| by Ray Daly (Lincoln, North Dakota) |
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| Deut. 14:22. “You shall truly TITHE all of the increase of all your [produce] that the fields bring forth. Year by year!” As shown, this Study is on “Tithing”. And to “Tithe”, meant to set aside the “first of each ten”. The first of animals, and the first of anything grown from the ground. Whether crops, fruits, and the like. Actually, since all “livings” are made from that which is produced from the ground, then ALL occupations that earn money, is to be Tithed on. And take note that, there is only ONE Tithe commanded to be set aside. There is not a hint of a “second or third” Tithe. Let’s take a look at what said Tithe was to be used for. V.23. “and you shall eat BEFORE the LORD your God. In the place which he shall choose to place his name there!” Most readers likely are aware of Jerusalem being the primary “place”. However, that would not have been the “only” place. For, there is evidence that every year, the feasts were observed as well, in the fifty cities throughout Israel. Thus making them “places” in which the LORD had placed his name. And it should seem obvious that said feasts were observed in many parts of the world, by Israelites. Thus, it would seem that wherever the children of Israel went, there would be “cities of Levites” set up for them to “observe the feasts”. Note, this is the ONLY thing said ONLY Tithe was to be used for. Let’s now see how the Tithe was handled, and what it was used for in feast observing. In V’s.24-26, it tells us that some of those that lived close to the various feast sites, would or could take their animals and other produce with them. But others that lived far away, could sell their produce for money, and go to the feast with that in their hands. And when they got there, they could spend such money on “wine and strong drink, and whatever their soul desired”. And it would seem that, for those who brought their actual produce, they would have to “sell it” in order for them to do the same “rejoicing”. Oh yes. There was another thing that the feast goers would have needed “money” for LODGING. It doesn’t say that, but in the NT, we see where, when Mary’s baby was born, there was “no room in the INN” to put him. IOW’s, there were no “empty” rooms. And it would have been hard for him to sleep, with all of the “drinking, dancing, singing”, and the rest that was going on. A final thought on this above. For, when the feast goers came to the sites where the feasts were being observed, there were other feast observers that were still “working and earning a living”. There were the usual “eating and drinking places, lots and lots of lodging”, and other things to spend their Tithe on. Few do not know it, and I will not go to the “law” at this time to show it, but at the feasts, the only “commanded assemblies” were on the Holy Days. At which time, the feast observers would go through the Temple, and “eat”. Yes, that is what they went for. They did not go to hear sermons, or to practice other “church” activities. They went to eat meals. And the Levites did everything for them. They spent the nighttime preparing food and setting tables. During the meals, they served the lines, bused tables, and washed dishes. The observers would simply sit down and eat, get up and leave, and others would take their place. Let’s address another Tithing aspect. That of the “third Tithe”. Although those words are not used. Deut. 26:12. “When you have made an end of Tithing of your increase, the THIRD YEAR. Which is the year of Tithing, and have GIVEN it to the Levite, the stranger, fatherless, widow, that they may EAT within YOUR gates!” What the above is saying, is that what the Israelites were to give the third year, was “money or produce”, so that those mentioned, “could rejoice in the feasts”. But what was it that they gave? Was it the entire “ONLY” tithe that they were commanded to set aside “year by year”? If it was the total Tithe, then they would not have had enough for themselves to rejoice at the feasts. Look at it this way. If the Israelites total increase was of $1000, then they would have $100 dollars Tithe. Now, if they gave said total $100 dollars to the needy, and all twelve tribes did so, then the needy would have $1200 dollars. Get real. What they got was “one of one hundred” dollars. Meaning that they would have a total of $120. Before moving on to further Scriptures, from which most today feel that the giving of a full tithe to the Ministry is commanded, let’s look at one more where we are at. Deut. 14:27. “And the Levite that is within your gates. You shall not forsake him. For he has no part nor inheritance with you.” Let’s not move on and examine the meaning of the above verse. Num. 18:24. “But the Tithes of the children of Israel [the ONE Tithe of Deut. 14:22. Of] which they offer as a HEAVE offering to the LORD. I have given to the Levites to inherit…[because] they have no inheritance.” IOW’s, they did not have “jobs”, in which they earned money, so they had nothing of themselves that they could “Tithe on”. Meaning, that they would have had no “feast observance” money. They could not “eat and drink and rejoice”. And, as we will see, the answer is in the “heave” offering. Keep in mind as we read this next verse, the example of the “third Tithe” given for the needy so that they could observe the feasts. It was not a TOTAL Tithe, but a Tenth part of said ONLY ONE Tithe. Num. 18:21. “And behold, I have given the children of Levi all the TENTH in Israel, as an inheritance. For their service that they serve. Even the service of the Tabernacle of the congregation.” And their service was conducted mostly in the “cities of the Levites”. Did you notice that I capitalized TENTH? Or a “Tenth of a Tithe”. Or, one in one hundred. Which, adding all the tribes Tenth’s, then the Levites were given “120”, instead of the Israelites 100. And what was said Heave offering to do. It was to allow for the Levites outside of Jerusalem, to “eat, drink, and rejoice” in feast observances. Can we be sure that that is what the Heave offering meant? One of one hundred? I find it to be so. As is shown in V.26. “Speak to the Levites and say to them. When you take of the children of Israel the [heave offering of] the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then YOU shall offer up an HEAVE OFFERING of [your heave offering] for the LORD. A TENTH part of THE TITHE”. This latter one of a hundred, was to go to the Levites that served in the Temple in Jerusalem. And for what use. Yeah, you got it. “To drink and eat and rejoice”. Just like all Israel was to do with their ONE AND ONLY Tithe. All were to be treated equally. The Levites without money, and the needy that often as not had no money as well. The Pharisee’s were not of the Levitical priesthood. Even though they were THE “priests/ministers” of their day. And did you know that they themselves “worked for a living”. That they set aside ONE Tithe of their income, and of that gave a TENTH every three years to the “poor and needy”, and also gave a TENTH to the Levites every year. And it was ONLY to observe the feasts. The Tithe was NEVER to be used to “pay wages”. |
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