The issue of tithing and giving is the subject I’m asked about the most. People write, call, and email me because they are continually hammered on the subject in the traditional church, yet they can’t deny that something in their spirit doesn’t sit right.

Wanting to be right in the eyes of God and proper in their giving, they have genuine questions and they can’t find someone to answer them within the traditional system.

Therefore this study will seek to address some of the more common things taught in traditional circles. This first part is a study of the OT tithe, which is essential to understanding the subject in the New Testament. Please don’t read part 2 without this part or you won’t understand part 2 fully.

While addressing specific points that people commonly hear, this study is not addressed to any one group. I leave it to the reader and the Holy Spirit within to determine if it bears witness.

I should say that my wife and I have lived this way for years, and have been blessed, even in difficult times. I also want to say at the outset that I believe in tithing and we do tithe and give, so don‘t read (especially this first part) and think I don‘t believe in tithing. However, our perspective on the matter is different than what is commonly preached in some pulpits.

Some of the things commonly taught in traditional churches as pertaining to tithing that will be covered in this, part 1:

* Tithing existed before the Old Testament and therefore flows into and through the New Testament, even though it is not mentioned in the epistles
* According to Malachi 3, if you don’t tithe you will be cursed
* According to Malachi 3, if you give you will have a blessing poured out upon you that you won’t have room to contain it

Commonly taught topics studied in part 2:

* The Bible promises a 100 fold return when you give
* Give out of your need
* When faced with the choice of taking care of yours or your family’s needs, or tithing, you should tithe and believe God for your needs

After we finish the study of the tithe below I will get into the specific points that I list above, but let us look at the concept of the tithe first.

A history of the tithe

The first recorded tithe is that of Abraham in Genesis 14: 17-20. The rabbi’s note (and anyone who reads the scripture can see) that the text shows Abraham’s offering of 10% of the spoil to the Lord was a voluntary offering. It was not demanded by Melchizedek, it was offered in voluntary worship from the heart of a grateful man. Abraham had the grace in his heart to give part of his belongings, it was not demanded of him from above.

In many traditional churches today the tithe is presented to the people as a demand with condemnation, not as a voluntary gift given from the heart by a grateful person. The contrast between what we see in Genesis and what we see in pulpits today is stark, isn’t it? Yet we can’t deny the scripture, Abraham gave from his own free will out of a heart of love and thanksgiving for God.

Key point: The giving of the tithe is a voluntary gift based upon an inward grace in the heart of the giver

This fact, that tithing is an act of grace (voluntary, free will) is very important, and here‘s why: Genesis is the book of beginnings and when we see something introduced in Genesis, it sets the pattern for everything related to it throughout the rest of the Bible.

The giving of the tithe began with grace, and it remains a grace to this day. This fact will become important later when we look at Paul’s words about giving, so keep this ‘book of beginnings in mind’.

The next time we see the tithe it is with Jacob, Abraham’s grandson. Genesis 28: 10-22 records that Jacob had a dream/vision and saw the Lord standing at the top of a ladder or stairway to heaven. Because of this revelation of God Jacob promises to serve the Lord and tithe to him. (v22)

It could also be said that Abraham’s giving of the tithe to Melchizedek was a result of a revelation. Hebrews 7:3 says that Melchizedek ‘was made like unto the Son of God’, meaning that Abraham was receiving a revelation about what Jesus’ life would be like during his encounter with Melchizedek. This is why Melchizedek shared bread and wine with him, a type of the body and blood of Jesus. Jesus said in John 8:56 that ‘Abraham rejoiced to see my day. And he saw it and was glad’. I would also add that Melchizedek was King of the city of Salem. In Hebrew, the wording, ‘city of’ is "jeru". The word for peace is ‘salem’, or ‘shalom’. Hence, Melchizedek was king of Jeru-salem. Truly a revelation of Jesus!

Both Abraham and Jacob gave their tithes following a revelation of God.

Key point: The giving of the tithe follows a revelation of God

Our key points combined, demonstrate that tithing is a grace in the heart of the giver following a revelation of God. So it is today. Without going into a teaching on grace, grace is always based upon a revelation of God. From John 3:16 where we learn that God so loved the world that he sent Jesus, to the grace that brings us to salvation, it is all based on a revelation of God.

The tithe in the Law of Moses

The next time we see the tithe it becomes part of the Law of Moses. Remember that the Law of Moses was given as Law because the people were not born again. God had to legislate commands in 3 areas because as a nation, they would not live with a heart of grace for God: The 3 areas were about cleanliness and diet (sanitary law), worship (religious law), and moral law (laws of society). Because the people did not have the inward nature to do those things naturally like we born again ‘new creations’ do in the New Testament, God’s ways were given as Law.

In Deuteronomy 14: 22-26 we see the Law of the Tithe.

"You will tithe all the increase of your seed that the field brings forth year to year. And you will eat it before the Lord your God in the place where he will choose to place his name. You will eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, of your oil, and the firstlings of your herds and flocks that you may learn to honor the Lord your God always. And if the way is too far for you that you’re not able to carry it, you may convert it to money and go to the place the Lord your God will choose. Then you will spend that money on whatever your soul wants, for oxen, for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatever your soul desires, and you will eat there before the Lord your God and rejoice, you and your household."

Notice the command in this passage was for the person giving the tithe to eat it before the Lord. In other words, the person was to save up their tithes, and then throw a big party so they could rejoice about how good the Lord had been to them that year.

The text goes on to say in verses 27-29:

"And the Levite that is within your city, you will not forget him, for he has no land or inheritance like you do...and the foreigner, and the fatherless, and the widow which are within your city will come and eat and be satisfied, that the Lord your God may bless you in the work that you do."

The party was not for the person giving the tithes to spend selfishly on themselves. It was also for those in the priesthood (Levite), and for all the needy within a person’s sphere of influence (their city, neighborhood, etc.) There is debate in some circles, even among the Rabbi’s, about what type of tithe this was. It appears from verse 28 that this law pertained only to the tithe every 3rd year, yet verse 22 clearly states it as an annual celebration.

My point isn’t to argue whether it’s an annual event as described in verse 22 or every 3rd year, I’m just pointing out that either way, God himself ordered them to eat their tithe!

Key point: The giving of the tithe was a response to, and result of, increase in the person’s life

The reason this point is important is because later (part 2) we will look at the commonly taught ‘giving out of your need’ doctrine. Everywhere tithing and offerings are mentioned, they are stated as being given out of increase or what you have to share, not from your lack...but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The point is, the text says they are to tithe ‘out of your increase year by year’.

Key point: The giving of the tithe was to be consumed by the person along with those in his community who were less fortunate, including the paid clergy of the day, the priests

Now let’s put all 4 key points together because we will see these same truths carried out in the NT:

The practice of tithing is a grace, based on a revelation of God, as a response to God’s blessing and increase on your life, to be shared with the paid ministers and less fortunate who are in your areas of contact.

The Most Misunderstood and Misused Verses in the Bible (in America at least), Malachi 3: 8-11

"Will a man rob God? Yet you’ve robbed me. You say, ‘How have we robbed you?’. In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse because you have robbed me, even the whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there can be food in my house, and test me. See if I will not open to you the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing upon you that you won’t be able to contain. And I’ll rebuke the devourer for your sakes. He will not destroy the fruit of your ground, neither will your vine lose it’s fruit before it’s ripe."

The number of things pulled out of this passage to manipulate people need to be dissected one by one. But before that we must lay a groundwork:

One of the first rules of interpreting the Bible is to understand the Old Testament through the light the New Testament sheds on it.

This is seen very clearly in the way Paul examines the wanderings of Israel in I Cor 10: 1-11, where, looking back with the light of the NT, he states that these things happened to Israel as an example to us (v11). Another example is nearly the whole book of Hebrews, which looks back on the OT priesthood and it’s types and shadows. Certainly much of what Jesus said about the Law was spoken through the light of the work he was sent to do. Today, whenever you see a new truth in the Old Testament, or a type or shadow of Christ, you are using this fundamental rule of understanding the Bible.

With this in mind, it’s amazing and sad that pastors, trained in the above rules of interpretation, throw out the rules for the purpose of pressuring the people to give. There are two things stated in this passage that are only for the OT times, and must be understood in light of the NT.

These two things are:

1. You are cursed with a curse
2. I will rebuke the devourer for you

Are you under a curse from God if you don’t tithe?

Pastors usually state that if the people don’t tithe they are under a curse. This may have been true in the Old Testament, for Galatians 3:10 says that ‘as many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse.’

But three verses later, in verse 13 it says that ‘Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us.’ You see, Jesus became a curse on the cross so that we would not bear the curse of the Law. God does not curse his people, the Father placed the curse on Jesus once and for all.

Certainly we are blessed to give, and there are laws of giving and receiving here on the earth that are released when we give, but God does not relate to us through our giving, he relates to us through the blood of Christ. Many are taught the equivalent that God is mad at them and they are under a curse if they don’t tithe in the prescribed way the pastor says, yet that teaching breaks a fundamental rule of Biblical interpretation.

This error in understanding is why people sitting in the pews hear that they are under the curse, yet in their spirits they don’t feel like they are cursed, and their lives are no better or worse than many around them, so it sets up a conflict.

You are not cursed, whether you tithe or not. You are a child of God. God is for you, who can be against you? (that wasn‘t written within the context of ‘if you tithe‘ God is for you, it was written based on the fact that you are a child of God, period)

Key point: You are not cursed, you are God’s child. He doesn’t curse his children

Key point: God relates to you through the blood of Jesus, not by the money you give or don’t give

Does he rebuke the devourer for our sakes?

This is often stated as a benefit for people who tithe; God will rebuke the devil if we tithe. But the light of the New Testament says no such thing. Jesus said WE are to cast out demons, WE have authority over the devil and all his work.

In the Old Testament they did not have the authority to use the name of Jesus for his sacrifice had not taken place. They were not born again or the children of God in that sense. Gal 3:23-26 and 4:1-7 says that they were students and servants of God in the Old Testament, but now we in the New Testament have been elevated to the position of being the children of God though Jesus. As such, the Lord gave us the authority Jesus had as a man walking the earth, to take authority over the devil in our lives.

Key point: It is our job to rebuke demonic influence in our lives, not God’s

Key point: The grace on my life is a result of God’s love for me and the fact that I’m part of his family, his child, not because of what I give

Therefore it is up to us to take command over the devil, not God. I remember the story of a man who was having a visitation by Jesus when all of a sudden, a demon stepped between Jesus and the man and started yakking and making noises, so that the man couldn’t hear what Jesus was saying. The man asked the Lord to rebuke the demon and tell him to get away, but the Lord responded something to the effect, "I can’t, I gave you authority over demons." When the man told the demon to leave in the name of Jesus he went whimpering away and the Lord continued his teaching to the man.

Jude 9 even says the Archangel Michael told Satan, ‘The Lord rebukes you’. Even angels are not given the authority to use the name of Jesus because he did not die for them. He had to say, ‘the Lord rebukes you’. This is why it is incorrect for people to speak as Michael did, ‘the Lord rebukes you’, because Jesus said WE cast out demons IN HIS name.

My point is that in the NT we see that it is our responsibility to cast out demons, not God’s. So pastors using "I will rebuke the devourer for you" as a ‘sales point’ to convince people to tithe is incorrect, yet I’ve heard it many times.

Now let me say that there is definitely a grace upon the lives of those who live in a lifestyle of giving and receiving, but that grace doesn’t have to do with God rebuking the devil for us, it‘s still our job to do that, it’s a result of being in a divine flow that goes with living to give. More on that later.

What about the windows of heaven? Where is that blessing that I don’t have room to contain it?

At this point in time Israel was in a drought, a result of not serving God and part of the curse found in Deut 28:24. Remember, they were under the law, so not tithing resulted in the suffering of the curse, which was drought. This is also seen in the days of Elijah and King Ahab.

Without question the term ’windows of heaven’, which is the same as used in Noah’s time when ’the windows of heaven were opened’ (Gen 7:11) refers to rain. Look at the text: "I will open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing".

Beyond that, the term ‘window’ in the Hebrew is actually ‘floodgate’ or ‘head gate’. These are irrigation terms, something in use and very familiar at the time of Malachi. Irrigation works by diverting the flow of water from a river or dammed up water supply through a series of canals to a farm.

When my wife and I pastored in Eastern Colorado we rented a 15 acre farm, with 10 acres planted in alfalfa, and about 4 acres of pasture. The water company would open the floodgates for the water to flow in the ‘borrow’ ditches to come to our place for about 2 days at a time. The water was diverted over the fields, down the furrows, and the excess would run back into the ditch to flow on to our neighbor’s borrow ditch so he could use the run off, and so on down the line until all the farms were watered. We had so much water there was not room enough to receive it. Whatever didn’t soak into the ground ran off to our neighbor to water his land.

God is saying to the people in Malachi that they will have enough rain to water their crops and irrigate their land.

Many people mistakenly think that God is going to miraculously increase their pay, let them win the lottery, or something like that. Actually, he promises to pour out water to water your crop if you tithe. What is your crop? Your crop is the paycheck you bring home. Does God promise to increase your paycheck? No. He promises to supply the water that in turn causes the paycheck, the crop, to grow.

Whole congregations are shouting ‘money cometh’ when in fact God promises nothing of the sort. He promises to supply the water that will cause the crop to grow that in turn will get you the money.

Let’s look to the Bible to interpret the Bible to see what the water is. In Genesis 30: 37-43 and in 31: 9-13 Jacob does something very strange to increase his herds and flocks: He puts partly peeled branches at the water troughs so that when the animals came to get water and mated, they would bring forth spotted and speckled calves and lambs and kids, for those were his wages.

Let’s identify what his crop is: It’s the speckled and spotted animals. Does God ‘pour out’ suddenly a miraculous increase in animals? Does Jacob awaken one morning and suddenly find 20 more animals in his herd? Of course not, yet that is what people have been trained to think Malachi 3 says when the Lord promises to ‘pour out a blessing you won’t have room to contain’.

Let’s look at see where the Lord open the windows to water his crop: Jacob shares that he got the idea to peel the bark in a divinely inspired dream. Ah! This is the water! The dream is the water that went to the crop (animals) that increased the ‘crop’.

Do you see? Your paycheck is your crop, but your dreams, ideas, creativity, and the like are the water. For a salesperson the crop is ‘getting the money’, closing the deal. But the water is the prompting by the Holy Spirit to call the customer back that turned you down 3 weeks ago because you know in your spirit they are ready to buy now. The water is the list of potential customers you get to call on. The water is the word of knowledge you get while talking to a customer about offering a different line...and they buy it. The water’s purpose is to provide life to your crop...your paycheck.

For a shop owner the water is the divine inspiration to rearrange the shop to bring in more customers or carrying a new line of product or changing the advertising. For the housewife it may be the desire and idea to have a garage sale to raise a little extra money, or begin watching children after school.

It’s amazing how often we believe God for money we truly need, yet because of wrong teaching we never look to the divine ideas, contacts, and dreams which are the key, if acted upon, that will water the crop and bring in the money we need.

Where does the overflow come in?

I started studying this because I saw people earning a set hourly wage faithfully tithing to our church, yet there was no overflow in their lives. I saw the same in salaried people as well. There was no doubt that by giving and receiving there was a grace on their lives, but there was no overflow that they couldn’t contain.

When I studied further I discovered that the Bible teaches that the overflow comes from diversity of investments, not a single money source. The Bible shows that your main job will just basically cover your needs, but extra comes through diversity.

In Malachi, the people were diversified. They grew barley, wheat, flax, and so on, with multiple crops in a growing season.

When you look at Job chapter 1 you see that he had camels (the semi-trucks of the day) which meant he had a ‘trucking business‘, donkeys (the short haul trucks of his day), which meant he ran a local delivery company, oxen (for plowing fields and meat), sheep (for wool and meat), and so on. That’s why Job was rich. God supplied him with the water, then he went out with those ideas and increased. Diversity.

One of the best examples is the woman of Proverbs 31: 10-31. She weaves wool and flax (v 13), begins an import/export business with her product (v14), hires employees (v15), then takes the profits and buys a field and diversifies by planting a vineyard (v16).

In Matthew 25: 14-30 the Lord teaches the parable of the talents, a talent being a unit of money of the day.

He says in that parable that there are only 3 things that can be done with money: It can be traded, put in the bank, or buried in the ground. The increase comes through trading. He goes on to say that the money was given to the men ‘according to their individual ability’ (v15).

Increase comes through trading with it, i.e. buying and selling, and by increasing your ability. You have the authority to change your ability; you can go to classes, study on your own an area of interest, and so on. So many times people sit around and wait for God to increase them through their work, which is fine, he will give favor for raises and promotions. But you may have a long standing desire to invest in rental properties, or become part owner of a craft shop, or you want to learn stocks and bonds so you can trade on the market.

The increasing of your ability is part of the ‘water’ God will pour out upon you that will in turn water a crop...but you have to change your ability.

I have a tape series, "Balanced Biblical Prosperity" on the whole subject that can be ordered in the product section, but this is enough to get the idea.

Summary of Malachi 3 and our points thus far

Tithing began as a grace and freewill offering in the heart of Abraham, the father of our faith and only man in the Old Testament called ‘the friend of God’. Abraham gave out of a heart of love and thanksgiving as a response to a revelation of God.

Jacob too had a revelation of God, and based on that revelation, freely decided to begin tithing. He received a free flow of ideas that prospered him and his employer both.

Malachi 3:10-11 is written to Old Testament Jewish priests who misused and abused the Law and their positions of authority. They were under the curse of the Law because of their actions. The Lord calls them to repent and restore the proper order of sacrifices, putting him (and his Word) to the test to see if it was true.

He promised to pour out literal water to them and bless their crops, that they would ripen and have full harvests while rebuking the bugs and pests of the field.

Today, we understand that we are not under the curse of the Law because Jesus became a curse for us, and we have the privilege and responsibility to use the authority Jesus gave us to rebuke the devourer. To follow the example fully, we should diversify and look to the Lord for divine flow of water to water our crops: The ideas, dreams, gifts of the Spirit and such, to increase our crop.

Part 1 | Part 3 | Part 4