Deuteronomy 14:22-29 and 15:19-20 - Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the LORD your God always. But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the LORD your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the LORD will choose to put his Name is so far away), then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the LORD your God will choose. Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice. And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own.
At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
Set apart for the LORD your God every firstborn male of your herds and flocks. Do not put the firstborn of your oxen to work, and do not shear the firstborn of your sheep. Each year you and your family are to eat them in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose.
Sometimes I think people get the impression that the Israelites had to give up or "lose" their tithes of grain, wine, and oil and their firstborn sheep and cattle. Actually they just had to set them aside and eat them in Jerusalem at the Temple. The one exception to this is that, every third year, the tithes were given to the Levites, aliens, fatherless, and widows.
I wonder how soon it was before someone failed to do this as God required. Did anyone mess up in Year 1 already?
I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.
You only discuss the 2nd and third tithe. Do not forget the first one.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tithing-russkelly.com/id29.html
Also be sure to read Nehemiah 10:35-39 about the firstborn adn the tithes.
Tithing was never commanded to the church after Calvary in terms of grace and faith.
Dr. Kelly,
ReplyDeleteThank you for mentioning the 1st tithe. You are correct in saying that I have not commented on it. In fact, I hadn't realized there was a debate in some circles over the number and amounts involved.
I also agree that tithing, while it can be used as a giving benchmark of sorts by choice, is not required in these New Testament times.
My book has caused an uproar on CBS Sunday Morning News, Charisma Magazine, The Wall Stgreet Journal and Moody Prime Time.
ReplyDeleteI urge seminaries to assign it as a Masters, Doctors or PHD level study. The only person to have done so agreed with me and is now teaching at Liberty University, David Croteau, PHD.