810. The 800 Club: Looking Back - Tithing, Abraham and Giving Gracefully

As we continue looking back over the years after reaching the milestone of our 800th podcast … we’re following up on last week’s program. Many advocates for “the tithe,” as it relates to giving ten percent of all of one’s money or income, will try to use Abraham as an example on why people should tithe this way today. They will apply a couple of easily misunderstood passages from the Bible, but as we take a closer look, we find the pieces to the puzzle just don’t fit. We try to bring some context from both the Old and New Testaments about Abe and how his tithe to Melchizedek was so very different from the “church tithing” of today—and like the Jewish people under the law—it really wasn’t about money with Abraham either.

We also address some questions about the “tithe money” being received today. If such a system was meant to be in place and ordained by God, who is really supposed to be the designated receiver of the tithes with the priesthood of men no longer in place? Is the church corporation’s bank considered the so-called storehouse?

There is a better way for us to function when it comes to giving, and it’s by the freedom of grace as God’s Spirit moves within our hearts. God is a giver, but not because He is obligated to be … He wants to do it out of love, and so it is with us in the New Covenant. We have inherited this desire to help others, and it doesn’t always involve money.

Here again are some links to some of our past talks about tithing:
495. Covenant Confusion: Tithing
496. Christianizing the Tithe
497. Abe Gives a Tenth to Mel  

The Tithe (Episodes 769-777). Click on the first episode and then click "Newer Post" for each subsequent part.

   
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772. Neither the Storehouse nor Abraham’s Tithe Have to Do With Supporting a Church

The Jews brought a tithe of food to the storehouse for the priestly tribe of the Levites under the Old Covenant—who didn’t own land and were not allowed to work for their chow. Twisted religion will try to lay claim that the “new” storehouse is connected to a bank account for a non-profit corporation or church institution. When did this idea start and where does the Scriptures suggest tithing became about money? It’s just not in there.

And what about the misleading use of some verses in Hebrews Chapter 7 … where the writer intersects Abraham, Melchizedek and Jesus. Manipulators will abuse and misuse the passage as an argument for tithing and miss the bigger picture of context—which was the fact that Jesus Christ was superior to Abraham, as well as the Old Covenant and the old priesthood … and He replaced them both with something more excellent.

   
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770. The Tithe – It Was About Food for the Tribe of the Levites

The tithe became part of the Mosaic law, which has now been replaced by the New Covenant of Jesus Christ. The priestly tribe of the Levites did not receive the inheritance of land to grow crops and tend to animals as the other tribes from Israel, and were not allowed to work and toil for their food. Instead, God set up the system of the tithe for the other tribes to provide for their needs when it came to food, as they gave a tenth of their produce.

The Levites were to stay focused on the work of the ministry via the priesthood. What about Abraham? It is recorded that he (once) gave a tenth to Melchizedek and that was before the law. With that argument, we should also follow his example of sacrificing animals for a sin offering … but it’s part of our conversation on this week’s program. 

A couple of tithe-related articles written by Joel are mentioned on the program:

1. Freed from Tithing, Free to Give - 10 part series, with an alternative 4 part audio/video series.
2. Abraham Gave Melchizedek a Tithe of ALL? - An article debunking the silly notion that Abraham gave a tithe of everything he possessed to Melchizedek.

   
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746. Hebrews 7: Jesus Became the Guarantee of a Better Covenant

In order for Jesus to become a permanent High Priest and for the New Covenant to be established, first the entire law of commandments which came through Moses had to be annulled and brought to an end. This promise or word of the oath occurred “after the law,” where the Son was made perfect forever.

The old priesthood and commandments from the law were defined as weak and useless by the writer of Hebrews—and couldn’t bring the required perfection for the people. This resulted in a better hope and a better covenant than what the Israelites had been under since they had escaped from Egypt. Jesus is that New Covenant of grace and we have been brought into Him.



   
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745. Hebrews 7: New Covenant High Priest College: "Melchizedek, Meet Jesus. Jesus, Meet Mel"

Our series in the book of Hebrews has us in Chapter 7, where the writer explains how the mysterious character of Melchizedek is a type of Christ. Although Mel is only mentioned a few times in the Old Testament, he becomes instrumental with the writer of Hebrews who reveals how Jesus established a permanent priesthood, according to the order of Melchizedek.

The law which came through Moses had to come to an end — every jot and title — otherwise Jesus could not have been considered an authentic High Priest forever in this New Covenant. A complete change of law was needed.



   
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739. Hebrews 4-5: The Word Became the High Priest

We have a High Priest in Jesus who passed through the heavens and was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin. We can now boldly approach the throne of grace because He is able to sympathize while showing mercy and grace when we need it. Jesus is the confession we hold onto.

The priests under the law offered sacrifices for sin for the people and themselves because they were weak like everyone else. But Jesus was made perfect and became the source or author of eternal salvation, called by God as High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek … which we’ll be talking more about in our Hebrews series.



   
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497. Abe Gives a Tenth to Mel

During the past two podcasts (here and here) we talked about tithing under the Old Covenant – what it actually was (food), and what it was actually for (to feed the Levites). We discussed how Malachi 3 isn’t a teaching about how to tithe, but rather is a rebuke to those Old Covenant people (not New Covenant people) who had forsaken the practice of tithing that God had ordained for them. With tithing being a “law” thing, what then do we do with Abraham’s pre-law tithe to Melchizedek? That’s what we talk about this week.

What exactly did Abraham tithe to Melchizedek? Is Abraham’s tithe a “type,” “shadow” or “principle” for New Covenant giving? In Hebrews 7, we learn about the significance of Abraham’s tithe to Melchizedek. The significance of it is that is shows how Melchizedek is greater than the Levites (who were still “in” Abraham when he tithed – and therefore Jesus is greater than the Levites, and He Himself does away with the entire Old Covenant and makes it obsolete. Abraham’s tithe has nothing to do with us (the people of the church) tithing. It’s all about the superiority of Jesus over the Old Covenant.


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464. A Change of Priesthood

The Jewish people received the Old Covenant law through the Levitical priesthood. Because the law made nothing perfect, there was a need for another priest to arise (Jesus). The book of Hebrews explains that where there is a change of priesthood, there is a change of law also. When the religious world attempts to bring back the old commandments and mix them into the New Covenant, they should also be bringing back the old priesthood. Of course, this wouldn't bring perfection, life or forgiveness any more than the commandments themselves. Jesus established a permanent priesthood with something completely new, He took away the first covenant in order to establish the new one.


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