BY: HADLEY G LAYMAN
www.fathersheartbeat.blogspot.com
Before I begin with the 'tithe,' I would like to make a statement:
PLEASE, do not just hastily accept or blatantly refuse everything I write about in my blog! I would rather that you search out the truth for yourself. The only reason as to why it is true to me, is because I PERSONALLY discovered the truth for myself. I then in obedience to the Lord, share it on my blog. God HONOURS those who desire TRUTH and will impart it to them. I encourage you to do what those in Berea has done:
And the brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. They, when they arrived, went into the synagogue of the Jews.
And these were more noble than those of Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily to see if those things were so.
Therefore many of them believed, and quite a few of honorable Greek women and men. Act 17:10-12 M.K.J.V.
I understand that this topic won't be so easily accepted and therefore will be difficult to 'receive it with readiness of mind.' That is my reason for encouraging you to SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES FOR YOURSELF.
Should I 'miss the mark,' God will GRACIOUSLY bring it to my attention knowing that I will accept his correction which is always done in LOVE. So you can bet on this: I will indeed make an apology should I receive correction from the Lord on something which I incorrectly may have taught or expounded on his Word. However, one thing which I ALWAYS do, is spend time with the Lord before sharing his Word.
ABRAM, JACOB AND THE TITHE:
And Melchizedek the king of Salem brought forth bread and wine. And he was the priest of the most high God.
And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of Heaven and earth.
And blessed be the most high God, who has delivered your enemies into your hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
Gen 14:18-20 M.K.J.V.
Early on in the chapter, we read that Abram's nephew (his name changed to Abraham only after God made a covenant with him), Lot had been abducted by certain kings. These kings also 'stole' goods from other kings. Abram went after them to free Lot and slew those kings. CLEARLY we see that the 'goods' of which Abram tithed (tenth) to Melchizedek (which is Jesus the King of Peace; see Psa 110:4), was not of Abram's possessions! This offering which he made to Melchizedek, was a prophetic declaration to him saying:
Jehovah said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand until I place Your enemies as Your footstool. (remember Abram's enemies and the goods which he took and tithed to Melchizedek which is Jesus?)
Jehovah shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion; rule in the midst of Your enemies.
Your people shall be willing in the day of Your power, in holy adornment from the womb of the morning: You have the dew of Your youth.
Jehovah has sworn, and will not repent, You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
The Lord at Your right hand shall strike through kings in the day of His wrath. (remember the kings which Abram slaughtered?)
He shall judge among the nations, He shall fill them with dead bodies; He shall shatter heads over much of the earth.
He shall drink of the brook in the way; therefore He shall lift up the head. Psa 110:1-7 M.K.J.V.
This is one of the reasons why Abraham is called the Father of Faith. Nowhere do we read of Abraham ever tithing again to Melchizedek because he does not show up again. This is simply because it was appropriate only for that time for Abram to tithe to Melchizedek! (See also Heb.7:1-4.) There is however another occasion where the Lord appears to Abraham again, and we see that Abraham does not tithe to him. This is documented in Gen.18.
JACOB:
And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone which he had put at his head, and set it as a memorial pillar, and poured oil on the top of it.
And he called the name of that place The House of God. But the name of that city was Luz at first.
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 clothing to put on,
and I come again to my father's house in peace, then shall Jehovah be my God.
And this stone which I have set for a pillar shall be God's house. And of all that You shall give me, I will surely give the tenth to You. Gen 28:22 M.K.J.V.
Jacob had a dream in which the Lord visited him to inform him of his future. After Jacob wakes up, he then makes a PERSONAL VOW saying that he will give a tenth to God of all that God gives him.
Question: Since when is a 'personal vow' ever to become a basic principle and a 'must' for Christians to give 10% of their wages? Jesus made it clear that we must not make vows:
But I say to you, Do not swear (make a vow or an oath) AT ALL! Not by Heaven, because it is God's throne;
not by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet; not by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King;
nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.
But let your word be, Yes, yes; No, no. For whatever is more than these comes from evil. Mat 5:34-37 M.K.J.V.
By the way, Jacob would ONLY TITHE from that which God has given him as increase! But most importantly, Jacob's vow to tithe was CONDITIONAL. He said:
1. If God will be with me, and 2. will keep me in this way that I go, and 3. will give me bread to eat and 4. clothing to put on,
and 5. I come again to my father's house in peace,
then shall Jehovah be my God.
It is only after this five-fold conditional vow, which God had to fulfill, that Jacob would then TITHE to his God. What is disturbing to me, is that what is being preached on tithing in the church today, COMPLETELY opposes God's Sovereign Word! By the way, God ABUNDANTLY blessed Jacob in honouring Jacob's conditional vow to tithe!
Christians are told to tithe from the little they have and God will then multiply their paying of tithes! This was CERTAINLY NOT the case with Jacob, it was the opposite! In addition, it is preached that Christians are also to tithe of their wages. They worked hard for their wages and they can do what they well please with it! As it is written:
“A worker is worthy of his wages.” 1Tim.5:18.
There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink And cause his soul to see good from his toil (labour); This too I see that it is from the hand of Elohim. Ecc 2:24 C.L.V.
“Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn!” 1Cor.9:9.
Christians ought to have the right to VOLUNTARY give of their wages for which they laboured!
ISRAEL AND THE TITHE:
And all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is Jehovah's. It is holy to Jehovah. Lev 27:30
And all the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, all that passes under the rod, a tenth shall be holy to Jehovah. Lev 27:32 M.K.J.V.
And concerning the children (the Hebrew word here is 'ben' which means SONS, MALE. It's another case of translation inconsistency!), of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the LORD their God, and laid them by heaps. 2Ch 31:5-6
brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries. Neh 13:12
Now, I don't see anything of God commanding Israel to tithe of their wages (money)! The verses above makes it very clear as to who must tithe, what must be tithed and to whom! Now, as for those who are receiving your tithes in MONEY today in the church - Are they from the tribe of Levi? Because Levi was the ONLY group of people on the earth in that time who BY GOD'S COMMAND were to receive tithes EXCLUSIVELY from the SONS of ISRAEL! Are you an Israelite under the O.T. Law that you should give tithes to the tribe of Levi? But wait, maybe God has instituted a Law of tithing from ones wages (money) in the New Testament for Christians! Well, you'll have to wait and see. Lets first continue with the origin of the tithe.
So what is it that God had commanded to be tithed?
Fruit of the tree, grain (corn) used for making bread and cakes, wine , oil and the first-born of animals which God had chosen and which were also to be without blemish. I will now share with you what the Lord revealed to me about not what, but rather WHO the tithe is.
| Fruit of the TREE | As Christians, we know that our Lord and Saviour JESUS, IS THE TREE OF LIFE! John 15 |
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Corn, grain Used to make BREAD. | In the Gospels, we read that JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE! John 6:35 By the way, God made a covenant of SALT with Israel. (Lev.2:13) Bread without SALT is tasteless! See how God took care of EVERYTHING? JESUS IS THE SALT OF THE EARTH! |
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WINE | Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine. JESUS IS THE NEW WINE. John 2:1-11 We are made into 'new wine skins' when we surrender to Jesus. JESUS IS THE NEW WINE inside of us!
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OIL | Jesus is the ANOINTED ONE of God. To anoint means to smear on, and according to God's standard, OIL was to be used to anoint (smear) whomever God chose. The OIL represents the POWER OF GOD, HIS RIGHT HAND. JESUS IS THE HOLY OIL who was anointed (oil) and went around doing GOOD! Acts 10:38
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| First-born of animals of God's choice LAMB: | These 'spotless' animals were to be sacrificed unto God for the atonement of the sins of Israel. JESUS IS THE LAMB WHO WAS SLAIN FOR THE ATONEMENT OF THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD! Rev.5:12
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Need I still to say and PROVE that:
JESUS WAS THE TITHE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT?!
Jesus is still the HOLY TITHE TODAY and we who are 'married' to him,
ARE ALSO THE HOLY TITHE!!
There is another truth which has not been perceived by many Christians about the tithe. When one looks at the 'things' which God commanded Israel to tithe, most have not realized that it was NOT THINGS MADE BY MAN'S HANDS! No man has ever made trees, fruit, corn, wine, oil and animals! They of course were created by God! Will you build a house (tithing), for the Lord with your own hands? How can the work of human hands be accepted by the Lord when he alone is Sovereign? A worker being worthy of his wages, speaks of human effort and can therefore NOT be considered as a 'holy tithe' which in the first place was instituted for the purpose of
THE WONDERFUL BIRTH OF THE WORD OF GOD WHO WAS AT THE APPOINTED TIME, MADE FLESH!! (Jn 1:14)
Take another look at the graph above. Israel had no idea what God was planning and that is the reason why God said that they were robbing Him and it wasn't MONEY which speaks of human effort! It was because God was planning the birth of his Son and on top of that, Israel was robbing themselves by not tithing what God specifically commanded them! How did they rob themselves?
And they will tear you down, and your children within you, and will not leave a stone on a stone because you did not know the time of your visitation. (Lk 19:44 M.K.J.V.)
The judgment that came upon Israel because they didn't tithe what God had STRICTLY COMMANDED them, was that God had them DELIBERATELY NOT KNOW THE VISITATION OF THE LORD! That's the reason why the majority of Israel DID NOT BELIEVE ON JESUS AND IN ADDITION, VIOLENTLY REJECTED HIM! That's why Jesus said to them:
But when the vinedressers (Israel), saw the son (Jesus), they said among themselves, This is the heir (Jesus). Come, let us kill him, and get hold of his inheritance.
And taking him, they threw him (Jesus) out of the vineyard and killed him. (they crucified Jesus!) (Matt 21:38-39 M.K.J.V.)
I will say it again: Jesus was the Holy tithe in the O.T. and it was God who by his Free Will made Israel ignorant about that truth! Is this not documented in the book of Isaiah?
And He (God), is saying to me, "Go, and say to this people (Israel):`Hear you to hear, yet you must not be understanding."
And see you to see, yet you must not be knowing. Stouten the heart of this people, and their ears make heavy, and their eyes make squint. Lest they are seeing with their eyes, and with their ears are hearing, and with their heart are understanding, and, turning back, then healing is theirs." (Is 6:9-10 CONCORDANT LITERAL VERSION)
That's the reason why Israel was blind, deaf and ignorant to who Jesus REALLY was and therefore was NOT HEALED! But this is ALL tied to the tithe which God commanded Israel to obey and it had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH MONEY!! MONEY WAS USED AS A MEANS TO BETRAY OUR LORD!! (REMEMBER THE THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER?)
CHURCH PLEASE WAKE UP!!
The very same thing is to happen to you when you do a similar thing which Israel did by ROBBING THE VERY FLOCK OF GOD OF THEIR WAGES FOR WHICH THEY AS WORKERS ARE WORTHY OF!! TITHING OF ONE'S WAGES AS A SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLE IS PUTTING YOU AND THE FLOCK OF GOD IN BONDAGE AND GOD WILL JUDGE YOU ESPECIALLY AFTER HEARING THE TRUTH!
The other reason God commanded the tithe was to be a PHYSICAL proof of God's ABUNDANCE to Israel in that after they tithed, they had 90% OF HARVEST TO ENJOY! In other words, they had PLENTY TO CELEBRATE ABOUT! ISRAEL LACKED NOTHING AFTER THEY TITHED! THEY HAD AN OVERLOAD OF ABUNDANCE! But what happens when church people tithe of their MONEY? THEY HAVE LITTLE TO NOTHING LEFT AFTER THEIR TITHING 'IN FAITH' AND ARE ARROGANTLY TOLD TO CELEBRATE! DON'T THOSE THAT TEACH TITHING KNOW HOW GOD'S ANGER IS ABOUT TO ERUPT AS AN IMMINENT VOLCANIC EXPLOSION? DON'T SAY THAT YOU HAVE NOT BEEN WARNED BECAUSE YOU JUST WERE!
There's something which I deliberately have not mentioned and I am specifically addressing all females: So ladies, are you aware that since God commanded only the SONS of Israel to tithe, the females were therefore EXEMPT from this duty?! Here's another truth to take hold of: Did you know that it was also ONLY the SONS of LEVI who were commanded to RECEIVE the tithes from the SONS of Israel? So, how is it that WOMEN have been receiving TITHES AND OFFERINGS from Christians who are supposed to be EXEMPT from tithing altogether?
Consider this:
God FIRST formed Adam (male gender of the human race), and gave him the place of AUTHORITY in that God had given him certain commands to execute. When Adam's wife came on the scene, we do not see God speaking to her and giving her authority as in Adam's case. That is one of the IMPORTANT reasons why God commands wives to SUBMIT to their husbands. Adam's wife ASSUMED AUTHORITY over her husband by SUBMITTING to satan the serpent and in turn DECEIVED her very own husband into transgressing the command which God has ONLY given to ADAM! That is the very reason why NOTHING happened when his wife took the bite; because she has not been given the ANOINTING OF AUTHORITY – ONLY ADAM – THE MALE SPECIES OF THE HUMAN RACE! It was only when Adam took the bite when 'the crap hit the fan' so to speak! And it is simply because Adam was the one to whom THE AUTHORITY was given!
God called Noah – who was a male; God called Abram – who was a male; God called Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, THE SONS OF LEVI, Joshua, the Judges, David, Solomon, ALL THE PATRIARCHS in the Old Testament – WHO WERE ALL MALES!! God then called forth his Son – JESUS, (A MALE!) who then chose 12 MALES!
Are you beginning to see this? God needed to FIX that which went terribly wrong in the beginning with Adam, and therefore had to call forth MALES to begin THE GREAT RESTORATION OF ALL MANKIND! The first person to evangelize was Mary – a woman! Why? Because it was through a woman that the ENTIRE HUMAN RACE FELL FROM GLORY! God had to fix that by having Mary who was possessed by 7 demons (number of completion), preach CHRIST RISEN who is the Tree of Life and of REDEMPTION even for the woman who was DECEIVED and ASSUMED AUTHORITY! So through the Virgin Mary, Jesus already began the redemption for women. However, part of the beginnings of the birth of Jesus, started when God brought forth the Law through Moses (a male), and gave a VERY IMPORTANT COMMAND - As for the SONS of Levi, behold, I give all the tithe in Israel as an allotment; for it is the tithe of the SONS of Israel which they shall raise up as a heave offering to Yahweh which I give to the Levites as an allotment. Have you taken note of the word 'SONS' in those verses? You see, GOD'S AUTHORITY had to be restored back to man (Adam – male gender).
It is the Divine Order which God has put in place and it was ONLY through this order that God was able to bring about – watch this now – the Virgin, Holy Birth of Jesus the SON (MALE) OF GOD WHO IS THE SAVIOUR OF ALL MANKIND THE VERY MANKIND WHO WAS IN ADAM (whose name means mankind!), when the GREAT TRANSGRESSION TOOK PLACE! ARE YOU SEEING THIS? So God having commanded ONLY the sons of Israel to tithe ONLY from the increase of their fields and animals, called that tithe HOLY because he was working on the HOLY BIRTH OF HIS SON! That's one of the reasons why there was no sin in Him! The tithe was by God, ORDAINED AS HOLY! PRAISE GOD!! WHERE THEN DOES THE PREACHING ON TITHING FROM ONE'S WAGES COME FROM? I'LL TELL YOU WHERE – FROM IGNORANT MINDS! HOW CAN TODAY'S TITHING - CONSISTING OF MONEY, BE CALLED HOLY, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT WAS USED AS A MEANS TO BETRAY AND MURDER OUR LORD?! IT'S BLASPHEMY AND GOD WILL BRING JUDGMENT UPON ALL WHO TEACHES THIS HERESY ON THE 'MONEY TITHE' AS GOD'S 'BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE'!
Here are some more scriptural proof concerning the tithe in the O.T:
As you read through, remember that the tribe of Levi was a Holy Priestly tribe (pointing to the 'HIGH PRIEST' office of Jesus), unto God which is why He had the sons of Levi receive the Holy Tithe from the sons of Israel. This is God's HOLY, DIVINE ORDER which needed to be STRICTLY OBEYED to bring forth the birth of JESUS CHRIST – THE HOLY HUMAN TITHE AT THE APPOINTED TIME! There was no need to 'physically' do something to make Jesus' Spirit Holy – because His Spirit is God's Spirit who was, is and always will be HOLY! PRAISE GOD! But as for the human part of Jesus, it had to be 'WORKED' into having it being made HOLY by means of the HOLY TITHE which God has instituted! Oh! The AWESOME WISDOM OF GOD!! PRAISED BE HIS NAME IN THIS AGE AND THROUGHOUT ALL THE AGES TO COME, HALLELUJAH!!
Here are some Old Testament scriptures on the Holy Tithe:
20.Yahweh said to Aaron:In their land you shall not have an allotment, nor shall a portion be yours in their midst. I am your portion and your allotment in the midst of the sons of Israel.
21. As for the SONS of Levi, behold, I give all the tithe in Israel as an allotment in exchange for their service in which they are serving, the service of the tent of appointment.
22. The sons of Israel shall not come near again to the tent of appointment to bear sin so as to die.
23. He, the Levite, will serve in the service of the tent of appointment, and they shall bear any depravity of theirs. It shall be an eonian statute throughout your generations so that in the midst of the sons of Israel they shall not be allotted an allotment,
24. for it is the tithe of the SONS of Israel which they shall raise up as a heave offering to Yahweh which I give to the Levites as an allotment. Therefore I say concerning them:No allotment in the midst of the sons of Israel shall they be allotted.
25. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying.
26. As for the Levites, you shall speak and say to them:When you take from the sons of Israel the tithe which I give to you from them as your allotment, then you will raise up from it as a heave offering to Yahweh, a tenth of the tithe.
27. Your heave offering will be reckoned to you like the grain from the threshing site and like the fullness from the wine vat.
28. So shall you also raise up the heave offering of Yahweh from all your tithes which you take from the sons of Israel; and from it you will offer the heave offering of Yahweh to Aaron the priest.
29. From all your gifts you shall raise up the whole heave offering of Yahweh of all its best, its hallowed part, from it.
30. And you will say to them:When you raise up its best from it, then it will be reckoned to the Levites like the yield of the threshing site and like the yield of the wine vat.
31. And you may eat it in any place, you and your households, for it is your hire, in exchange for your service in the tent of appointment.
You shall not bear sin on account of it when you have raised up its best from it; thus you do not violate the holy things of the sons of Israel, nor shall you die. Num 18:20-32 C.L.V.
I apologize for the lengthy scriptures, but it is of UTMOST IMPORTANCE in that I am compelled to prove that what is been taught on tithing is in GREAT ERROR!
7.From the days of your forefathers, you withdrew from My statutes and do not keep them. Return to Me, and I will return to you, says Yahweh of hosts. Yet you say, In what way shall we return?
8. Will a human defraud Elohim? For you are defrauding Me. Yet you say, In what way do we defraud You? In the tithe and the heave offering!"
9. With a curse you curse Me, and Me you are defrauding--the nation, all of it."
10. Then bring the entire tithe to the treasure house, and viands (Meat, food) will come to be in My house. And test Me, I pray, in this, says Yahweh of hosts, if I will not open for you crevices in the heavens and I empty for you a blessing till there is insufficient storage."
11. And I will rebuke for you the devourer, and he shall not ruin the fruit of the ground for you, nor shall it bereave (to strip) for you the vine in the field, says Yahweh of hosts."
12. And all nations shall pronounce you happy, for you shall become a land of delight, says Yahweh of hosts." Mal 3:7-12 C.L.V.
In verse 7 and 8, we clearly see that Israel disobeyed God's statute on tithing and offerings and has also 'defrauded him!' God demands that they RETURN that (tithe) which belongs to him. Earlier I have proven to you that Jesus is the tithe which belongs to God. But the ministers preach that if we don't tithe (money), we ROB GOD! This is in error!
In verse 9, God says that Israel is therefore cursed and also curses God! In addition, God also says that they are defrauding THE NATION! I remind you that Jesus came FIRST to the HOUSE OF ISRAEL. That was the MAIN reason why God INSTITUTED the TITHE for Israel to obey but sadly did not and that is why only FEW of Israel believed on Jesus; They were CURSED in that they never kept God's command to tithe. Are you beginning to see this? It is preached that if we don't tithe (money), then we evidently CURSE OUR MONEY! Again, this this kind of preaching is in GREAT ERROR and what the ministers do not perceive, is that they are actually putting a curse on themselves and on God's people! But there's more! They are also therefore BLASPHEMING GODS NAME BY CURSING IT JUST LIKE GOD ACCUSED ISRAEL OF DOING! Is it little wonder that satan has been waltzing in and out of the church causing havoc? Satan knows very well that GROUND has been given to him!
In verse 10, God urges them to bring the tithes into his store house that there may be meat and food and to prove God to see if he will not open heaven and pour out a blessing which they wouldn't be able to contain! The store house refers to Gods tabernacle and in turn refers to us who BELIEVE that we are the tabernacle of Jesus as the HOLY TITHE, in our HEARTS! Jesus is the ONE whom God has sent from HEAVEN (windows of heaven) and who is the BLESSING POURED OUT to us, and our hearts can HARDLY CONTAIN HIS BLESSINGS!! But once again, it is taught that when you tithe of your MONEY to God, he will bless you with wisdom to have financial success etc! Jesus said he has come to do his Fathers business, and MONEY has NOTHING to do with it! Therefore the TRUE SONS OF GOD possess the same ZEAL as their SHEPHERD!
In verse 11 and 12, God promises to rebuke the devourer and he therefore won't ruin their ground etc. Also, the devourer won't strip the grapes from their vines which speaks of Jesus being the NEW WINE flowing from our hearts to the nations. That is why in verse 12 we as the body of Christ, will by the nations be called, A BLESSED LAND!!
Remember when Jesus performed his first miracle by changing water into wine?
ALL THE PEOPLE AT THE WEDDING DRANK FROM THE NEW WINE WHICH IS A PROPHETIC FULFILLMENT OF THE SCRIPTURE IN VERSE 12!!
To add one very important thing:
JESUS HAS ALREADY CRUSHED THE HEAD OF THE DEVOURER (SATAN). WHY THEN IS THE CHURCH PAYING MONEY (TITHE) TO STOP SATAN FROM DEVOURING THEIR LIVES, LAND, MONEY ETC?!
With all this truth being revealed about the tithe, where does the preaching and teaching on tithing of ones wages come from? There is ABSOLUTELY NO documentation of God EVER having commanded a 10% of ones wages ANYWHERE in his Word! In fact, Israel profited much money in that they traded the increase of their fields. So how is it that God has not commanded them to tithe of THEIR money (profits)? Yet ministers of the gospel for the longest time has been preaching that God requires us to tithe from our wages/money and get this, it's to be a spiritual act of faith as it is a biblical principle and to keep in mind that the tithe is holy unto God!
Is money to replace Jesus who is the REAL TITHE? How is it that the ministers has not perceived that it's BLASPHEMY to do so? Do you remember when they TEMPTED Jesus in asking him if they should pay taxes to Caesar?
13.And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him (Jesus) in his words.
14. And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?
15. Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.
16. And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar's.
And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him. Mar 12:13-17 K.J.V.
Have you lately taken a good look at money? Ever taken note of whose face is on it? It's a face of a man isn't it? In the country that I live in which is South Africa, the face of a 'BEAST' (animal) is on it! Get it? Did you know that it was man who invented the 'money system' and NOT God? If you have not realized that money is today's god, then you need to realize it NOW! The 'man of sin' has given money a voice saying:
I am the fruit of the tree (tree of life, paper money from trees); I am the bread of life (corn, daily bread); I am the new wine (a life of riches preached that it's God's will for our lives); I am power (oil for anointing). In other words, money wants to replace the HOLY TITHE which is Jesus, but it can NEVER replace Jesus as the Lamb who has SACRIFICED his life for us! This is the reason why we as the body of Christ are to be very perceptive when it comes to 'prosperity teachings' (financial prosperity as God's will)! Have a look at the Jews today. They have rejected Jesus and inevitably they have been prospering in businesses and ultimately in money. That is the reason why God has already begun to judge not only them, but also the church who has followed the same path! Remember the Twin Towers on 9/11? Have you taken note how the Dollar has been 'down-spiraling' ever since? Bin Laden was and still is a whip in God's hand, just like the Assyrians also were to whip disobedient Israel. You see, when you reject Jesus or are IGNORANT of the the truth of money professing to be a god, then it will be money that will raise its voice in your life to DECEIVE and CONTROL you!
Everyday money relentlessly declares:
You NEED me, MONEY, to pay your:
bond/rent, car payments, electricity, water, food, clothes, debts, medical aid/health Insurance, entertainment, etc!
Isn't it OBVIOUS that 'money' is in TOTAL OPPOSITION to God? Yet preachers today are teaching on money prosperity, real estate prosperity etc so that we as 'the church' can 'come out of poverty' and have the 'pleasures' of living a 'fruitful' life! Have they forgotten what Jesus said about riches/money?
No one can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. (Mammon of course is wealth, money.) Mat 6:24 M.K.J.V.
And Jesus went into the temple of God and cast out all those who sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of those who sold doves. Mat 21:12 M.K.J.V.
Do I yet also need to mention what Jesus said to the rich young ruler? Read Luke 18:18-30.
The mammon spirit has already entered into the church; Should I then remain QUIET?! NO! For me to 'hold my peace' would be SIN! The ZEAL of my Lord King indeed has eaten me up!
CORBAN
Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat loaves with unwashed hands? But He answered and said to them, Well has Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, "This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. However, they worship Me in vain, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men, the dippings of pots and cups. And many other such things you do. And He said to them, Do you do well to set aside the commandment of God, so that you may keep your own tradition? For Moses said, "Honor your father and your mother." And, "Whoever curses father or mother, let him die the death."
But you say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, Corban! (that is, A gift to God, whatever you may profit by me) and you no longer allow him to do anything toward his father or mother,
making the Word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have delivered. And you do many such things. Mar 7:5-13 M.K.J.V.
I'll be straight:
'Corban' is today's tithes and offerings in the form of MONEY!
I personally know of people who 'tithe' knowing full well that there will be a shortage of finances in their monthly budget and thereby bringing about LACK in their homes! They are not able to make ends meet throughout the month and suffer a DEBT INCREASE all because of the abomination called 'the money tithe'. These are the same people that tell me the tithe is 'holy' and 'belongs' to God! What utter rubbish!! The only thing that's truly Holy unto God is his Son, JESUS CHRIST THE WORD OF GOD!
The many times I've heard 'tithers' say to me that they trust God for multiplying their paying of tithes and offerings but yet they're still in lack and debt! They also say that God delights and honours them in their paying tithes especially when they have little left to nothing left after they do!
This does not occur over two or three months, this continues over years and they're still 'believing'! But here's the sad truth: Marriages and families has been and still are experiencing great suffering because of 'tithes and offerings' and the reason is that it comes straight from satan!
One thing that we as believers must understand is that God only accepts that which he has ordained to be performed and NOT our good intentions. God has NEVER commanded the believers to tithe and to do so is NOT and CANNOT be acceptable to Him because he is a Holy God!
Remember when David wanted to build the temple for the Lord but then God through the prophet Nathan said no? What do you think God is saying through me via my blog which pulsates with his very Heartbeat?
When God commanded the tithe through Moses, it was ALWAYS out of Israel receiving a VERY BOUNTY-FULL HARVEST!!
Israel was NEVER EVER commanded to tithe from having little or in the midst of a famine! I triple dare you to look up two or three witnesses giving such an account. The very reason why God had Israel tithe ONLY from the INCREASE of their crops and animals, was to foreshadow the ABUNDANCE that Jesus would deliver to us! Jesus is our TRUE ABUNDANCE AND INCREASE! So 'the church' has for the longest time had 'the cart before the horse' with their tithes and offerings teachings! To Israel, tithing was a HUGE CELEBRATION because it was the time of INCREASE - HARVEST TIME! It was to be a constant reminder of God's ABUNDANCE and NOT poverty and lack!
So here's my question to those who tithe: Are you paying tithes because of God having given you GREAT ABUNDANCE? Because that is the only accepted way God has commanded Israel to tithe. And by the way, even though God had Israel profit greatly in finances via trading etc, he NEVER commanded them to tithe from their financial increase! A BIG part of the reason is because financial increase is 'human effort' by 'human hands' and that which God had commanded to tithe was God's Divine Work and NOT man! Man didn't create the earth and everything in it with all its laws – OUR HOLY GOD DID!! That is why the law of tithing which God commanded Israel to perform was HOLY – GET IT?! We know that God has created what I've mentioned above, all by his Word and his Word is Jesus – THE HOLY TITHE!!
UNDERSTAND THAT TITHES AND OFFERINGS IS TODAY'S 'CORBAN' AND THEREBY MAKING THE WORD OF GOD OF NO EFFECT AND ALSO BLASPHEMING GOD'S HOLY NAME!
AS FAR AS GIVING OF YOUR FINANCES IS CONCERNED; GIVE AS GOD HAS PROSPERED YOU!
Give whatever you can according to what you have. If you are really eager to give, it isn't important how much you are able to give. God wants you to give what you have, not what you don't have. Of course, I don't mean you should give so much that you suffer from having too little. (This is why I have said that marriages and families have been suffering because of 'tithes and offerings'!) I only mean that there should be some equality. Right now you have plenty and can help them. Then at some other time they can share with you when you need it. In this way, everyone's needs will be met. Do you remember what the scriptures say about this? “Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough.” 2 Co.8:11-15 New Living Translation
DO AS PETER HAS DONE:
But Peter said, Silver and gold (MONEY) have I none, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth (THE HOLY TITHE), rise up and walk! (That is the TRUE ABUNDANCE given to the man who was lame!)
Act 3:6 M.K.J.V.
And leaping up, he stood and walked and entered with them into the temple, walking and leaping and praising God.
And all the people saw him walking and praising God.
Act 3:8-9 M.K.J.V.
This is the exact picture God had in his mind when he commanded Israel to tithe from the AWESOME HARVEST which He had the earth bring forth for NOT ONLY Israel, but also for the poor to ENJOY just like the lame man who was once 'poor' but has been made rich by -
JESUS, THE TRUE HOLY TITHE OF ABUNDANCE!!
Jesus was always found giving money to the poor. I don't find any documentation of him purchasing a building to preach and teach in, or buying himself and his disciples a GRAND HOUSE in a place WAY OUT OF REACH OF PEOPLE! Jesus was found among the poor; touching, hugging, teaching and HEALING them! Should I then not be like my Lord King and live out his example?
We MUST remember that via MONEY, Jesus was betrayed unto his death! Of course Judas was tempted, but it was satan who was behind it using his 'money power system!' This is the 'rebellion of money' against Jesus the Son of God, which violently had put Jesus to death! Remember the soldiers who gambled with money for Jesus' robe? And it was thirty pieces of silver with the face of a man on each one of it which betrayed Jesus. But wasn't it that very man of sin whose sins put Jesus on the cross? Do you see how this all fits together?
But sadly, the church has NO IDEA that God is about to bring about a shaking that will COMPLETELY bring down the 'money power system' which man has invented! This shaking will bring to pass what God has declared which is that the wealth of the wicked are to be delivered into the hands of the RIGHTEOUS SONS OF GOD. And why will this happen? So that they can finally now also have 'the power' and right to that kind of living? ABSOLUTELY NOT!! The Sons of God will esteem God and his Word as their TRUE wealth and riches!
The wicked who has trusted in their riches (money), will have it violently taken from them by force, and they will therefore have nothing to trust in! They will literally see the Righteous possessing their 'power' and this in turn will bring about GREAT APATHY in that they will have suffered GREAT LOSS! Ever read James 5?
“Come now, you rich, lament, howling for your wretchedness which is coming on you!
Your riches have rotted and your garments have become food for moths.
Your gold and silver corrode and their venom will be for a testimony against you, and the venom will be eating your flesh as fire. You hoard in the last days.
Lo! the wage of the workers, who mow your country places, which has been withheld by you, is crying, and the imploring of the reapers has entered into the ears of the Lord of hosts.
You luxuriate on the earth, and squander. You nourish your hearts as in a day of slaughter.
You convict, you murder the just; he is not resisting you.” Jas 5:1-6 C.L.V.
Though he heaps up silver (money) like the dust, and prepares clothing like the clay,
he may prepare, but the just (Sons of God) shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.
He builds his house like a moth, and like a booth that a watchman makes.
The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered. He opens his eyes, and he is not.
Terrors overtake him like waters; a tempest steals him away in the night.
The east wind lifts him up, and he is gone; for it whirls him out of his place.
For it will hurl at him, and will not spare; he will surely flee out of its hand.
He shall clap His hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place. Job 27:16-23 M.K.J.V.
Need I say more?
Let's take a look now at how God admonishes us to:
GIVE:
Give whatever you can according to what you have. If you are really eager to give, it isn't important how much you are able to give. God wants you to give what you have, not what you don't have. Of course, I don't mean you should give so much that you suffer from having too little. I only mean that there should be some equality. Right now you have plenty and can help them. Then at some other time they can share with you when you need it. In this way, everyone's needs will be met. Do you remember what the scriptures say about this? “Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough.” 2 Co.8:11-15 New Living Translation
Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. 1Co 16:2 K.J.V.
Each one, as he purposes in his heart, let him give; not of grief, or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2Co 9:6-7 M.K.J.V.
Tell me: Why is it that one does not hear these verses preached in churches?
I'm sure that you will agree with me that Jesus chose Paul to be the chief minister of the Gospel specifically to the gentiles. They obviously knew nothing of tithe and offerings (for the Law has not been given to them), and had it been THAT IMPORTANT (in that if it were a command from God to do it), why is it that this IMPORTANT command was NEVER mentioned by the chosen apostle Paul that tithing should be a BASIC PRINCIPLE for the church to OBEY? I mean let's face it, if our money would be cursed by us not tithing, then SURELY God would CERTAINLY have it documented CLEARLY in the epistles to the church! God knows that he MUST follow his own principle which he gave to us, and it is that:
“...In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” (2Co.13:1 K.J.V.) [Deu. 17:6; 19:15; Mat. 18:16; 1Tim. 5:19; Heb.10:28]
Question:Are there two or three, or EVEN ONE WITNESS in God's Word where he has commanded the church to tithe?
We are to give of our finances, AS GOD HAS PROSPERED US! GOD NEVER EXPECTS ANYONE TO GIVE MONEY SHOULD THEY NOT HAVE ENOUGH OF IT TO 'OFFER AT THE TIME!' The woman who gave her last two coins, never continued to give her last! How then would she have been able to even purchase the basic necessities like food? There are times in a Christians life when he/she gives sacrificially, and this God commends. However, God has NEVER commanded his SONS (for that is who we are of God) to tithe of our wages. Have a look at this:
And when they had come to Capernaum, those who received the didrachmas came to Peter and said, Does your master not pay the didrachmas?
He said, Yes. And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? From their sons, or from strangers?
Peter said to Him, From strangers. Jesus said to him, Then truly the sons are free. Mat 17:24-26 M.K.J.V.
We as the Sons of God are EXEMPT from payments like tithing and are therefore FREE! Like I proved earlier, we are the HOLY TITHE! When we give, we give out of HOLINESS which resides within us, and his name is Jesus! Our giving is an outpouring of purity and holiness. We are the sweet smelling fragrance unto our God being a DELIGHTFUL LAND (Mal.3:12) to the nations around us, blessing them by revealing Christ through our holy lives!
THIS, IS TRUE EVANGELISM!!
THIS, IS TRUE AND HOLY LIVING!!
