Tithing before the Old Covenant also called and known as the Law of Moses:

By Evangelist Ron Davis, Minister of Christ

When we look at the very first recorded act of giving an offering to God - we see God respecting Abel’s offering of the firstborn of his flock and fat; yet God did not respect Cain or his offering of the “fruit of the ground” (notice its not said the first fruits of Cain fruits but only some)

Abel gave a better sacrifice than Cain, and God testified of Abel's gifts (note a gift is freely given and not compel by someone to give to them).

• Hebrews 11
  4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. 

Today, we as Christians are called upon to present offerings of sacrifice to God also; however, these offerings are of a spiritual nature, as seen in:

• Romans 12
  Living Sacrifices to God
  1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
  
  Hebrews 10
  4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. 5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure.  
•  
• Hebrews 13
  15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. 16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
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• Mark 12
  32 So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 33 And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." 34 Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."
  But after that no one dared question Him.

Next, we have in Genesis 14 the first time in the Bible where tithing is mentioned. These peddlers of the word of God like to use this Scripture because it involves Abram later renamed by God as Abraham (Genesis . The most surprising thing will be that what these gospel peddlers have not told you concerning what this Scripture really says, take for instance the phase "he brought back all the goods" (v.16); meaning Abraham had goods with him that he had captured in battle. Abraham also brought back "his brother Lot and his goods" (v. 16) that were taken by those who attacked the king of Sodom and those with him. It also says, "the king of Sodom went out to meet" Abraham after he had defeated those kings who attacked Sodom and captured Lot (v. 17). Now, these verses says, "Melchizedek King of Salem brought out bread and wine" (v. 18), and he blessed Abraham; then it says Abraham, "gave Him a tenth of all" (v. 20). Now, the question is where did Abraham get this "tenth of all" from? Whose goods did Abraham give Melchizedek a "tenth of all" from? Did Abraham run home to get some of his goods to tithe on? If Melchizedek and the king of Sodom met Abraham returning from battle did Abram make it to his household?

These are questions I want you to ponder because these ministers who preach the gospel for financial gain will not ask you these questions, but I want you to test all things that come into your mind. After receiving "bread and wine" and a blessing from the Melchizedek King of Salem, Abram said to the king of Sodom who was also there when he gave a tenth of the goods to the Priest of God, Melchizedek King of Salem, "I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich'". Abraham said this because the king of Sodom had offered him all of the goods to him for bringing back the persons captured from his city. Therefore, we see the goods that Abram tithed on was not his - read it for yourself in context - and I say again these gospels peddlers will never say this or read these verses in context - Abraham is only recorded this one time as giving a "tenth of all", and this all was what he captured in battle - and not his but Lot and the other kings of Sodom who met him before he arrived at his household!

Abraham

• Genesis 14
• 16 So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people. 17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley), after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him. 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said: "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth;  20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand." And he gave him a tithe of all. 21 Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself." 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, "I have made Abram rich'-- 24 except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion." 

Notice Abraham gave the Priest of God Most High a tithe of all the goods that he captured from the kings who took Lot and his family into captive. He did not give a tithe of his grain and livestock nor did he keep any of the spoils for himself but allowed his men who went him to free Lot to have a portion of it. Now, these self-appointed tithe collectors claim these verses proved Abraham tithe; however, these verses actually proves Abraham did not tithe from the increase of his produce and livestock but he tithed with the king of Sodom goods which he had captured in battle. Furthermore, there are no other passages in the Bible mentioning that Abraham regularly tithed to any priests (not that there were any priests Abraham would have tithed to other than Melchizedek, King of Salem) - who claimed they were due tithes and offerings. Yet, these gospel peddlers will never tell their flocks this truth - which can be plainly seen by those with eyes to see, and heard by those who here the sound of my voice with ears to hear - all these ministers have to do is read these verses in context - whenever someone such as I point this out - they always like to say “I need to see the context of that”, they say this because they do not want nor do they wish to believe or do what God's word say. 

Another part of the Scriptures that these self-appointed tithe collectors’ may use is Jacob's vow to God at Bethel. Again, once we read these verses in their proper context we see Jacob agreed to give God a tithe only if God blessed him first - now there's a blow to these Balaam’s who are peddling the word of God for tithes and offerings - try asking your minister about these verses and see what line they feed you concerning what's being said here - tell them when you get a blessing you will give them tithes out of that - and see how long they let you remain in ”their churches”.

Jacob

• Genesis 28
  Jacob's Vow at Bethel
  10 Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. 12 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: "I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. 14 Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you." 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." 17 And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!" 18 Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it. 19 And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously. 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, 21 so that I come back to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God. 22 And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God's house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You." 

Now, we know already that God my Father and your God honored this vow because Jacob was blessed along with all his descendants, and God brought Jacob back to his father’s house safely; and God reminded Jacob of this vow when He brought Jacob back safely to his father’s house. I wonder what these self-appointed ministers who claim they are pointed by God to extort tithes for God would say to these verses. Notice, Jacob said he would tithe to God if God would bless him with food and clothing and keep him in the way and bring him back to his father's house in peace. Now, if Jacob is vowing to give God tithes of all that God give him then it must be assumed that before this he did not tithe on his increase nor did he tithe on anything else he may have own; otherwise, he would have said, "I will continue to give You a tenth of what You give me or I will increase my tithes and offerings to You".

Notice, God first promises Jacob He would bless him then Jacob says if God will do what He has promised him then Jacob said, "all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to" God the Father of Abraham and Isaac. So Jacob promised to give a tenth of what God gave him back to God, but no temple of priests were around for Jacob to give to so you must ask yourself to whom if anyone did Jacob give this tenth or tithe to? Reading the story of Jacob again we do not see it recorded anywhere where he ever gave this tithe to God (assuming God at this time was represented earth by some priest or someone - because we see Abraham tithing with someone else goods to Melchizedek, king of Salem, the priest of God Most High, but no one is mentioned in Jacob’s time).

Now, we see and know God blessed Jacob and those who were with him were blessed also because of Jacob (Genesis 30:25-43 and 31:1-21). In Genesis 31:13, God reminds Jacob of the meeting in Bethel where Jacob "anointed the pillar" and God says to Jacob "where you made a vow to Me". Here God reminds Jacob of his vow to Him - yet still there is no recording by the Holy Spirit that Jacob gave a tenth of his blessing to God at this time - however he did give Esau presents. In verses 31:24,29,41-42, God insures Jacob return to his father's house in peace. When we get to Genesis 31:53-54, "Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brethren to eat bread". Jacob (performing the duties of a priest of God) offered sacrifices to God on the mountains of Gilead. So, here we see the man of Jacob performing the duties of a priest by offering his own sacrifice to God.

So far, we see that the only time a man of God gave a tithe to a priest representing God was Abraham tithe to Melchizedek, the Priest of God Most High. Up until this time only the men of God (I say men because only the men were allowed to offer sacrifices - no women are recorded offering sacrifices). Therefore, we must conclude that the men of God made sacrifices to God and ate it themselves or used it as a burnt offering as Jacob did in Genesis 31:53-54. Jacob even struggled with and prevailed as it is said in verse 32:28 "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel" (meaning Prince with God), for Jacob had "struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed".  

In Genesis 32, the angels of God met Jacob just prior to him meeting Esau his brother, and Jacob called the place “double camp” and divided his household into two camps. Jacob then prayed to God reminding God what He said to him in verse 32:12 of Genesis. Afterwards, Jacob sent presents by his servants in droves meaning each servant drove a herd or flock with distance between each other (Genesis 32:13-21).

• Genesis 32
  13 So he lodged there that same night, and took what came to his hand as a present for Esau his brother: 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty milk camels with their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten foals. 16 Then he delivered them to the hand of his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, "Pass over before me, and put some distance between successive droves." 17 And he commanded the first one, saying, "When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, saying, "To whom do you belong, and where are you going? Whose are these in front of you?' 18 then you shall say, "They are your servant Jacob's. It is a present sent to my lord Esau; and behold, he also is behind us."' 19 So he commanded the second, the third, and all who followed the droves, saying, "In this manner you shall speak to Esau when you find him; 20 and also say, "Behold, your servant Jacob is behind us."' For he said, "I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me." 21 So the present went on over before him, but he himself lodged that night in the camp.
  
  

Then in Genesis 32:26, Jacob would not let God go until God blessed him with another blessing. Again, when Jacob finally meets his brother Esau, he says to Esau who asked Jacob about the presents he sent and the little ones with him; then Jacob replied these are the "children whom God has graciously given your servant" (Genesis 33:5). Notice here that Jacob refers to himself as Esau's servant; and again Jacob says in verse 33:8 speaking of the presents he sent Esau, "These are to find favor in the sight of my lord" (speaking of Esau, his brother, Jacob calls him lord). Jacob tells Esau he wants to find favor in his sight. Esau not wanting to accept the presents Jacob offered to him says, "I have enough, my brother, keep what you have for yourself". Now, please take note as to what Jacob says next, Genesis 33:10-11... "No, please, if I have now found favor in your sight, then receive my present from my hand, inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God, and you were pleased with me. Please, take my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough"... Now, these verses tells us that Jacob saw Esau as standing for and representing God to him; and Jacob confirmed his willingness to fulfill his promised to God through giving to Esau with this statement “God has dealt graciously with me”. 

Notice, here also that Jacob says to Esau "inasmuch as I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God"; Jacob says that seeing Esau was like seeing the face of God - he confirms that giving to Esau was like giving to God. Then Jacob urged Esau to take the gifts (offerings), and he took them. This was the fulfilling of Jacob promise to give God a tithe of all that God gave him and for bringing him back to his father's house in peace; even though it do not say tithe but presents. We must see how Jacob counted the livestock and donkeys and camels he gave his brother in Genesis 32:14-15. I mean why would Jacob carefully count out the livestock and donkeys and camels he gave Esau unless he was taking a tenth for Esau - think about what I am saying here. Jacob (or shall we say Israel because God gave him the name Israel in Genesis 32:28) is counting off God's tenth of what God had gave him for Esau. Notice, Jacob included the unclean animals, that is camels in this gift which could not be given as an offering but could be given as a tithe under the Deuteronomy law (remember Jacob left Esau on bad terms - for he had stolen Esau's birth right, yet he really didn't steal it for God had already given the birth right of the firstborn to Jacob - see Genesis 25:19-28).

Even more proof is in Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, where God speaks about making vows to Him hastily; God required this vow of Jacob because He reminded Jacob of it just prior to God bringing Jacob back safely to his father’s house. For those of you who would deny this, I ask these questions, why would God bring up the vow at this time? When God reminded Jacob of this vow, did this mean God required it from Jacob (I speak as a fool in light of Ecclesiastes 5)? If God did not require this vow from Jacob then what about Eccl. 5:1-7? I mean don’t you think God would require His servant, Jacob to keep a vow made to Him? Or did God just say no problem I kept My end of the bargain, and you don’t have to keep your end Jacob. Notice verse 4 of Ecclesiastes 5 below where it says, God has no pleasure in fools who make vows and do not pay it or they delay in paying; either way God says, don’t come to His messenger saying you error in making a vow. After reading Ecclesiastes 5, think of what these so-called bible scholars are saying when they claim Jacob never kept this vow. 

• Ecclesiastes 5
  Fear God, Keep Your Vows
  Fear God and Keep Your Word
  1 Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. 2 Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore, let your words be few. 3 For a dream comes through much activity, and a fool's voice is known by his many words. 4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed - 5 Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. 6 Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse [literally voice] and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God.

Notice in Exodus 25 where God commands Moses to ask the children of Israel just before making the tabernacle to bring their freewill offering of the things needed to build a sanctuary that God “may dwell among them” (please remember here that God dwells today in the believer and He never needed a place built by man to dwell as the Scripture says but this was done for our learning and understanding of those things which of but a shadow of the things in the heavenly realm) - see the Scripture below:

• Exodus 25
  Offerings for the Sanctuary 
• 1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 2 "Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering. 3 And this is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, and bronze; 4 blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats' hair; 5 ram skins dyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood; 6 oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense; 7 onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate. 8 And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. 9 According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it. 

Now, if the people were already tithing as these self-appointed ministers claim Abraham tithed; thereby, proving as they say (for the word of God do not say this nor was tithing commanded by God before the law of Moses) tithing was in effect prior to the giving of the law of Moses. Yet, these gospels peddlers do not nor can they explain why no other references in the Scriptures prior to the giving of the Law mentions tithing, nor do they show any of the former men (or women for that matter) of God who were tithing prior to the Law of Moses. Jacob did not tithe either, and the vow that he made to God in Genesis 28:20-22, he made it with an "if" God blessed him first and brought him back to his father house in peace (however, he did give his brother Esau gifts which he counted out - this was Jacob way of keeping his promise to God).

I say again, you must ask these questions, and think about what I am saying here? If Abraham tithed on his produce and livestock then to whom did he give it to? If Jacob tithed then to whom did he give it to? Did he give it to Laban while staying with him? Why is it not recorded that Isaac tithed or any other person of God prior to the Law of Moses? If God commanded the people of Israel who had land and livestock to tithe to maintain the tabernacle and later the temple of God then what would Abraham and all the other men of God tithe to maintain if as these gospel peddlers claim they tithed?

You see how many strange questions we must answer when we entertain this twisted view of the Scriptures (tithing outside of the Old Covenant is only a tradition of men, a doctrine of Satan and his followers). God always asked only for offerings and sacrifices from His people  prior to the the Old Covenant (nor can these gospel peddlers point to any Scripture where God commanded anyone to tithed prior to the law of Moses) - see verse 2 and 3 above in Exodus 25. God never said to the people of God to give tithes to no one until the law of Moses; and then God only commanded the land and livestock owners to tithe (those who had the means to tithe) not the poor, needy and widows. If you did not own land you did not tithe or if you did not own at least ten animals of livestock you did not tithe.

The New Testament or new covenant reminds us that the old covenant and its ordinances and regulations were only shadows of the things to come under the new covenant and the age to come (the things in heaven):

• Colossians 2
  16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. 
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• Hebrews 8
  4 For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; 5 who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain." 6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. 
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Evangelist Ron Davis, a Minister of Christ, of the Kush Edifying Ministries proclaims the whole counsel of God. This ministry believes in the command of Jesus to His disciples in Matthew 10:7-8 “As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give” (NIV). Jesus commands us to “freely” preach the word without demanding those preached to give to you.

You may contact Ron Davis and this ministry with your  comments at the below email:

mailto:yourcomments@411TithesOfferings.411-cashflow.com

If you want to argue your own “private interpretation”, then please send it to the below email address with your Scripture, backing up what you say. Thanks, and may God bless you in understanding His Holy and righteous word. Amen. Praise God.

mailto:yourargument@411TithesOfferings.411-cashflow.com