~~ The tithe, a cursing or a blessing? ~~

There is much confusion in our world today over the tithe. Should the NT Church tithe or not? Should the pastor receive the tithes or not? Is it a blessing to tithe or is it a curse? What was the purpose of tithing? Who was under a command to receive tithes? What were the requirements for being able to receive the tithes?

All of these are question which need answering and which the word of God clearly answers. So why all the confusion? I say it is because the people and their leaders have not taken the time to study this subject with an open mind.

Today is Sunday, Jan. 11, 2004. Last night just when I laid down to go to sleep, the Lord spoke to me and told me something concerning the Scripture in Malachi 3 concerning the tithing business. It is completely different from anything I have ever heard anyone say. So today I am trying to bring some of the truth of the Word forth concerning this matter of tithing.

Before I show you the truth of Mal. 3:10, let me show you a little background of the history of the tithing. Who was the tithe for? What was the condition for receiving this tithe? What was the tithe?

Lev. 27:30. And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's: it is holy unto the Lord.

31. And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.

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

33. He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.

34. These are the commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai.

Now we see from this Scripture that they were to tithe of their herds, flocks, and the things of the land, seed or trees. It was not money.

Num. 18:19. All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the Lord, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the Lord unto thee and to thy seed with thee.

20. And the Lord spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.

21. And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

22. Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die.

23. But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance.

24. But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the Lord, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.

25. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

26. Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the Lord, even a tenth part of the tithe.

27. And this your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshingfloor, and as the fullness of the winepress.

28. Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the Lord of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the Lord's heave offering to Aaron the priest.

29. Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the Lord, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it.

30. Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshingfloor, and as the increase of the winepress.

31. And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation.

32. And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved from it the best of it: neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die.

Now this passage tells us that the tithes were for the priests and their children, Aaron and the Levites. Look at verse 19-- it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee.

Now this makes it very clear that the tithe was set for only the priests and their family. Unless the present day preachers fit in here as children of the Levites, they are not included in this covenant. If you are, you become of the destroyed OT Covenant of law and are thus cut off from Jesus Christ.

What were the conditions for receiving this tithe? Read verse 20--The LORD said to Aaron, you shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them. I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.

Verse 21. I have given the children of Levi all the tenth of Israel for an inheritance, for their service of the tabernacle of the congregation. Verse 22 he forbids the children of Israel henceforth to come nigh the tabernacle lest the bear sin and die. See as long as this stands and the Levites do the service of the priests of the OT and receive the tithe as their only living and inheritance, the other Israelites are forbidden near that tabernacle.

Who today meets these conditions? I know of none. If you present day preachers are staying right in that tabernacle, without any personal home, land, or income, then receive that tithe. Eat of it. But now when you do, keep the others out of that tabernacle. After all, you do wish to obey the Word you preach do you not?

Verse 23, this is only a statute for the children of Israel, and the ones receiving this tithe have no inheritance among the others forever. Where do you stand with this, you preachers who desire this tithe?

Verse 26 the Levites are told that they must then tithe a tithe of what they receive to the Lord. Verses 31 and 32 show that they receive this tithe as a reward for doing their service in the tabernacle and that if they pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, they will die.

Now there is the danger of you present day preachers. You not only go out and work, buy land, houses, and allow just anyone in the tabernacle, but then you ‘pollute�?the Holy things by perverting the Word of God to the people.

In Deut. 12 they were told to tear down all places of idolatry which the heathens had worshipped at when they go in and take the land. This is the condition for eating and receiving the tithe. They had to tear down and burn all the altars of the idol worship, which had been before them in the land. Now the present churches are full of all the idols of the heathen around them. They pulled all the idols into their churches. They celebrate all the heathen holidays such as x-mas, Easter, Halloween, etc. So are they thus qualified [even if tithing were for the NT Church} are they qualified to receive the tithe? No.

Deut. 14: 22. Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.

23. And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always.

Here we are told that their tithing was of all their increase of their seed [food] corn, wine, and oil, their herds and flocks. It was not money. (The love of money is the root of all evil.)

27. And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath neither part nor inheritance with thee.

28. At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates:

29. And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.

Here they were told not to forsake the Levite for he had neither part nor inheritance with them. But look at the difference with our modern day preachers; they are the richest, the most well paid, and have houses, lands, business, and everything else in the world. So how can they qualify to receive tithes? I say they do not.

Also notice that it was to help take care of the fatherless, and the widow. Where is a church keeping this today? I know for a fact most preachers will go take from the widow, not give to them.

This is God’s Word, not mine.

Deut. 26: 12. When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled;

13. Then thou shalt say before the Lord thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them.

Notice in verse 12, they were to have given their tithe of all their increase unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, then they could eat within their gates and be filled. See that in verse 13 it said that this is a COMMANDMENT. So this seals it down that this thing of tithing is strictly of the law. The OT Law.

No where in the NT is there any command to tithe. No where are the preachers, ministers, apostles, or any others commanded to receive tithes from their brethern. The only method of giving showed in the NT was giving 100% of themselves, their houses and lands unto the Lord for His service. This is the only way recorded. They were told to give as the Lord prospered them and that not by constraint or command. Then it was given to the poor saints to help them out. This is the purpose of giving, to take care of those who are hurting and in need. It is not intended to ‘pay�?someone to do the work of God.

Freely you have received freely GIVE. This is the teaching of Jesus. If you churches quit ‘paying�?a man to rule over you and tell you his tales, and quit giving them houses, lands, cars etc. then you would clear those wolves out of your churches. They are in there for the money and goodies you set them up with. It has caused corruption and pollution of the Holy Word and Holy Things.

Mark 10:Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.

43. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:

44. And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.

45. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Here Jesus told his disciples that they would not have this method of exercising authority over each other. He showed that we are to be ministers and servants to each other, not set up over others. The ministers are not to be lifted up over others. We are all one in Christ Jesus. This means equals. Every Christian is to be a minister of the Lord and to each other. We are not to show partiality. This is sin.

There are two messages all through the Word of God from Genesis through Revelation. One is law, the other is grace. It depends on what is in your heart as to which you will ‘hear�? If you hear law, then you will reject this message and cling to law and tithing and lordship over others. But in doing so, you fall from grace, and therefore will not have salvation. Jesus Christ becomes of no effect to you.

Remember that the message of law is all through the Word. But so is the message of Grace all through the Word. Adam had a command not to eat of that tree of law. But since he did, it blocked him from being able to eat of the tree of life. Which are you eating of?

If you choose law with its laws and tithes and such, then you are eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and will be lost.

People like to go to where Jesus spoke to the Pharisees and rebuked them for tithing and leaving out weightier matters of the law and try to use this to say tithing is taught in the NT. But you must see that they were still under the law at that time. Never at any time or place is tithing taught as a NT way of life. I will prove it now.

Most all preachers and church folks go to Malachi 3 to teach tithing for us today. But let’s just examine that real closely.

Mal. 3: 8. Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

9. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

10. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

11. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.

12. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.

Let show you something here first about this conversation going on here between God and the people of Israel.

Verse 8-- God asked a question-- will a man rob God? What is going on here? It is the same kind of thing which went on between God and Adam. God has brought them to judgment; he is reckoning with them over their sins.

God asked Adam what is this you have done? But Adam denied it and blamed Eve. He hid his sin in his bosom. Therefore he never did receive forgiveness. He never confessed or repented. When one will not confess their sins, they will never repent. They will never be forgiven.

So watch what the Israelites do here. They are doing as their father, the devil, Adam. They deny it to God and in essence call God a lie. They said, wherein have we robbed thee? See they denied it. Where have we robbed you? God told them in tithes and offerings.

Verse nine, you are CURSED with a curse, for you have robbed me, even this whole nation.

That whole nation was CURSED RIGHT THERE. This is the time when Jesus told them, behold your house is left unto you DESOLATE. This is the time Jesus cursed the fig tree and it dried up from the roots. This was the nation of Israel he cursed and it dried up from the roots. No more will it come back, as most people claim, for her roots were destroyed right there. But what does it show? The law was destroyed right there. That law is her roots.

That old Jerusalem is the law. They are synonymous.

Now look at verse 10 real carefully. 10. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Bring the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house. See in the Scripture in Deut. which we discussed, they were told to store up this food there to feed the strangers who traveled by, the fatherless, the widows and the Priests and Levites. That is what it was for. They were to store it up there. It was called a storehouse. They had set up treasurers over this to distribute it out to those in need. It was not given into the hands of those Levites to just do with as they pleased.

See nothing of the system today comes anywhere near to matching ANYTHING taught in the Word of God about tithing and its use.

Remember that this is at the close of the OT. We are at the end here in Malachi. Then God said, and prove me now herewith, if I will not open you the WINDOWS of heaven, and POUR you out a blessing...

Let’s stop here a minute and examine this. God has just finished telling them that the whole nation is cursed. Is He then going to turn right around and pour them out a BLESSING? No. When he curses a thing it is cursed forever. Remember the fig tree dried up from the roots.

So He is not telling them I am fixing to re-bless you. Not the nation of Israel. I will pour out a blessing, which there will not be room enough to receive it?

Now let me ask you, do you know of any time that God opened up windows in heaven and poured out so much money upon them that they did not have enough room to receive it? Does he do this for all you tithe payers today? Any of you?

If you know of such a time or place, please show it to me. Where and when did he do this? Remember now that he has just pronounced a curse on that whole nation. He did not say, unless you do this, I am going to curse you. NO. He said you are cursed; are already cursed, even this whole nation. Do you suppose that God was kind of mixed up? Is he taking back the curse and promising them a blessing? No.

Did they ever tithe money? I have not found that in the Scripture. Is it a money blessing he is speaking of here? I do not see that in the Word. Where and when did he ever pour out money to people? And so much they could not receive it? Where? When?

So then what are these WINDOWS of heaven? What was poured out upon them?

Acts 2: 1. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

4. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

16. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

17. And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

18. And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

19. And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:

Now there is what God POURED OUT upon those who obeyed him. The others did not have ability or heart or enough room to receive it. They were the ones who clung to that law and continued to bring the tithes into a storehouse. They were cut off. Now just watch this closely to see the proof of this.

Here on the Day of Pentecost is where God opened up the windows of heaven and poured out that blessing. It was not money. It was not material things. It was not houses, lands, or such. In fact it had the opposite effect. They then went and sold all those earthly things and shared all things in common or equality. Equality is the very essence of God and Christ and Christianity. You are all one in Christ Jesus.

Now back to Malachi. He said I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes. So who is the devourer? To whom did God do this for? Did he rebuke the devourer from taking away your natural things? Did he do this for those Israelites? No. Does he do this to you who tithe today? I do not think so.

...And he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your VINE cast her fruit before the time in the field.

Now Satan is the devourer. He is saying to this NT Church which has just received the Baptism of the Holy Ghost there at Pentecost that Satan will not be able to destroy her fruits or converts. Who is her vine? Jesus said I am the VINE. So Jesus is the VINE of the NT Church. Satan cannot destroy His fruit or children.

Verse 12--And all nations shall call you BLESSED: for ye shall be a delightsome land.

A nation he has just CURSED? Of course not. What then? This new nation of Christians born at Pentecost. Christians, the spiritual Israel. The spiritual Seed of Abraham. We are the delightsome land.

We are the BLESSED of the Lord. The people who come into grace; not the people who cling to law; tithing, Sabbath keeping and thinking that the gifts of God can be purchased with money.

No where did Jesus tell us that the Church was to be a storehouse. In fact he told us right the opposite. He said we would be like a river. He said the Spirit would be in us a river and a well springing up into everlasting life. A river is not storing up anything. A springing well is never still. If you store it up, you are sinning.

The word ‘storehouse�?is only used in the NT once. Luke 12:24. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

See God told them there not to store anything up. Live by faith. God will feed you. Are you not much better than birds? God feeds them, why are you worrying? Are you living by Faith? Do you know what it is?

Not one time is the church called a storehouse. Yet most preachers scream to bring the tithes into the storehouse and God will bless you. Where is this coming from? Polluting the bread of the Children of God, the Word. It is pollution. God said you will die if you pollute the Word or bread.

It is taught for two reasons: a lack on knowledge of and studying of the Word and a desire to get the people’s money. It is sin. It takes them into law and into death and destruction. The law is not of faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God. There is no salvation by the law. So see where this thing of tithing will land you? In hell fire.

Matt. 6:19. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

20. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

21. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

This is Jesus�?own words. You would do well to heed it. Lay not up treasures upon earth. But lay up treasures in heaven. Where your treasure is, there is your heart.

Preachers, church members, where is your treasure? Look into your bankbook. Are you a storehouse? Why? Is it according to the truth of God’s Word? If so, please show me. I find it not.

Lay not up money in the bank. Lay not up treasures on earth. What are you doing?

Do you take the money given in your church and feed the poor, the fatherless, the widows and strangers among you? If not you are sinning. You are taking the money and spending it on fancy buildings, which God calls palaces. He said he hates them and will someday destroy them. Then where will your works be? Burned up. It is works of wood, hay, and stubble. It is works of man, not of God.

The works of God are prayer, studying the Word, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, teaching children the things of God and how to pray and love. Every member of the church is to be involved in the ministry. It is ministering to the needs of people. It is to see about the poor saints and the sick and cast out devils, have prophecies for people and teach and heal them. Are you doing this work of God? If not, your works of man will be burned up.

Those fancy buildings are not the temples of God. We are. Our body is the true temple. You had better forget those buildings and seek to show love to the body of Christ, we Christians.

Did you receive that blessing when it was poured out? Are you receiving it now? It is not money. It is the Holy Ghost.

People teach that to tithe today brings financial blessings. What does the Word say about thinking the money can purchase something from God?

Acts 8: 18. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

19. Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

20. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

21. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

22. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

23. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

See Peter called this wickedness to think that the gift of God can be purchased by giving money. People I say you had better wake up and seek to know truth. Let not the love of money destroy your soul and the souls of all those who are listening to you. They had better start studying the Word for themselves. After all this is the only way to be approved by God. Study to shew yourselves approved by God.

If you do not love and study the Word, then you do not love God, for He is the word.

By: Jo Smith

Jan. 11, 2004