(eBook) Tithe Revelation (2nd Edition)
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This exploration goes beyond simply answering whether we should tithe or not; it's about uncovering the heart and mind of God and drawing our own informed conclusions.
As you read, you'll notice that when the Bible isn't clear, I'll use phrases like "likely," "perhaps," "I think," and "in my opinion." These conclusions are not definitive; rather, they're intended to spark insight and understanding, which ultimately comes from the Lord.
A Longer Description
The challenge I've seen with us preachers is that we tend to preach and teach what we've heard from other preachers without verifying their teachings with the Word. There's a popular "revelation" I've heard from many pulpits: if you give your tithe, God will open the windows of heaven, but no blessings will come into your life unless you also give offerings.
This teaching claims that tithes open the windows of heaven, while offerings bring God's blessings through those windows. If you only tithe, you'll have open heavens, but no blessings will come. If you only give offerings without tithing, you'll have plenty of blessings, but you'll miss them in your life because the windows of heaven through which they pass will be closed due to not tithing. This has been preached many times by many preachers. But is this really what the Bible teaches?
It's only in Malachi 3:10 that God challenges people to "prove" Him with tithes and promises to open the windows of heaven: "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." (KJV).
In the Law of Moses, tithes and offerings supported the Levitical priests, establishing justice and fairness for them because they had no inheritance (Numbers 18:21-24, Deuteronomy 14:22-29). When Jesus spoke about tithes, He connected them to justice, mercy, and faith, not excessive blessings (Matthew 23:23). Tithes aimed to provide justice for the Levites (who didn't get an inheritance like the rest of the tribes) and for the needy (widows, orphans) who lacked inheritance due to circumstances they might have encountered. For strangers, tithes provided mercy.
Originally, God said that all the tithe belonged to Him, and then He gave Aaron and his sons the right to take the tithes on His behalf (Numbers 18:21-24). Another purpose of tithing was to practice our faith in God as our Provider, Source, and God. Giving tithes meant having faith that God is our Source, that He exists, and that all tithes belong to Him. This is why Jesus connected tithes with justice, mercy, and faith.
This was the main reason for tithing: justice, mercy, and faith, not excessive blessings. We got stuck on Malachi's promise of blessings without understanding its context. This is why I wrote "Tithe Revelation." I discovered that many preachers don't study the Bible thoroughly; they just preach what the majority preach.
It's essential to understand the key phrases in the book of Malachi. God through Malachi said these key phrases:
1. "Return to me" (Malachi 3:7)
2. "Prove me" (Malachi 3:10).
This is where you get the real sense of the book of Malachi.
These Jews during Malachi's time had totally lost the understanding of the Law. Study the book of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Haggai, and you'll see how these people were "almost" strangers to the Law of Moses, even though they were Jews. Ezra and Nehemiah had to regularly sit them down to explain the Law to them (Nehemiah 8:1-8).
All these people were born in Babylon, where their fathers had spent almost 70 years without the Law and without the Temple. They were in exile. Then they bore children in exile who never saw the Temple of Solomon, who never experienced the culture of giving tithes, and who never practiced all the rituals of the Law because they were raised in a heathen land. In other words, this new generation didn't know the God of Israel that much. They were lost.
This is why God said, "Return to me" (Malachi 3:7), because they were like lost sheep. And then God said, "Prove me, and see if I will not open the windows" (Malachi 3:10). Why was God challenging them to prove Him? It's because He knew their spiritual state; the Law of Moses was strange to them. They didn't know if it was really powerful or if it worked. And they didn't even know if the God of Israel was really that powerful compared to the gods of other heathen nations around them.
The promise in Malachi 3:10 is not the major reason why we give tithes. It was given because God was dealing with people who had doubts about God and the Law. To us, we must understand that tithes are for justice, mercy, and faith.
To those who say that the New Testament Apostles never gave tithes, I have no problem with your position. However, the concept of justice, mercy, and faith regarding giving is present in the New Testament. Paul said in some of his letters that you should not muzzle an ox as it treads out the grain (1 Corinthians 9:9-10). He was talking about justice for those who preach the Gospel, that we should ensure they are well-fed. The church needs to financially support them.
The book of Acts talks about some members of the church selling their lands so that the proceeds could be given to the poor in the church (Acts 4:34-35). We have other instructions on giving to the poor as well (Galatians 2:10).
We come to faith, and we give because we believe God is our source. When we give, we know we're giving to God. Giving shows our faith in God. You might say you don't believe in tithing, but should you then completely not give to the church or see that your pastor's needs are met and that the poor are reached out to?
Some people have stopped tithing altogether because they question its administration in church. Perhaps they thought it was only enriching the clergyman and had lost its real purpose. I might understand that, but that shouldn't stop you from doing what's right. I gave some suggestions to people in that state in my book, "Tithe Revelation."
Today's church got stuck with Malachi and majored on the minor revelation of windows of heaven rather than the major revelation, which Jesus connected tithes to: mercy, faith, and justice (Matthew 23:23). Let's return to the original purpose.
I had mixed responses from people who read my book, "Tithe Revelation." I understand that someone might want to know if we should completely forget being blessed when we tithe. Okay, look at this: the Bible says it's more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). I've taught this many times, including in my previous booklet, "Why Giving."
We're already blessed in Christ with all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3). We're all blessed, but when you give, you take a step further in your faith, and you become more blessed. That act of giving means double blessed. It means you're putting into practice what you have in your spirit. You're enforcing the spiritual blessings into your physical life. The problem comes when you don't define the word blessed the way the bible defines it.
To be blessed means to be able to give, regardless of amount. It's about the ability to give. Giving means you believe in God as your provider and that you believe God wants to use you to touch lives with your giving. This should be simple; we don't need to complicate giving and turn it into a casino, where you give to get your money back multiplied hundredfold. It might work like that, but it is not a guarantee.
Many people who gamble have this belief: if you put in more money, you'll get a bigger return. Likewise, preachers who teach giving with that mindset always say things like, "If you give bigger amounts, you'll get millions in return." I cringe when I hear that. I know what that sounds like – financial advice, where you promise and guarantee someone they'll get a financial return from their giving. Some of them go to the extent of promising a 24-hour financial miracle when you give.
Read all my books on giving (I've written four of them); I never give guarantees of a specific financial return. The Bible doesn't do that either. The Bible has many definitions of a blessing: wellness, spiritual blessing, peace, good relationships, faith, heavenly treasure, divine health, salvation, meeting of basic needs, financial stability, fruitfulness, protection and safety, guidance and wisdom, being able to give, spiritual gifts, favor, etc.
In fact, Paul said, "If we have food and clothing, we can be content" (1 Timothy 6:8). If all your basic needs are met, and you're then able to give to the gospel and help the needy, you're blessed. That doesn't mean God doesn't want you to live in luxury, though. But this is basically what being blessed means.
The Bible doesn't give specific promises like, "If you give $1000, you'll get a hundredfold return in three days." It only uses the umbrella term "blessing," which means many things beyond financial returns. So, I teach giving, but I don't give guarantees of specific financial returns, because the word blessing does mean money only.
This is why I don't coerce or manipulate people into giving by promising financial returns or instilling fear that they'll be cursed if they don't. If the motive for giving is wrong, that giving will never work. If they don't see a financial return as you promised, you might be in trouble with the law if they decide to have you arrested. In some countries you might be taken as someone who gave financial advice which should be the work of a professional in that field. I understand that many Christians won't sue a preacher for promising financial returns that never materialize due to fear of scripture that says, "touch not my anointed one." (Psalm 105:15).
Any preacher can manipulate people with "financial guarantees" without fear of consequences, but that's not good. Where's the love of God? When we give with the right motive, our giving will cause us to see God's blessings manifest because we're giving out of faith, love, and the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
Someone warned me, "If you preach like this, nobody will give to your ministry." But if a preacher is walking in faith, asking for gifts with a heart full of faith and love, that good spirit will be imparted to the givers, and they'll give with the same good motives. It all comes down to whether the preacher is in faith or fear, a gambler at heart or not, or understands grace or lives in guilt.
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