Bruce Lyon Elder: Restoration Fellowship Assembly

Abraham tithed to Melchezedek:

Gen:14:18-20: And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

Heb 7:1 For this Melchizedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
Heb 7:2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
Heb 7:4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
Heb 7:5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
Heb 7:6 But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
Heb 7:9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receives tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.

This Melchizedec was probably Shem who was still alive at this time and would have been considered greater that Abraham at that time.

Jacob promised to pay tithes to God:

Gen:28:20-22: And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: and this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that You shall give me I will surely give the tenth unto You.

Notice Jacob says this AFTER God had promised him this:

Gen:28:10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou go, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.

So Jacob promising to pay tithes "IF" God will do certain things is really an expression lacking in faith to what God had said he would do! Jacob did not have the same faith of Abraham who took God at his word and believed what he said.

So we see that tithing was an established fact for all the descendants of Abraham. They paid their tithes to God's representatives. 

Those who are Christians are not required to tithe to anyone as we are not under the law, but under grace. That being said, God says we are to support those who minister to us spiritually and give generously to those who have need among the brethren. Paul gathered an offering to bring to assist the brethren in Jerusalem who were undergoing a shortage of provisions which the offering given by the Gentile churches would help alleviate.

2 Cor:5:6-7: But this I say, he which sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver.

January 16 2014 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report