Tithing:
The Principles of Giving
Hebrew words
used to reference tithing:
OT:6237 `asar
(aw-sar'); [used 9 times] a primitive root (ident. with OT:6238); to accumulate;
but used only as denominative from OT:6235; to tithe, i.e. to
take or give a tenth: KJV - X surely, give (take) the tenth, (have, take)
tithe (-ing, -s), X truly. Deut
14:22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field
bringeth forth year by year.
OT:6238 `ashar
(aw-shar'); [used 17 times] a primitive root; properly, to accumulate; chiefly
(specifically) to grow (causatively, make) rich: KJV - be (-come, en-, make,
makeself, wax) rich, make [1 Kings 22:48 marg]. See OT:6240. 1
Sam 2:7 YHWH maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.
OT:6240 asar
(aw-sawr'); [used 337 times] for OT:6235; ten (only in combination), i.e. -teen;
also (ordinal) -teenth: KJV - [eigh-, fif-, four-, nine-, seven-, six-, thir-]
teen (-th), + eleven (-th), + sixscore thousand, + twelve (-th). (#’s
between 11 and 20)
OT:6235 `eser
(eh'ser); [used 176 times]masculine of term `asarah (as-aw-raw'); from OT:6237;
ten (as an accumulation to the extent of the digits): KJV - ten, [fif-, seven-]
teen. Deut 10:44 And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing,
the ten commandment..
OT:4643
a` aser (mah-as-ayr'); [used
32 times] or ma` asar (mah-as-ar'); and (in plural) feminine ma` asrah (mah-as-raw');
from OT:6240; a tenth; especially a tithe: KJV - tenth (part), tithe (-ing). Num
18:24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave
offering untoYHWH, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said
unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.
Satan has
managed to corrupt all of the principles that Yahweh established; the principles
of tithing are no exception. Many people have misunderstood the purpose and
intent of tithing, because of that and because they have refused to obey this
principle or command, they have not fully received the blessings of Yahweh.
What are
some of the reasons that people use not to tithe?
Like any
other principle that our Father has established, tithing is a voluntary
principle, but just like all the other principles, there are consequences for
those that do not obey his command. Deuteronomy exhorts us to do all that we
must do to receive blessings: Deut 30:19-20
19 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against
you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now
choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love
YHWH your Elohim, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For YHWH is your
life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your
fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
In the OT,
tithing was subject to meat, grains, produce etc. in some cases you were allowed
to convert the tithe into money so you could use it to celebrate the Feasts of
Yahweh. What do we tithe in this day and age that we do not offer sacrifices nor
have a levitical system or temple or social farming?
Is it
possible for us to reach a state of righteousness in this day and age?
Using
discernment is critical when it comes to the Scriptures and living a life of
righteousness in our time.
Deut 22:1-3
If you see your brother's ox or sheep straying, do not ignore it but be sure to
take it back to him. 2 If the brother does not live near you or if you do not
know who he is, take it home with you and keep it until he comes looking for it.
Then give it back to him. 3 Do the same if you find your brother's donkey or his
cloak or anything he loses. Do not ignore it.
How does the
above verse apply to us today and why? And what principles are we fulfilling by
returning lost items to our neighbors?
Just like we
can decipher the important principles to above story we must understand that
there are many such principles when it comes to tithing during our time. Tithing
was established at creation and it will continue until Yahshua returns and until
the Kingdom is established.
Abraham
understood the practice of tithing during the age of Malchazidek before the
Levitical priesthood was established:
Gen 14:18-20
18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of
Elohim Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by
Elohim Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And blessed be Yahweh Most
High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth
of everything.
In Gen 28:22
we are told that Jacob promised Yahweh a tenth of what he gained for his
blessings; again this was done before Moshe(Moses) came on the scene: In Lev we
are told that a tenth of what we have belongs to Yahweh. No matter what it is:
Lev 27:30-33
30 "'A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or
fruit from the trees, belongs to YHWH; it is holy to YHWH. 31 If a man redeems
any of his tithe, he must add a fifth of the value to it. 32 The entire tithe of
the herd and flock--every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd's
rod--will be holy to the YHWH. 33 He must not pick out the good from the bad or
make any substitution. If he does make a substitution, both the animal and its
substitute become holy and cannot be redeemed.'"
So in
today’s words, anything that we have or anything that Yahweh has blessed us
with is still his. Since we earn a salary at work, or since he has blessed us
with earning a salary at work, a tenth of our salaries belong to him.
If you use
something that does not belong to you, what we do call it?
Mal 3:8-12 8
"Will a man rob Elohim? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob
you?' "In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse-the whole nation of
you-because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse,
that there may be food in my house.
Yahweh tells
us that if we do not tithe we are robbing him! Robbing from Yahweh is a sin and
does place us under a curse; But when we obey, Yahweh tells us that he will
bless us:
Mal 3:10
..… Test me in this," says YHWH Almighty, "and see if I will not
throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will
not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops,
and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says YHWH
Almighty. 12 "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be
a delightful land," says YHWH Almighty.
So who or
what is the storehouse in our day and age?
The
principles of giving: Charity, kindness, obedience, discipline, priority, etc.
Hebrew Lesson Lamentations 3:22-26
22
Chacdeey Yahweh kiy lo'- taamªnuw Kiy lo'- kaaluw rachªmaayw
23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
23 Chªdaashiym labªqaariym Rabaah 'ªmuwnaatekaa
24 I say to myself, "YHWH is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
24 Chelqiy Yahweh 'aamªraah napshiy `Al- keen 'owchiyl low
25 YHWH is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;
25 Towb Yahweh lªqowaaw lªnepesh tidrªshenuw
26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of YHWH.
26
Towb wªyaachiyl wªduwmaam litªshuw`at Yahweh