The Scriptures clearly show that the tithe was never money. No one managed to tithe a quadrant, a denarius, a talent, a stater, a cycle, a drachma, a mite, silver, gold, etc. The order to Moses at Sinai was that the tithe was to be of the seed of the land as well as of the fruit of the trees, and of herds or sheep. Leviticus 27:30-32
The tithe as it is known had its origin in Leviticus 27:30 and 32. Note that the first verse of chapter 27 begins saying: ''The Lord spoke to Moses, saying'': And, the last verse 34 ends saying: '' These are the commandments that Jehovah commanded Moses for the children of Israel on Mount Sinai. We see that the ordering of tithes has its beginning with the law given to Moses on Sinai, this is indisputable. It is written!
The tithe that Abraham paid simply came from a custom in the regions of Mesopotamia and the Middle East at that time, from a tribute, a war tax of 10% of the captured loot, we can contemplate this widely throughout the chapter of Numbers 31. During the periods of Israel's conquest this became routine, the captures of enemy towns were their war booty; Many examples can be seen from the book of Numbers to the Chronicles of the Kings, and in 1 Samuel 30 there is also another example with King David.
Genesis 14:15 says: ''And it fell on them by night, he and his servants, and attacked them'', later Abraham pays 10% only once as tax of that loot of war to the king of Salem, and 90% is returned to the pagan king of Sodom. Melchizedek does not receive from Abraham the profits of his flocks and cattle, nor any other good that was not the product of the spoils of the battle that he had captured with blood and fire. The tithe that Genesis 14:20 tells us in connection with Numbers 31 is totally different from the tithe ordered by God on Mount Sinai in Leviticus 27:30-32-34
Jacob's (Israel's) tithe was a Genesis 28:20 vow, a vow that he did not fulfill because he became discouraged and the people ended up speaking against God and there was death and calamity. Numbers 21:2-6.
There were many other votes, for example:
- Nazarite Vow Numbers 6:2 - Jephthah's vow. Judges 11:30 - Jephthah's vow. Judges 11:30 - Hannah's vote for Samuel 1 Samuel 1:11 - Vow of peace sacrifices by Solomon Proverbs 7:14 - Vote of the men who threw Jonah into the sea Jonah 1:16 - Apostle Paul's vow to shave his head Acts 18:18
It should be noted that vows are personal, voluntary and spontaneous, but nothing in the Bible teaches us that God asks for votes; and this could be an animal, a cake, incense, praise, etc. If Jacob had tithes prescribed in his heart, it would have been unnecessary to promise a vow, for there is no scriptural record that tithes constituted a bequest from Abraham to his descendant Isaac. Abraham had a war and paid his 10% as a tax on the spoils, while Isaac and Jacob did not have a war of this nature. Then during the time of the conquests in Canaan this was repeated many times, a conquest that made taxes that they paid. Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, 1&2 Samuel, 2 Chronicles, and Ezekiel express it. Joshua 22:8, 1, Samuel 30:20 speaks of the loot of enemies, and Numbers 31:28 mentions at length the percentage of tribute given to God in such wars. In contrast, the Levitical tithe is nothing like this pre-Abrahamic custom. And, there is no evidence that Jacob ever paid the vow he promised. We can see this in Genesis 31:13 where God himself reminds Jacob of the vow he made.
BIBLICAL BASES:
Malachi 1:1 It begins by saying: Prophecy of the word of the Lord against Israel. Many prophecies were fulfilled against Israel, and this was one more! The prophet addresses primarily the PRIESTS, let's see: Malachi 1:6 says: ''O priests, you despise my name. And you say: How have we despised your name?, and in verse 10 he ends by telling them: "I have no pleasure in you, nor will I accept an offering at your hand."
Malachi 2 also begins by saying: “Now therefore, O PRIESTS, this commandment is for you.” Malachi 3:6 again the sons of Levi and the sons of Jacob are mentioned as protagonists and God's claim towards them continues.... The priests and Levites were those who defrauded God, since they did not fulfill or teach the law to the people. Today many liberal pastors import this sin and foist it exclusively on the church, excluding themselves. By faith Joseph, when he died, mentioned the departure of the children of Israel, and gave a commandment concerning their bones. Malachi 3:11 connects with multiple passages in other books, example: Deuteronomy 28:38, 2 Chronicles 7:13, Psalms 105:34-35, Joel 1:4, Amos 4:9 and many more that speak of the devourer that destroys crops. Making believers see this as if the devil or any demon is going to devour their businesses or jobs if they do not tithe is called extortion and religious terrorism. Malachi 4:4 "Remember the law of Moses." It is concluded again that the tithe is of the law. Lev 27:30-34.
Malachi 1:1 Throughout the Bible the noun 'Woe' is widely used, which expresses lament, moaning, affliction and judgment; We see an example in the trumpets of the Apocalypse. This same noun is applied decisively by Jesus to the hypocritical scribes and Pharisees who are the protagonists of this passage. And he says to them: "Woe to you! You tithe mint, dill and cumin (products of the field), and you leave what is most important: justice, mercy and faith."
Let's look at where the errors of interpretation are: There are two points (:) between the words ''law and justice'' that exemplifies and expands, but above all, relates the previous idea that indicates that there is an emphatic pause about what is going to happen. say below. And, what is the most important thing about the law? Well, justice, mercy and faith, and not the opposite as the tithers express it. There is also a period (.) followed, after the word “faith” that expresses a continuation of another phrase, but in the same semantic line as the previous one. ''this was necessary to do'' do what? Well, Justice, mercy and faith!, without ceasing to do "that." What is that? Well, tithe. Jesus uses the pronoun "that" without giving it greater importance to refer to the tithe. Let's extract the essence of this verse: 1. Jesus addresses the Pharisees almost with a sentence for not complying with the law. (''Oh'') 2. Jesus is certifying that the tithe was the produce of the land (mint, dill and cumin) 3. Jesus is confirming that the tithe is from the law (and you leave the most important part of the law) 4. Jesus was reminding the Pharisees what the law says about justice, mercy and faith, and that before tithing, they had to first protect the poor, the orphan, the widow and the foreigner . 5. Without stopping doing “that.” Jesus was fulfilling the law according to Matthew 5:17 which says: 'Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish, but to fulfill. If Jesus had given instructions not to bring tithes to the temple in Jerusalem (vegetable and animal products), he would have transgressed the law, since he knew very well the passage from Hebrews 10:28 ''Whoever violates the law of Moses, by testimony of two or three witnesses dies irretrievably.''
We must not lose sight of the context of Hebrews 7 where it teaches the exaltation of a better and greater priesthood, that of Jesus Christ according to the order of Melchizedek, eternal and not temporal, King and Priest at the same time (THIS IS THE CENTRAL THEME) . No pastor can claim to collect tithes in relation to this chapter because in itself he would be comparing himself to Jesus or Melchizedek and supplanting the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
Many teach that Hebrews 7 is an exhortation to tithe, but verse 12 of that same chapter says that since the priesthood has been changed, it is necessary that there be a change of law, because under the Levitical priesthood, the people received the law, Hebrews 7:11-18,28. The Levitical priesthood was changed by the priesthood of Christ, but by changing the priesthood the law was also changed. The greatness of Christ as High Priest is exalted, but it is not an exaltation and invitation to tithe. The writer of Hebrews explains a theme that he had previously introduced in Hebrews 2:17: Jesus as our high Priest, and had also continued it in Hebrews 5:10. The Jewish Christians had a hard time seeing Jesus as a High Priest, because they had the objection that Jesus did not come from a priestly tribe (Levi) or from the family of Aaron. The writer adduces this allegory, giving supremacy to Christ as the High Priest greater than all. Hebrews 7:8 says: “And here mortal men receive tithes; but there, one of whom it is testified that he lives. This verse is absolutely not saying that the practice of tithing was followed by the N.T. church. during the time the book of Hebrews was written. Nor is he talking about a practice that was supposedly in permanent effect throughout the church age. The phrase “here certainly mortal men receive tithes” is not speaking of Christian ministers in the church now or then. He is talking about the priests in the temple in Jerusalem. The “one” referred to in the phrase is Melchizedek, 4,000 years before. This misinterpretation of verse 8 misses the theological argument being made, and is carelessly taken as proof that tithing is lawful and the standard way of operating in the New Covenant. Hebrews 7 is part of the writer's argumentative theology indicating that Jesus is the high Priest, superior to the high priest of the Old Covenant and that we are living in a completely different spiritual system in the New Covenant. The tithe was only included as part of the comparison and allegory between Melchizedek and the priests of the Old Covenant. Hebrews 7 is not a description of tithing or giving by Christians in the early days of the church. It cannot be used to support a statement that tithing is an act of faith or obedience. It is not an instruction, suggestion or even a comment on tithing in the New Covenant.
There are many churches where the believer is not forced to tithe, but those who voluntarily tithe receive it and remain silent instead of teaching them that these things are no longer pleasing to God. Hebrews 10:38 What is wrong with this practice is not only in the injustice of forcing the believer to do it, the worst of all this is that both tithing and any other practice that has to do with the law of Moses when put into practice at this time declares rejection and inadequacy of the sacrifice of Christ, constituting a serious sin. Let's see:
a) It is building the things that Christ already destroyed. Galatians 2:18. b) It is rejecting the grace of God. Galatians 2:21. c) It is leaving the freedom that has been given to us and returning to slavery. Hebrews 10:38 And according to Hebrews 10:26-3 it is also: a) Trample the son of God. b) Consider the blood of the covenant in which we were sanctified as unclean. c) And insult the Spirit of grace.