This is where it all started………………..because Abraham tithed, Christians are obliged to give ten percent of their income to the Lord on a weekly basis as well. ( this reminds me of a little “blonde ” joke I heard recently, asked which is closer the moon or Durban? hello! You can’t see Durban can you?
We often just take all for granted, but let’s just back track a little here as we have lots of time to spend on the subject of tithing ( biblical.) and let me inform you, and you better believe it most Christian’s can barely afford to pay their bills let alone 10% weekly to the Lord for tithes, what on earth is He going to do if you don’t?
One of my favourite books of all time is “Vines Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words” because it provides much more than a foundation. The work is full of careful exegesis and if you make it your constant companion in the Study of Scriptures you can dispense with a larger number of lesser aids.
So let’s look a bit closer at Abraham, he did not tithe his own wealth, but rather only the spoils of the battle in “king’s dale” (Gen.14:20) yes we all know Durban is closer than the moon and we all know that Abraham did not tithe all of the spoils of war, but gave a tenth of the most valuable spoils.
The Greek word here for” spoils “is “akrothinion”, which means “top of the heap, or the best spoils” W.E. Vine , but what you did not know is this……… “Primarily the top of the heap ( akros, top and this, a heap),hence first fruit offering, and in war the choicest of the spoils.
It could be successfully argues that Abraham did not truly tithe, but did much more than tithe , he gave of the best, the choice of the spoils of the battle.
DID YOU KNOW? For the rest of his life of 160 years he tithed and taught Issac to tithe as well. Did YOU know that?
Bet you didn’t, because you would be wrong! He only tithed once in his life of 160 years, and did not teach Issac to tithe.
I have studied the “Spiritual Gifts “ for as long as I can remember and the New Testament is very silent concerning the tithe, and BECAUSE I know exactly what you are going to say , Derek what about the law of Moses that we find the command to tithe ( instructed or urged to do) Oxford English Dictionary, to the people of God?
Well you will have to wait till PART 3, but till then something for you to ponder about / pray /study …. IF you wanted to follow the question you have just asked me and follow the example of Israel, you would not be required to give a 10% of your income , BUT rather 25% of your income, the Israelite tithing-taxation system is not God,s design of giving today.
Weimer Wisdom 