I have often wondered if there is more to God than what i am told in every "church" service I have ever attended. It seemed strange that The same Mighty God that created man and loved man so much that He (God) came down to earth in the form of flesh (Jesus) to die for the sins of mankind would judge us based on whether we paid tithe to "the church" or not. Does that not baffle you as well?

Many Christian churches are quite willing to do away with Sabbaths and dietary laws, but are not willing to do away with tithing. They preach that church members should give 10 percent of their income to the church. Why is this old covenant law different — or is it? If we examine this law in the same way that we have examined others, what can we conclude? Let’s look at the evidence, starting in the Old Testament.

Volume 1- Where it began

The first biblical mention of tithing is in Genesis 14. After four foreign kings had taken Lot captive, Abraham attacked them and recovered all the booty. After his victory, the king of Sodom came out to meet him, and so did Melchizedek, a priest of God. Melchizedek blessed Abraham, and then Abraham “gave him a tenth of everything” (Genesis 14:20)

If we read from Genesis 14:8 you will see that the tithe Abraham gave was not from his personal goods but from the loot that he collected from the king of Sodom when he(Abraham) went to rescue his brother Lot. He then gave what was left back to the king of Sodom(Gen 14:23-24).

The text does not tell us whether Abraham had ever tithed before, or ever tithed afterwards. But it does show that Abraham was generous. He gave the rest of his booty to the king of Sodom (verses 23-24). Abraham kept all of God’s laws that were relevant in his day (Genesis 26:5 (link is external)), but Genesis does not tell us whether tithing was a law in Abraham’s day.

The next mention of tithing is in Genesis 28:20-22. Jacob had a miraculous dream. In the morning, he vowed to tithe if God helped him during his journey. He was trying to make a bargain with God. He wanted special help, and in return for that help, he was willing to worship God, and to tithe as a part of that worship. Tithing may have been part of the common worship practices of that time and culture — or it may have expressed an extra level of devotion.

Note here that Jacob gave God a condition for which he would pay tithe
Gen 28:20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,
Gen 28:21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:
Gen 28:22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

I will stop here for now. The next volume will be "Tithing under the Law of God through Moses.
shalom.....