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Two or three tithes?
In ancient Israel, a tithe of all agricultural produce belonged to the Lord; ten percent of the crop was “holy to the Lord” (Leviticus 27:30 (link is external)). Ten percent of the herds were also holy (verse 32). God then gave these tithes to the Levites: “ I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the Tent of Meeting” (Numbers 18:21 (link is external)).

However, Deuteronomy 12:5-7 (link is external) says that the people were supposed to take their tithes to the festival site, and eat them! “You must not eat in your own towns the tithe of your grain and new wine and oil, or the firstborn of your herds and flocks, or whatever you have vowed to give, or your freewill offerings or special gifts. Instead, you are to eat them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place the Lord your God will choose” (verses 17-18). Deuteronomy 14:23 (link is external) is similar.

Some people conclude that Deuteronomy is talking about a different tithe than Leviticus and Numbers are. They believe that Deuteronomy is talking about a second tithe, which was to be used only for festival expenses. This conclusion is based in large part on the logic that the same tithe could not be given to the Levites and eaten by the people at the festivals. However, this assumption may be wrong. For one thing, it would mean that Deuteronomy says nothing about first tithe, nothing about the financial support of the Levites, even though Deuteronomy was the “second law,” the re-stating of the basic laws of Israel.

Dual use of holy property
A study of “firstlings” shows that the same animals can be given to the Levites and eaten by the people. It is possible to have two tithes, but it is not possible to have two sets of firstborn animals. Yet we find that firstlings were holy, given to the Levites, and they were eaten by the people. These were compatible uses, which suggests that a single tithe could also have the same compatible purposes. The firstling verses are in the same chapters as the tithing verses cited above. The same financial system is being discussed.

The firstborn animals belong to the Lord (Leviticus 27:26 (link is external)). God then gave all firstborn animals to the Levites (Numbers 18:15 (link is external)). The firstborn of all clean animals had to be sacrificed and the meat given to the Levites (verses 16-18). However, the people were also told to take the firstborn animals with them to the festivals and eat “in the presence of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 12:6-7 (link is external)). “You must not eat in your own towns…the firstborn of your herds and flocks…. Instead, you are to eat them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place the Lord your God will choose” (verses 17-18). Deuteronomy 14:23 (link is external) is similar. The people were sharing the firstborn animals with the Levites.

Deuteronomy 15:19-20 (link is external) describes the dual uses of the firstborn animals: “Set apart for the Lord your God every firstborn male of your herds and flocks…. Each year you and your family are to eat them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose.” The firstborn animals were taken to the festivals, sacrificed, and shared with the Levites.

Holy things could be given to the Levites and eaten at the festivals. Just as firstlings had dual use, the tithe could, too. The tithe for Levites and the tithe for festivals may have been the same tithe. Ten percent was enough to cover all worship expenses, including festival meals and the support of the Levitical system. God simply designated more than one use for his ten percent.

It is true that first-century Jews had a two or three-tithe system. The apocryphal book of Tobit mentions it; so does Josephus. The translators of the Septuagint seem to have understood it this way, too. However, we cannot accept them as authoritative. First-century Jews sometimes commanded more than was really required.

At the end of every three years of farming, the Israelites were to set aside a tithe for the Levites, resident aliens, orphans and widows (Deuteronomy 14:28-29 (link is external); 26:12-15 (link is external)). It is not clear whether this was an additional use of a previous tithe, or an additional tithe.

shalom......

I would like to start Volume 2 of this article by first letting everyone know that if you are not a Jew by birth, then WE ARE NOT JEWS. Neither are we Israelite. In fact, we are GENTILES which means NON JEWS. So the law of Moses was not given to us. We must tell ourselves the truth. God separated the Israelite to Himself just as he promised Abraham and He(God) gave His people Israel His Law through Moses.

On the other hand, we non Jews i.e Gentiles, became children of God by adoption when we became BORN AGAIN into the family of God by giving our lives to Jesus Christ. We became children of God because we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Meanwhile Israel are the Children of God by birth and were given the law to guide them until the Law was fulfilled by Jesus Christ. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ brought an end to the OLD COVENANT and the beginning of the NEW COVENANT. We are in the time of the New Covenant.

This is the fact I want to establish first before continuing on the topic.

In the Law of Moses, biblical commands about tithing generally concern grain, wine and oil. A different system of giving was required for some animals.

However lets review the following

Deu 12:17 Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand:
Deu 12:18 But thou must eat them before the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all that thou puttest thine hands unto.

Deu 14:22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.
Deu 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.
Deu 14:24 And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:
Deu 14:25 Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose:
Deu 14:26 And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,
Deu 14:27 And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.
Deu 14:28 At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates:
Deu 14:29 And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.

I will stop here for now. The next volume will examine the Old and the New Covenant.

Shalom

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.....

there is more.....................

Deuteronomy 12:6 And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:

Deuteronomy 12:7 And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee.

My friend, God did not ask you to pay tithe to Him read.....

Deuteronomy 14:22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.
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.

hey guys common. what do you expect when the members of the NFA, NFF and the sports ministry are all pot belly slobs that know nothing about the game not to talk of knowing how to solve the problem in the sport.