Tithe is...
Pastor Jerry Wilhite,
Author
There are three areas we will study about the tithe: Older than the Law The first time we read about the tithe is in Genesis 4, and it is dealing with the first two children of Adam and Eve. So, at this point, at least half of mankind tithed and most likely all. Genesis 4 3. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. 4. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5. But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 6. And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7. If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. 8. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. 9. And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: am I my brother's keeper? 10. And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. 11. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; 12. When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. 13. And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. 15. And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. 16. And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. Two things Cain had done wrong: one was that when he tithed to God he did not do it from the heart but from the idea he had to; the second was, he killed his brother. So which one do you think God punished him for? God punished Cain for not having the correct heart in his tithe. Cain said any that find me will slay me which by the law would be justice for killing his brother. But God did not allow this, Cain's punishment was he was sent out from God's presence and the soil which he had worked.
God could not punish Cain for killing his brother because God had not said that he should not do this, think of those then as children, but God had to punish him. God always punished according to what was done wrong.
If Cain had been of the correct heart in his offering to God, God would have honored it, but he was not. Then, when God asked, "Where is your brother?" of course, God knew but God was giving Cain a chance to repent. Just as God did with Adam:
Genesis 3
9. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
God knew where Adam was, but God was trying to give Adam a chance to repent of his actions.
Genesis 3
10. And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
11. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
12. And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
Here again God gave Adam a chance to repent but instead Adam blamed it on Eve.
So Adam sinned due to his disobedience to what God had commanded him not to do. Then God gave Adam two chances to repent.
Cain tithed and his heart was not right so God did not honor his offering. Then, Cain killed his brother and God gave Cain a chance to repent and he did not.
Tithe is the same in the Old and the New Testaments
Genesis 14
18. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
19. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
20. And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
Melchizedek is the order of which Jesus is the head priest so Abraham was tithing to Jesus.
Hebrews 5
5. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
6. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Melchisedec is the same as Melchizedek in Genesis. The difference is in the spelling in the Hebrew for the Old Testament and the Greek for the New.
Most people believe that the tithe is of the law, but it is actually older than the law and is one the oldest commands we have to follow.
How can you expect God to bless you, to receive a miracle, etc., when you are disobedient in little? How can you ever expect to get much when you can not handle little.
We get income of which the first 10 percent is His. If we keep it, we are stealing from God and that opens the door for Satan to enter and mess with us in our income.
Malachi 3
9. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
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.
You tithe where you are actually fed the word, starting with whomever taught you to listen to God. And then, when you are hearing from God He will guide you where to tithe.
Physically
Those who understand and tithe of a cheerful heart to where they are fed notice that they are growing as far as what they have left of each check. Instead of living from pay check to paycheck they will notice that they have more and more left over.
Think about it what better way for God to prove He exists and to be glorified than by those who when they had kept 100 percent lived paycheck to paycheck. Then, after they tithed the first 10 percent found they had more than before when they did not. Only God can make this happen.
Spiritually
Malachi 3
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.Spiritually or physically, when you tithe God protects you.
Mark 4
15. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
Notice in the above verse how these people, as soon as they hear the word, Satan comes and takes it away. If you tithe, God is there to rebuke the devourer for your sake for your income and growth.
Mark 4
15. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
16. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
17. And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
18. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
19. And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
20. And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some
Those who tithe go from living paycheck to paycheck, never growing to abundance and growing in His word.
But, if we understand tithing from a happy and a good heart, meaning we tithe and are happy to do so, and tithe to where we are fed the word, then we are blessed. To this date I have found none who follow this who are not blessed if they stay with it.