, and when they show up it will be sold.” Finally Jim came to us and said, “I think you should take the house off the market over the winter months, and try again in the Spring.
While all this is taking place I was also trying to complete my Masters Degree in Education at Temple University. I was at the point in the program that I only needed two courses to finish. Those courses were offered the summer we were trying to sell our house. We were making all our payments on bills and our mortgage, but the money for tuition was another matter. At the time a three credit course was about $350.00, so two courses required about $700.00. This was above and beyond our budget, even with the earlier blessings mentioned. We were convinced that God could do it, but time was getting short, registration was actually closed, but the Dean of the School of Education called me and said if I could get the money together in three days he would see that I got into the classes. So we prayed, and reminded the Lord of His promise in Malachi. (He really didn’t need reminding – but we were still young in the faith).
The following day when our mail arrived, there was a letter to me from Temple University. The letter simply stated: “Dear Mr. Jackson, our records show that you have overpaid your tuition costs by $700.00. Please accept our apologies for this error and find a check enclosed for the full amount.
Now we knew that there was no way we ever paid $700.00 access in tuition. But we saw this as God’s provision to allow me to finish my graduate studies. We pledged to the Lord that we were going to “borrow” this money and that we would pay it back to Temple University as soon as we could. The next day I hurried to the bank and then I registered for those last two classes, which allowed me to finish my degree.
This miracle was only followed by a greater one. Early one morning during the following week, we were sitting at our kitchen table having a cup of coffee. Suddenly a car pulled into our driveway and our boss came to the door. When he came in, he apologized for coming so early and unannounced. He said, “It’s the strangest thing, I drove right by your house, I wasn’t even thinking of you, when something made me turn around and come here. Are you guys all right?”
We both shared our hearts with him about how faithful God had been, and how we received the miracle money from Temple. We shared how tight our budget had been trying to juggle holding on to our home and pay tuition. At this time the school did not contribute to tuition for the position we held as house-parents.
After hearing all of this he simply said, “Well then, I guess it was no mistake that
I turned around after all. Fred you stop by my office in the morning.”
The next morning I was right there, and we again discussed the whole situation.
He then handed me a form and said fill this and let’s see what we can do. I was shocked and amazed. I looked at the form which asked to list the courses taken.
I asked him how many courses I should list on the form. “Well, let’s try for the last five you’ve taken.” Within a few days I had a check for $1750.00 in hand.
Not only was I blessed, but this incident spurred a policy change at the school, which opened tuition reimbursement for all house-parents. Needless to say, I sat right down and wrote Temple a check for their $700.00! God is good, all the time. He will often use your obedience to bless others.
See the account of Jacob and Laban in Genesis 28-29-30
What happened to the house? I’m so glad you asked.
In the midst of the Christmas holiday our boss came back to our kitchen for another visit. After the usual pleasantries he asked, “Have you sold your house yet?” We brought him up-to-date with the housing story. “Well,” he said “that’s good, because I’m here to tell you that a teaching position has opened up for you and you’re going to need to move. I guess God had your family in mind as that ‘special couple’ all along.”
We were overjoyed at the news, but at the same time somewhat perplexed about the house. We were sure that God had directed us to put it on the market. One morning shortly after the visit, LeAnn was in prayer about the whole matter and the Holy Spirit spoke to her and said, “Just as I asked Abraham to put Isaac on an alter I asked you to place your house there to see if you would be obedient.”
The family God had for the house was truly us, and now we were released to enjoy His provision. We have walked in this principle ever since and have been blessed and protected by God. Thru giving to the Lord begins after the tithe has been fulfilled.
End Example
Common Excuses for not tithing:
I. Tithing is only for the Old Testament
i.e. Tithing is under the law and we live under grace.
If we follow this reasoning to its illogical end point we would say:
A. It’s all right to lie, because lying was under the law.
B. It’s all right to steal, because stealing was under the law.
C. It’s all right to commit adultery
because adultery was under the law.
Jesus said that He came to fulfill the law and the Prophets.
If it was right under the law
then it is right under grace.
If it was wrong under the law
then it is wrong under grace.
Matthew 5:17-22, 27,28 NIV
17. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the Prophets;
I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
18. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear,
not the smallest letter, nor the least stroke of a pen,
will by any means disappear from the law
until everything is accomplished.
19. Anyone who breaks the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do the same
will be called least in the kingdom of heaven,
but whoever practices and teaches these commands
will be great in the kingdom of heaven.
20. For I tell you that unless your righteousness
surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will
certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
21. You have heard that it was said to the people long ago,
‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders is subject to judgment.’
(Exodus 20:13)
22. But I tell you that anyone who says to his brother Raca
(Raca: an Aramaic term of contempt)
is answerable to the Sanhedrin.
But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’
will be in danger of the fire of hell.
27. You have heard that it was said,
‘Do not commit adultery,’ (Exodus 20:14)
28. But I tell you that any one who looks on a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
The righteousness of grace always exceeds the law
Just as God’s mercy is above the law
This is pictured for us in the arc of the covenant
where the mercy seat of God was above the arc’s contents
which included the law.
The Letter of the law kills but the Spirit breathes life. (2 Corinthians 3:6)
The Law says, “Don’t kill.”
Grace says, “Don’t even be angry.”
The Law says, “Don’t do it.”
Grace says, “Don’t even think about doing it.”
Grace always goes father than the requirements of the law.
Grace goes the second mile.
So it would seem that there is a higher standard for living in grace…
So if you claim to live in grace and not the law
Your tithe should exceed that which the law required! J
II. False Concept of Tithing being only under the Law
Let’s take a look at this common misperception
A. The first mention of tithing in the Scripture
involved Abraham (Abram)
and the king of Salem (Peace) Melchizedek
18. “Then Melchizedek brought our bread and wine.
He was the 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.”
Genesis 14:18-20 NIV (my emphasis bold and underlined)
This incident took place
500 years before God gave the law to Moses.
So the principle of the tithe was established
outside of, or independent of the law.
Let’s look at a cross-section of Jacob’s life:
David has his dream at Bethel
Stairway from heaven to earth
Angels ascending and descending
Above the stairs the Lord standing and saying
“I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham
and the God of Isaac.”
Genesis 28:13 NIV
God renews his covenant promise with Jacob
“All peoples on earth
will be blessed through you and your offspring.”
Genesis 28:14b NIV
Jacob consecrates the spot where his head was laying
By anointing the stone with oil
as a stone of remembrance.
Jacob named that place Bethel (house of God)
It had previously been known as Luz ( )
Jacob makes a vow before the Lord:
“If God will be with me
and watch over me on this journey I am taking
and will give me food to eat
and clothes to wear
so that I return safely to my father’s house
then the Lord will be my God.”
Genesis 28:20-21 NIV (my emphasis bold and underlined)
Jacob is no longer serving “the God of his fathers”
He now is walking in covenant relationship
If God will be with me… = personal intimacy with God
watch over me…
I return safely… = protection
give me food to eat…
and clothes to wear… = provision
God’s cry has always been and will always be:
I will be their God…
They will be my people…
And I will dwell among them…
See: Exodus 29:46 & 2 Corinthians 6:16
(my emphasis bold and underlined)
“And this stone that I have set up as a pillar
Will be God’s house,
and all that you give me
I will give you a tenth.” (tithe)
Genesis 28:22 NIV (my emphasis underlined)
This covenant tithe took place 400 years before the Law was given!
The Tithe is Holy:
“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.”
Leviticus 27:30 NIV (my emphasis underlined)
Holy means set apart
So we set apart a tenth unto the Lord for His use.
Moral men in God’s service are given the tithe…
but Jesus receives the tithe!
1. “When you have entered the land that the Lord your God is giving you
as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it,
2. take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce
from the soil of the land the Lord your God has given you
and put them in a basket.
13. Then say to the Lord your God,
‘I have removed from my house the sacred portion
and given it to the Levite,
the alien,
the fatherless
and the widow,
according to all you have commanded.
I have not turned aside from your commands
nor have I forgotten any of them.
14. I have not eaten from the sacred portion while I was in mourning,
nor have I removed any of it while I was unclean,
nor have I offered any of it to the dead.
I have obeyed the Lord my God;
I have done everything you commanded me.’”
Deuteronomy 26:1-2, 13-14 NIV
The tithe is sacred to the Lord.
The tithe goes from our house
to the house of the Lord and it is holy.
The Prayer of the Tithe:
“Look down from heaven, your holy dwelling place,
and bless your people Israel
and the land you have given us
as you promised on oath to our forefathers,
a land flowing with milk and honey.”
Deuteronomy 26:15 NIV
What is the promised-land for us this side of the Cross?
What is…
“the land that the Lord your God is giving you
as an inheritance”
Our Inheritance - Seven Mountains Strategy: [Dr. Lance Wallnau]
There are seven areas of influence
that God wants us to take for His kingdom.
Home
Church
Business & the Marketplace
School
Government
Arts
The Media
These are the areas, domains or (lands) of our influence
which we are called to take (conquer)
as an inheritance for God.
We are to:
1. take possession of them
2. settle them
3. set aside a sacred portion of them for God
4. walk in obedience
III. The False Idea that Tithing is not Required
by Jesus in the Gospel Message:
This is an all too common misconception in the church.
Listen carefully to what Jesus says
in regard to the tithe in the Gospel of Matthew:
“Woe unto you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!
You give a tenth of your spices – mint, dill and cumin.
But you have neglected the more important matters of the law –
justice, mercy and faithfulness.
You should have practiced the latter,
without neglecting the former.”
Matthew 23:23 NIV (my emphasis bold and underlined)
Jesus is saying that Justice, Mercy and Faithfulness
are more important than the strict religious adherence
to the law regarding tithing
on every last little increase
like spices grown in your garden.
But notice what He said:
“You should have practiced the latter,
without neglecting the former.”
We are not to neglect the former. i.e. tithing!
Here is a clear reference to tithing in the New Testament!
Jesus in the Old Testament:
Just who was this Melchizedek?
19. “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.
It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,
20. where Jesus who went before us, has entered on our behalf.
He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
1. This Melchizedek was king of Salem
and priest of God Most High.
He met Abraham (Abram)
returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him.
2. and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything.
First his name (Melchizedek) means ‘king of righteousness’;
Then also, king of Salem means ‘king of peace.”
3. Without father or mother,
without genealogy,
without beginning of days or end of life,
like the Son of God
he remains a priest forever.”
Hebrews 6:19 through 7:3 NIV
Bible scholars still debate the issue:
some saying that he was a “type of ” Christ.
others believe that this was Christ Himself.
I personally believe that it was Christ for the following reasons:
Melchizedek’s name means king of righteousness
He was the king of Salem (Peace) – Jesus is the Prince of Peace
He was without father and mother so he couldn’t have been a natural man
He was without genealogy
He was without beginning of days or end of life
He is said to be like (literally - in the image of) the Son of God
And he remains a priest forever
Christ is all through the Old Testament,
and there are times when He appeared in person.
Any time the Word describes “the angel of the Lord ”
I believe that is Christ in person.
In the Book of Daniel…
Hananiah - (Shadrach) -
Mishael - (Meshach) -
Azariah - (Abednego) -
…were persecuted by Nebuchadnezzar
for worshipping the Lord
rather than his image of gold.
The execution furnace was stoked to 7 times its normal level
The flames were so hot it killed the soldiers who were fueling the fire!
They were bound and thrown into the fire.
The king himself saw them in the flames
their bonds were broken
and they were walking around in the furnace.
A fourth man was seen and described as
“looking like the Son of the gods”
Who do you think that man was? I think it was undoubtedly Christ
The king was so startled by this that he called to them:
“servants of the Most High God, come out, come out!”
They came forth without any harm,
not a hair on their heads was even singed by the intense flames.
They didn’t even smell like smoke.
See: Daniel 3:19-30
The Blessing of the Tithe:
Hezekiah and the heaps of tithes:
3. “The king contributed from his own possessions
for the morning and evening burnt offerings
and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths,
New Moons and appointed feasts
as written in the Law of the Lord.
4. He ordered the people living in Jerusalem
to give the portion due the priests and Levites
so they could devote themselves to the Law of the Lord.
5. As soon as the order went out,
the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits
of their grain, new wine, oil and honey
and all their fields produced.
They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything.
6b… they piled them (their tithes) in heaps
9. Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps.
10. and Azariah the chief priest,
from the family of Zadok, answered,
‘Since the people began to bring their contributions
to the temple of the Lord,
we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare,
because the Lord has blessed his people,
and this great amount is left over.’
12. They faithfully brought in the contributions,
tithes and dedicated gifts.
20. This is what Hezekiah did throughout the Judah,
doing what was good and right and faithful
before the Lord his God.
21. In everything that he undertook
in the service of God’s temple
and in obedience to the law
and the commands,
he sought his God
and worked wholeheartedly.
So he prospered.”
2 Chronicles 31:3-5,6b,9,10,12,20.21 (my emphasis bold and underlined)
Notice that Hezekiah himself
demonstrated to the people by providing offerings
3. “The king contributed from his own possessions
for the morning and evening burnt offerings
and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths,
New Moons and appointed feasts
as written in the Law of the Lord.”
The purpose of the tithes and offerings
Was so the priests and Levites
could dedicate themselves to the work of the Lord
4. He ordered the people living in Jerusalem
to give the portion due the priests and Levites
so they could devote themselves to the Law of the Lord.
Some Christians complain that they are not being adequately fed spiritually
or that programs and teachings are not available
at their house of worship…
Could it be that (and others in the congregation) they are not tithing
so their pastor and elders
can devote themselves fully to the things of God?
If you don’t tithe…
you are not paying your fair share
for the spiritual food you receive
Would you go to a restaurant and eat a delicious meal while enjoying excellent service and not leave a tip?
Would you go to a restaurant and eat a delicious meal while enjoying excellent service and not pay for the meal?
The people responded generously…
The Lord loves a cheerful giver… (2 Corinthians 9:7)
5. the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits
Tithing released a blessing from God:
‘Since the people began to bring their contributions
to the temple of the Lord,
we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare,
because the Lord has blessed his people,
and this great amount is left over.’
Hezekiah’s Secret of Success:
21. In everything that he undertook
in the service of God’s temple
and in obedience to the law
and the commands,
he sought his God
and worked wholeheartedly.
So he prospered.”
In everything he did, Hezekiah…
1. walked in obedience
2. sought God’s face
3. worked wholeheartedly
so he prospered.
Three Men Example:
There were three men who were given $10,000.00 a month from a wealthy benefactor. The only stipulation was that they each were to give their benefactor’s wife $1,000.00 a month for her support while he was away
The first man was so taken by the benefactor’s generosity, that he saw to it that his wife received $2000.00 each month promptly on the first of the month.
The second man sent the wife $800.00 the first month, $500.00 the second month, $300.00 the third month and nothing after that.
The third man being very self-serving sent nothing to his benefactor’s wife.
How do you think the benefactor
will react to these men when he returns?
The tithe says:
1. I love you to Jesus
2. I am trustworthy with what you have given me
3. I am providing for your bride (the church)
The tithe is personal to Jesus
Every time we get paid, or receive a blessing
what we do with the firstfruits of it
tells the Lord where our heart is
The tithe is a test…
don’t be caught saying “What test.”
30fkj
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