About Tithing
Everything in the Bible is to lead us to Jesus and that includes tithing. In reality tithing is about relationship with God and with His children, collectively known as His Church. Let's take a look at some of the references to tithing in the Bible.
Deuteronomy 14:23
And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.
If we are driving our vehicle over the speed limit and we see a police car, we immediately slow down. We slow down because we know that the police have the authority to discipline us for breaking the law. Now if we are walking down the street and we see two police officers standing on the corner of the street, we still show them the same honor and respect even if we are not breaking the law! This is the relationship that Deuteronomy 14:23 is teaching us, that God is to be honored at all times and that tithing will help us learn this fact.
Exodus 35:29
The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.
When we tithe, our will begins to change; it starts to line up with that of the Lord. Tithing changes our focus from ourselves and the things of the world to the things of the Lord.
Malachi 3:10-12
(10) Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
(11) And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.
(12) And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
The above are some of the most amazing verses about tithing in the whole Bible. Unlike in other areas of the Bible, our awesome God is actually telling us to test Him in this! Comparatively, Ananias and Sapphira in the Book of Acts died when they tested the Lord; and the children of Israel in the wilderness journey tested the Lord and many died (see Numbers 26:65). So why has the Lord gone so far as to say “test Me” when it comes to tithing? Because He knows what a great blessing will come out of it when we do.
Let's take a closer look at these verses in Malachi. In verse 10 the Lord says, “Bring ye all the tithes,” and His response to this is, “if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Does this mean if we give money or the first fruits of our labor, God will give us more money or fruits? Maybe, but if we read on in verse 11, the Lord says He will also rebuke the devourer. Who or what is the devourer? The devourer steals money, fruits, material things, health or relationships so that we cannot prosper or get ahead in life. Here are a few examples of devourers:
A farmer plants a crop in a field and he then works the field only to have a hail storm come along and have it destroyed. A vehicle that is always breaking down will consume both our time and money. Working two jobs to pay the bills will steal time away from God, family and friends.
In verse 11, God is not referring to adding to our day-to-day needs , since you have what you need (see Philippians 4:19). It has been the devourer that has been stealing from your daily supply of what the Lord has given. Therefore, if the Lord rebukes the devourer we won’t have money problems or needs. Then what is meant by verse 10 and the opening of the windows of heaven? It is relationship with Him and with others; this is where the true blessings are! You know that large flat panel TV screen you want? Well, that TV will be a thing of the past after the Lord pours out His blessings on you and your relationships. You'll be living your life with the Lord and other people instead of watching someone else's life played out on TV. In fact that desire for the flat panel TV screen is probably yet another example of a devourer.
In verse 12, we find that even the world will take notice of you and the relationships that you have with God, family and friends. The world will come knocking at your door and ask what it is that you have that they don’t, for 1 Peter 3:15 says “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” When you give them the truth and they receive the Lord as their Savior, you will have even more relationships just as it is promised in verse 10!
Finally, we may wonder where to tithe. Trust the Lord to direct you where to tithe, for He knows where the needs are, and then when you have tithed, believe that it is going to the work of His Kingdom! This is another of the blessings of tithing; a growth of our faith. Matthew 13:3-8 talks about the sowing of seed and verse 8 says, “But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.” How much fruit do you want your seed to bear forth? Don’t be moved by the world. For example, some ministries offer tax receipts. A tax receipt is not necessarily a bad thing but it should never play a part in your reason for tithing; you are sowing into God's Kingdom, not the world's. If you tithe solely for the tax receipt, you may discover that the only reward you get is the tax receipt. So whether the Lord directs you to tithe to a ministry that provides a tax receipt or one that does not, do it because He directed you to.