Post by auneeqsol on Feb 3, 2006 3:01:04 GMT -5
To be honest , tithing in the OT was a totally different story than it is depicted today.
Since farmers and ranchers (person that raised livestock and all on his land) were responsible for paying the tithe, we now come to an equally important question: Who was not required to tithe? As a matter of fact a large segment of people in Israel did not tithe!
The owner of a farm had to tithe, but his workers were exempt. Was a worker required to tithe on his salary? Not at all! There was no law that required a tenth of one’s salary to be tithed (which was earned for services rendered). Only the crops and animals of those who owned them were subject to the tithe. After all, the crops and the animals did not belong to the worker and only the increase from one’s land or animals was subject to the tithe. And note this. Fishermen did not tithe, though this industry is mentioned in the law (Leviticus 11:9–12). Likewise, the mining industry is referred to (Deuteronomy 8:9), but the tithe of minerals extracted from the earth was never called for. The lumber business is mentioned (1 Kings 5:7–12) and construction work on buildings (1 Kings 5:13–18) but tithes were not extracted from people who worked in those trades. The same held true for those earning an income from weaving, handicrafts, or from any form of manufacturing or merchandising. They all were exempt from tithing including all those in the military and government workers.
And there were only two types of income that were tithable: One was from agricultural production. "All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s" (Leviticus 27:30). This meant that a tenth of all agricultural produce of the land of Israel, whether fruits or vegetables, had to be tithed. The second type of tithable income was the increase of animals. "All the tithe of the herd or flock, whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord" (verse 32).( That's the famous line that GDD loves to quote in all sincerity, which I can respect) Only these two specific income producers were subject to the tithe.
Hmmm gettin a lil quiet in the room huh?
And yes, this is straight from the word, no cuttin corners, line upon line precept upon precept.
To make it plain and simple, only the owners of farms and flocks were required to tithe. Indeed, the Israelite who had fewer than ten cattle did not have to tithe on nine of them because the requirement stated that only the tenth animal that passed under the rod was to be tithed (Leviticus 27:32). Looking at this matter of the tenth animal being tithed from our present monetary point of view, a rancher could have many thousands of dollars invested in nine cattle, but unless he had a tenth he was not required to tithe a penny of his assets.
Some Churches commonly teach that the tithe is God’s and that he must get his money first. But the Bible says it is the tenth animal (the last one) that passes under the rod that is God’s, not the first. But we are taught , "before you spend any money from that paycheck, put those tithes to the side" Take that which is the Lotd's out first......
Help us. I used to actually be reluctant to spend money first before having the correct change to get my tithes out, but then I gradually grew out of that.
And I know that we are said to be the "spiritual Israel" and in some ways I agree, but everything in scripture can't be spritualized, because of prophetic fulfillment,
But probably no section of Scripture is more often cited in support of an alleged universal law of tithing than Malachi 3:8-10. It is a favorite text for churches today. But in using this section of Scripture as a means to support their modern and "law of tithing," most preachers apply the passage entirely out of context. What does Malachi say?
"From the days of your fathers ye have turned aside from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts."
• Malachi 3:7
But who were these "robbers"? They were the people of Judah who lived in Palestine that Malachi was scolding. They had not been giving their tithe nor proper animal sacrifices for the rituals of the Temple. They were "cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation" (verse 9).
A parallel account of Malachi’s situation is found in the thirteenth chapter of the Book of Nehemiah (Nehemiah was a contemporary of Malachi.) Beginning in verse 10,
"And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them; so that the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field. Then contended I with the rulers, and said: Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place. Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries."
• Nehemiah 13:10–12
There is yet another surprise that most Christians fail to understand. In actual fact, the Temple in Jerusalem did not get the bulk of its income for operation from the tithe that the Israelites gave on their farm produce and herds. There was another law that Moses enacted that provided huge quantities of money to Temple operations when the people were faithful in carrying out the Law of the Old Covenant. Moses also legislated that the Temple itself was to be (in a primary sense) funded from the giving of a half-shekel by every male in Israel (Exodus 30:11–16). This half-shekel was to be given each year and it was to be sent to the Temple treasury no matter where Israelites lived in the world. Let us notice this matter of funding the Temple as it must have existed in the time of Christ when Herod’s Temple was in full operation.
This tribute was the annual half-shekel payment for the upkeep of the Temple which each Jewish male from twenty years of age and up had to pay each year. This money was collected from various sites all over the Roman Empire and conveyed in many instances under guard of the Romans themselves to the Temple treasury in Jerusalem. This tribute alone (besides all the other offerings of money and animals, etc.) that was sent to the Temple amounted to a tremendous quantity of revenue each year. Let us try to understand how much in 1993 U.S. dollars this might have been. The coin in the fish that Peter caught had the value of one shekel (called a stater in Greek). This would pay the annual tribute for Jesus and Peter (Matthew 17:27) See how awesom God is, to provide. A denarius, according to Jesus, was what a common laborer would receive in one day (Matthew 20:2). Thus a half-shekel would equal about two days work. Since our minimum wage in early 1993 is just under $5 an hour, a twelve hour day would gain a person about $60 at the present. Thus, two such days would be $120. Based on our "work/pay" today, about $120 is what each Jewish male over twenty would have to pay each year to the Temple treasury. Since it is reasonably estimated that there would have been between 3 and 4 million Jewish males who would pay the tribute each year, this would amount to between $360 to $500 million U.S. dollars just for the half-shekel tribute alone. That is a lot of money!
It was the Sanhedrin at the Temple in Jerusalem that set the value of the half-shekel each year. The value was determined by the value of the animal sin offerings each year (Shekelim II.4). If the value of sin offering animals went up because of a scarcity, then the Sanhedrin would require more of the common currency to equal the amount of the shekel at the Temple. The standard of value was set by the Temple authorities so that God would have the same amount being given to the Treasury each year no matter what the value of coinage (either inflated or deflated). Whatever the case, there were great quantities of money coming into Jerusalem each year and this helped make the economy of Judaea and Jerusalem a very prosperous one. That wealth, however, came to an end with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 C.E. With the Temple destroyed about forty years after Christ, the Jews did not have to pay the tithe for its upkeep.
Once the biblical regulations concerning the laws of tithing are understood, it can be seen how far modern Christian advocates of a tithing system for the Christian ministry have strayed from the truth. The sad thing about the matter is their attitude of carelessness with the teachings of God’s Word in this and many other matters. Their taking out of context the teachings about tithing and the first fruits to suit their own agendas should stop, and they should begin to show more respect for the actual teachings of the Holy Scriptures rather than their practices today.
See we wanna make tithing what we wanna make it, but when we say the proof is in the puddin, it really is, cuz the word and the history of the word dont' lie.
It's the truth anyhow, be free in the liberty God hath made you free!!!! And that liberty is the truth of God.
Since farmers and ranchers (person that raised livestock and all on his land) were responsible for paying the tithe, we now come to an equally important question: Who was not required to tithe? As a matter of fact a large segment of people in Israel did not tithe!
The owner of a farm had to tithe, but his workers were exempt. Was a worker required to tithe on his salary? Not at all! There was no law that required a tenth of one’s salary to be tithed (which was earned for services rendered). Only the crops and animals of those who owned them were subject to the tithe. After all, the crops and the animals did not belong to the worker and only the increase from one’s land or animals was subject to the tithe. And note this. Fishermen did not tithe, though this industry is mentioned in the law (Leviticus 11:9–12). Likewise, the mining industry is referred to (Deuteronomy 8:9), but the tithe of minerals extracted from the earth was never called for. The lumber business is mentioned (1 Kings 5:7–12) and construction work on buildings (1 Kings 5:13–18) but tithes were not extracted from people who worked in those trades. The same held true for those earning an income from weaving, handicrafts, or from any form of manufacturing or merchandising. They all were exempt from tithing including all those in the military and government workers.
And there were only two types of income that were tithable: One was from agricultural production. "All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s" (Leviticus 27:30). This meant that a tenth of all agricultural produce of the land of Israel, whether fruits or vegetables, had to be tithed. The second type of tithable income was the increase of animals. "All the tithe of the herd or flock, whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord" (verse 32).( That's the famous line that GDD loves to quote in all sincerity, which I can respect) Only these two specific income producers were subject to the tithe.
Hmmm gettin a lil quiet in the room huh?
And yes, this is straight from the word, no cuttin corners, line upon line precept upon precept.
To make it plain and simple, only the owners of farms and flocks were required to tithe. Indeed, the Israelite who had fewer than ten cattle did not have to tithe on nine of them because the requirement stated that only the tenth animal that passed under the rod was to be tithed (Leviticus 27:32). Looking at this matter of the tenth animal being tithed from our present monetary point of view, a rancher could have many thousands of dollars invested in nine cattle, but unless he had a tenth he was not required to tithe a penny of his assets.
Some Churches commonly teach that the tithe is God’s and that he must get his money first. But the Bible says it is the tenth animal (the last one) that passes under the rod that is God’s, not the first. But we are taught , "before you spend any money from that paycheck, put those tithes to the side" Take that which is the Lotd's out first......
Help us. I used to actually be reluctant to spend money first before having the correct change to get my tithes out, but then I gradually grew out of that.And I know that we are said to be the "spiritual Israel" and in some ways I agree, but everything in scripture can't be spritualized, because of prophetic fulfillment,
But probably no section of Scripture is more often cited in support of an alleged universal law of tithing than Malachi 3:8-10. It is a favorite text for churches today. But in using this section of Scripture as a means to support their modern and "law of tithing," most preachers apply the passage entirely out of context. What does Malachi say?
"From the days of your fathers ye have turned aside from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts."
• Malachi 3:7
But who were these "robbers"? They were the people of Judah who lived in Palestine that Malachi was scolding. They had not been giving their tithe nor proper animal sacrifices for the rituals of the Temple. They were "cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation" (verse 9).
A parallel account of Malachi’s situation is found in the thirteenth chapter of the Book of Nehemiah (Nehemiah was a contemporary of Malachi.) Beginning in verse 10,
"And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them; so that the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field. Then contended I with the rulers, and said: Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place. Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries."
• Nehemiah 13:10–12
There is yet another surprise that most Christians fail to understand. In actual fact, the Temple in Jerusalem did not get the bulk of its income for operation from the tithe that the Israelites gave on their farm produce and herds. There was another law that Moses enacted that provided huge quantities of money to Temple operations when the people were faithful in carrying out the Law of the Old Covenant. Moses also legislated that the Temple itself was to be (in a primary sense) funded from the giving of a half-shekel by every male in Israel (Exodus 30:11–16). This half-shekel was to be given each year and it was to be sent to the Temple treasury no matter where Israelites lived in the world. Let us notice this matter of funding the Temple as it must have existed in the time of Christ when Herod’s Temple was in full operation.
This tribute was the annual half-shekel payment for the upkeep of the Temple which each Jewish male from twenty years of age and up had to pay each year. This money was collected from various sites all over the Roman Empire and conveyed in many instances under guard of the Romans themselves to the Temple treasury in Jerusalem. This tribute alone (besides all the other offerings of money and animals, etc.) that was sent to the Temple amounted to a tremendous quantity of revenue each year. Let us try to understand how much in 1993 U.S. dollars this might have been. The coin in the fish that Peter caught had the value of one shekel (called a stater in Greek). This would pay the annual tribute for Jesus and Peter (Matthew 17:27) See how awesom God is, to provide. A denarius, according to Jesus, was what a common laborer would receive in one day (Matthew 20:2). Thus a half-shekel would equal about two days work. Since our minimum wage in early 1993 is just under $5 an hour, a twelve hour day would gain a person about $60 at the present. Thus, two such days would be $120. Based on our "work/pay" today, about $120 is what each Jewish male over twenty would have to pay each year to the Temple treasury. Since it is reasonably estimated that there would have been between 3 and 4 million Jewish males who would pay the tribute each year, this would amount to between $360 to $500 million U.S. dollars just for the half-shekel tribute alone. That is a lot of money!
It was the Sanhedrin at the Temple in Jerusalem that set the value of the half-shekel each year. The value was determined by the value of the animal sin offerings each year (Shekelim II.4). If the value of sin offering animals went up because of a scarcity, then the Sanhedrin would require more of the common currency to equal the amount of the shekel at the Temple. The standard of value was set by the Temple authorities so that God would have the same amount being given to the Treasury each year no matter what the value of coinage (either inflated or deflated). Whatever the case, there were great quantities of money coming into Jerusalem each year and this helped make the economy of Judaea and Jerusalem a very prosperous one. That wealth, however, came to an end with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 C.E. With the Temple destroyed about forty years after Christ, the Jews did not have to pay the tithe for its upkeep.
Once the biblical regulations concerning the laws of tithing are understood, it can be seen how far modern Christian advocates of a tithing system for the Christian ministry have strayed from the truth. The sad thing about the matter is their attitude of carelessness with the teachings of God’s Word in this and many other matters. Their taking out of context the teachings about tithing and the first fruits to suit their own agendas should stop, and they should begin to show more respect for the actual teachings of the Holy Scriptures rather than their practices today.
See we wanna make tithing what we wanna make it, but when we say the proof is in the puddin, it really is, cuz the word and the history of the word dont' lie.
It's the truth anyhow, be free in the liberty God hath made you free!!!! And that liberty is the truth of God.
