The Tithe
From Dr. Speero Sheety
The Lord uses harsh words when He speaks about the tithe, calling those who take the tithe and offerings thieves, tricksters, and deceivers.
"A son honors his father and a servant his master. But if I'm a father, where is the honor due to me? And if I'm a master, where is the respect due to me?" says Adonai-Tzva'ot to you cohanim who despise my name. You ask, 'How are we despising your name?' By offering polluted food on my altar! Now you ask, 'How are we polluting you?' By saying that the table of Adonai doesn't deserve respect; so that there's nothing wrong with offering a blind animal as a sacrifice, nothing wrong with offering an animal that's lame or sick. Try offering such an animal to your governor, and see if he will be pleased with you! Would he even receive you?" asks Adonai-Tzva'ot (Malachi 1:6-8).
"Then I will approach you for judgment; and I will be quick to witness against sorcerers, adulterers, and perjurers; against those who take advantage of wage-earners, widows, and orphans; against those who rob the foreigner of his rights and don't fear me," says Adonai-Tzva'ot. “But because I, Adonai, do not change, you sons of Ya'akov will not be destroyed. Since the days of your forefathers, you have turned from my laws and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says Adonai-Tzva'ot. "But you ask, 'In respect to what are we supposed to return?' Can a person rob God? Yet you rob me.
But you ask, 'How have we robbed you?' In tenths and voluntary contributions. A curse is upon you, on your whole nation, because you rob me. Bring the whole tenth into the storehouse, so that there will be food in my house, and put me to the test," says Adonai-Tzva'ot. "See if I won't open for you the floodgates of heaven and pour out for you a blessing far beyond your needs. For your sakes, I will forbid the devourer to destroy the yield from your soil; and your vine will not lose its fruit before harvest time," says Adonai-Tzva'ot. "All nations will call you happy, for you will be a land of delights," says Adonai-Tzva'ot" (Malachi 3:5-12).
My dear ones, offering the tithe stably and regularly confirms that our Lord is the true owner of everything. He is the one who gives generously and without expecting anything in return because He is the source of every good gift. Some believers do not keep track of their gifts, riches, or assets regularly.
The tithe consists of:
1. A written principle
2. A Christian certificate
3. A mark of consecration
4. A starting point for giving
5. The road to gaining blessings
6. A confession of the Lord's ownership
7. A symbol of loyalty
8. An expression of gratitude to the Lord
9. Helping spread the Bible in the world
Giving the tithe is a divine principle through which we fund the work of the Lord in the world and grow our spiritual lives. Sadly, statistics show that only about half a percent of Christians worldwide give their tithe. If only believers understood the significance of this matter, we would witness miracles in the Christian world. The tithe has been in practice since the beginning: "Blessed be Avram by El 'Elyon, maker of heaven and earth. And blessed be El ‘Elyon, who handed your enemies over to you." Avram gave him a tenth of everything" (Genesis 14:20).
The tithe belongs to our Lord and should be taken from all our income: "All the tenths given from the land, whether from planted seed or fruit from trees, belongs to Adonai; it is holy to Adonai" (Leviticus 27:30). "At the end of every three years, you are to take all the tenths of your produce from that year and store it in your towns. Then the Levi, because he has no share or inheritance like yours, along with the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow living in your towns, will come, eat, and be satisfied - so that Adonai your God will bless you in everything your hands produce" (Deuteronomy 14:28-29).
The tithe is usually paid for the work of the Lord: “Never has a man lost when he served the Lord wholeheartedly, yet never has a man won who served the Lord half-heartedly."
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"To the angel of the Messianic Community in Smyrna, write: 'Here is the message from the First and the Last, who died and came alive again: "I know how you are suffering and how poor you are (though, in fact, you are rich!), and I know the insults of those who call themselves Jews but aren't - on the contrary, they are a synagogue of the Adversary. Don't be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Look, the Adversary is going to have some of you thrown in prison in order to put you to the test; and you will face an ordeal for ten days. Remain faithful, even to the point of death; and I will give you life as your crown. Those who have ears, let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the Messianic communities. He who wins the victory will not be hurt at all by the second death" (Revelation 2:8-11).
"As having reason to be sad, yet always filled with joy; as poor, yet making many people rich; as having nothing, yet having everything!" (2 Corinthians 6:10).
Giving is one of the attributes of the children of the Lord because giving is at the core of the Lord's nature. Believers' prayers do not only include their own needs; rather, they care for the needs of others as well and pray for them too. When the Holy Spirit comes to us, we become purer and prefer to give rather than to take: “As for husbands, love your wives, just as the Messiah loved the Messianic Community, indeed, gave himself up on its behalf" (Ephesians 5:25).
We give to express our loyalty and gratitude to the Lord for all He has given us, not because we want to have more, but because we sincerely want to prosper and be fruitful, as we learn from the words of Philippians 4:17: "I am not seeking the gift; rather, I am looking for what will increase the credit balance of your account."
"The Emperor's," they replied. Yeshua said to them, “Nu, give the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor. And give to God what belongs to God!" (Matthew 22:21).
We give from what the Lord has granted us to help build and develop His kingdom. We give to support the servants of the Lord, to build the house of the Lord, and to spread the word of the Lord. We must give, and we have to do it generously.
How Much to Give?
Ten percent of everything. “And this stone, which I have set up as a standing-stone, will be God's house; and of everything you give me, I will faithfully return one-tenth to you"
(Genesis 28:22).
In the Old Testament, giving the tithe was an absolute requirement that everyone had to fulfill. In the New Testament, it serves as proof of the obedience of God's children to His commandments and acts as a living testimony for those who seek spiritual guidance from the Holy Spirit.
Giving the tithe should come from everything we receive: from the harvest of fruits, from our assets and properties, from our time, and from our gifts. "As each one has received some spiritual gift, he should use it to serve others, like good managers of God's many-sided grace" (1 Peter 4:10).
Tributing the tithe should not be influenced by our emotions or personal preferences, nor should it be a result of peer pressure. Rather, it is a divine commandment that we must follow.
Some people ask me if their offerings count as part of their tithe. I explain that offerings are given to people in need, while the tithe is meant for building the house of the Lord.
The Holy Book makes this distinction clear. Otherwise, why would offerings also be mentioned? "So I had them leave the land of Egypt and brought them into the desert"
(Ezekiel 20:10).
The one who inspires the offering is the Spirit of the Lord, who encourages us to give more than our tithe and to do so generously. “Now, brothers, we must tell you about the grace God has given the congregations in Macedonia. Despite severe trials, and even though they are desperately poor, their joy has overflowed in a wealth of generosity. I tell you they have not merely given according to their means; of their own free will, they have given beyond their means" (2 Corinthians 8:1-3).
Some believers think that the tithe is all they have to give because that's the Lord's share. Sadly, in this mindset, they block blessings from flowing their way. "Here's the point: he who plants sparingly also harvests sparingly. Each should give according to what he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).
Assured blessings are reserved for the Lord's children who understand that everything comes from Him. They realize that He is the one who has created all things and desires to grant them to us. Such people feel joy and gladness whenever they give more than others do. "Give, and you will receive gifts — the full measure, compacted, shaken together and overflowing, will be put right in your lap. For the measure with which you measure out will be used to measure back to you!" (Luke 6:38).
Where to Give?
The Holy Book clearly instructs us to give our tithe for the house of the Lord: "Bring the whole tenth into the storehouse, so that there will be food in my house, and put me to the test," says Adonai-Tzva'ot. "See if I won't open for you the floodgates of heaven and pour out for you a blessing far beyond your needs" (Malachi 3:10).
We can also give our tithe to support the servants of the Lord and those who spread the gospel around the world, helping to meet their daily needs. "Therefore, as the opportunity arises, let us do what is good to everyone, and especially to the family of those who are trustingly faithful" (Galatians 6:10). "Share what you have with God's people, and practice hospitality" (Romans 12:13).
How to Give?
Joyfully and Cheerfully
"Each should give according to what he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
Simply and Generously
"You are a counselor; use your gift to comfort and exhort. If you are someone who gives, do it simply and generously. If you are in a position of leadership, lead with diligence and zeal. If you are one who performs acts of mercy, do them cheerfully" (Romans 12:8).
Wholeheartedly
"Tell the people of Isra'el to take up a collection for me anyone who wholeheartedly wants to give" (Exodus 25:2).
Not Wanting Anything in Return
“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those afflicted with tzara'at, expel demons. You
have received without paying, so give without asking for payment" (Matthew 10:8).
With Faithfulness
"They faithfully brought in the offerings, the required tenths, and the consecrated things. Konanyahuthe the Levi was put in charge of them, with Shim'i his brother as his assistant" (2 Chronicles 31:12).
With Secrecy
"Be careful not to parade your acts of tzedakah in front of people in order to be seen by them! If you do, you have no reward from your Father in heaven. So, when you do tzedakah, don't announce it with trumpets to win people's praise, like the hypocrites in the synagogues and on the streets. Yes! I tell you, they have their reward already! But you, when you do tzedakah, don't even let your left hand know what your right hand is doing" (Matthew 6:1-4).
God or Money?
"For the love of money is a root of all evils; because of this craving, some people have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves to the heart with many pains” (1 Timothy 6:10). "No one can be a slave to two masters; for he will either hate the first and love the second, or scorn the second and be loyal to the first. You can't be a slave to both God and money" (Matthew 6:24).
The holy book always warns us about the dangers that result from the love of money. Whenever a nation worships money, they become lost and suffer many curses. As we learn in Matthew 19:16-30, “A man approached Yeshua and said, ‘Rabbi, what good thing should I do in order to have eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘Why are you asking me about good? There is One who is good! But if you want to obtain eternal life, observe the mitzvot.’ The man asked him, ‘Which ones?’ and Yeshua said, ‘Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.’ The young man said to him, ‘I have kept all these; where do I still fall short?’ Yeshua said to him, ‘If you are serious about reaching the goal, go and sell your possessions, give to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come, follow me!’ But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he was wealthy. Then Yeshua said to his talmidim, ‘Yes, I tell you that it will be very hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Furthermore, I tell you that it is easier for a camel to pass through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.’ When the talmidim heard this, they were utterly amazed. ‘Then who,’ they asked, ‘can be saved?’ Yeshua looked at them and said, ‘Humanly, this is impossible; but with God everything is possible.’ Kefar replied, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you. So what will we have?’ Yeshua said to them, ‘Yes, I tell you that in the regenerated world, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Isra’el. Everyone who has left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times more, and he will obtain eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.’”
We notice in this incident that this man wanted to follow the Lord Yeshua and desired to enter the Kingdom of God, but he was so attached to his riches, which provided him with leisure and pleasure, that he was brought far from the Lord, even forgetting Him. The Lord Yeshua knew about this man’s weakness—that he adored money. Yeshua understood that money has an abnormal strength in attracting people’s hearts and minds, and that some wealthy individuals do not feel their spiritual needs because of their financial sufficiency. The history of the world confirms how correct Yeshua was when he said that many rich people lack piety for the Lord and do not live according to His will. However, there are also wealthy individuals who spend a lot of their riches on the service of the Lord and good deeds.
In clearer terms, wealth itself isn’t a sin; rather, it is the dependence on and worship of money that is sinful. The holy book points out this matter in Matthew 19:6-24: “Thus they are no longer two, but one. So then, no one should split apart what God has joined together.” They said to him, “Then why did Moshe give the commandment that a man should hand his wife a get and divorce her?” He answered, “Moshe allowed you to divorce your wives because your hearts are so hardened. But this is not how it was at the beginning. Now what I say to you is that whoever divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery!” The talmidim said to him, “If that is how things are between husband and wife, it would be better not to marry!” He said to them, “Not everyone grasps this teaching, only those for whom it is meant. For there are different reasons why men do not marry—some because they were born without the desire, some because they have been castrated, and some because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever can grasp this, let him do so.”
Then children were brought to him so that he might lay his hands on them and pray for them, but the talmidim rebuked the people bringing them. However, Yeshua said, “Let the children come to me; don’t stop them, for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.” Then, after laying his hands on them, he went on his way. A man approached Yeshua and said, “Rabbi, what good thing should I do in order to have eternal life?” He said to him, “Why are you asking me about good? There is One who is good! But if you want to obtain eternal life, observe the mitzvot.” The man asked him, “Which ones?” and Yeshua said, “Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “I have kept all these; where do I still fall short?” Yeshua said to him, “If you are serious about reaching the goal, go and sell your possessions, give to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come, follow me!” But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he was wealthy. Then Yeshua said to his talmidim, “Yes, I tell you that it will be very hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Furthermore, I tell you that it is easier for a camel to pass through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.”
