After having read the relevant Scripture regarding the Tithe, let’s take a closer look at each passage to define what the Tithe is, what it is not; to whom the Tithe applies, and to whom it does not.
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| Abraham meets Melchizedek |
14:16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
14:17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale.
14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God
14:19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
14:20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
14:21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
14:22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
14:23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:
14:24 Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.
Genesis 14 and its restatement in Hebrews 7 illustrate an interesting meeting between Abram and Melchizedek the king of Salem. Abram had just finished aiding the king of Sodom against a rival confederacy, and returned with both people and goods as his war spoils. What can be learned from this passage?
1. Abram tithed a tenth of all of his war spoils, which included people according to verses 16, 21, and 24. (Also note Isaiah 6:12-13, Amos 5:1-3, and Revelation 11:13 for future human tithes). Money may have been an issue, but it was not mentioned in this passage, therefore, it was not
and is not the focus.
2. Abram tithed of the spoils. This was neither his income nor personal possession. He did not even view the spoils as being his. He immediately transferred ownership to the king of Sodom. This is a vital point for those who hold that Abram instituted the Tithe. Abram gave 10% to God (cf. Order of Melchizidek Hebrews 7), and the remaining 90% to the wicked king of Sodom, who God obliterated a few chapters later. Are true Christians to do the same? Care about God only 10% and the world 90%? How does this compare with God demanding our all, not just 10%?
3. This is the only mention of tithing in Abram’s entire life. If he were establishing this as a future church practice, then Abram broke this supposed command his entire life, save this one instance.
Genesis 28:13-22
28:13 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;
28:14 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.
28:15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, 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.
28:16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said,
Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.
28:17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
28:18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.
28:19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.
28:20 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,
28:21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:
28:22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.
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| Jacob's Dream |
1. It is ok to offer God an ultimatum. God, do this for me, and then I’ll follow you. This certainly is not how Salvation works, ever.
2. God already promised Jacob material as well as spiritual blessing, regardless of what Jacob promised in verse 22.
3. Jacob is also being stingy. He’s short changing God, by asking God to give him all, but Jacob would only be required to return 10%.
4. Did the stone that Jacob set up actually become God’s house? This would be absurd.
5. There is no record that Jacob returned in peace, or that he actually did fulfill his promise to God concerning the tenth.
6. Jacob’s promise was also, if he ever did it, a one-time only deal.
Using such passages to create a “Pre-Law” doctrine of the tithe is faulty. If the tithe were set up before the Law, then one would have to assume that God allows for the tithing of people, is ok with only 10% while the other 90% goes to serve sin (represented in Sodom), makes deals that most definitely benefit man – not God, and only wants the tithe once in a man’s life. Certainly this is not how the modern church preaches the tithe.
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