At the time of writing the above
epistle, apostle Paul had in mind only, what we know now, as the
Old Testament. For the sake of clarity, it will be necessary to go through
some minute detail, so as
not to leave any room for speculation.
The following verses are most often quoted by our "teachers"
who "teach" us how to get
"prosperous":
|
Malachi 3:8-12 "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed
Me! But you say, 'In what way
have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse
for you have
robbed Me... Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be
food in My house
and try Me now in this... If I will not... pour out for you such blessing...
And all nations
will call you blessed..." |
The key to understanding of what God is talking about
here is in the verse preceding the above
quotation, which is not mentioned that often by our "teachers":
|
Mal. 3:7 "Yet from the days of your fathers you have gone
away from MY ORDINANCES
and have not kept them..." |
Where are these ordinances found? You would not believe
that they are actually in the Bible! You
may have NEVER heard them mentioned in your church. Why? I will not give
you a direct answer
- if you wish, you may ask your "teacher".
|
Deu. 12:17-19 (God's commandment to the Israelites) "You
may not eat within your gates
the TITHE of your grain or your new wine... But YOU MUST EAT THEM before
the
Lord your God... you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and
your female
servant, and the Levite who is within your gates; and you shall rejoice before
the Lord your
God..."
Deu. 14:22-23 (God's commandment to the Israelites) "You
shall truly tithe all the
increase... year by year. And YOU SHALL EAT before the Lord your God... the
TITHE
of your grain and your new wine... that you may learn to fear the Lord your
God always."
Deu. 14:24-26 (God's commandment to the Israelites) "But
if the journey is too long for
you, so that you are not able to carry the TITHE... then you shall exchange
it for money.
And YOU SHALL SPEND THAT MONEY for whatever your heart desires: for oxen
or
sheep, forwine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires; YOU SHALL
EAT there
before the Lord your God and you shall rejoice, YOU AND YOUR HOUSEHOLD." |
The above quotes are COMMANDMENTS OF GOD concerning tithing:
He instructed the
Israelites to EAT THEIR TITHES before the Lord, rejoicing. We have to bear
in mind that these
commandments were given to Moses, to pass them on to the Israelites, while
they were still in the
wilderness, and they were to be observed after the Israelites crossed the
Jordan river and
possessed the promised land (Ref. Deu. 12:5-9).
The Israelites were supposed to take their tithes to the
appointed place and EAT THEM there before
the Lord, rejoicing, TOGETHER with their family, their servants and their
local Levite - "the
Levite who is within your gates".
One thing is important to remember here: the Israelites
DID NOT LEAVE ANY PORTION OF
TITHES at the appointed place - the tithes were supposed to be consumed in
an atmosphere of
celebration, sharing and communion with God. |
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