BLESSED BY OATH
TITHES AND OFFERINGS
If the Bible was written in our time, it would have been filled with tithes and offering from Genesis to Revelation. Also it would have read for God so loved the world that He gave tithes and offering to save the world. Please read Phases 1-9 so you can follow this series to really have a full grasp.
The Scripture is not of any private interpretation. One of the deceptions today is the interpretation of the only time Paul mentioned tithe in the New Testament in Hebrews chapter 7. They interpret it to mean that we give tithe to Jesus today. Fortunately, the book of Hebrews is one book that outlines all the works that men did to get God’s attention and blessings through sacrifices via priests, chief priests and high priests and then opens our eyes to the gift of God in Christ the great High Priest that delivered us from all such things. In other words, the book of Hebrews fulfil the words of the song “He saw my need and rescued me”. We need to look Hebrews 7 line upon line precept upon precept to really grasp this. Please be patient to go through though it may be long. Always check the scriptures as Paul said whether it is so no matter who preaches it to you. Some truth in the Occupy journal: 1 Volume 29 pg 4 of the CAPRO Ministry stated that much of the false doctrines we have today came on the wings of money. Judge for yourself prayerfully whether this sensitive subject of tithes and offering as rendered in Hebrews 7 is truth.
Hebrews 7
1For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
Note: He met Abraham while returning from slaughter, so it was not something Abraham did routinely as it is today. He blessed Abraham before ever Abrahan gave tithes of ALL not just money.
2To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
Note: Abraham gave tenth part of all – money, grains, cattle, livestock etc – ALL. Why have we reduced this to money today? If we have to be blessed by tithing, then it has to be ALL. God does not lower His standard to suit us, He knew that we could not ever attain to them. It is only that His standards have been met by Christ’s sacrifice to make us righteous and blessed before Him. It might not look so in the physical but we are what we are by His grace.
3Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
He is a priest continually and does not die. Jesus is our endless hope. That is why we can continue even when we “fail”
4Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
Note tenth of the spoils from 5 nations. It is like suddenly discovering oil on your land when you have been struggling all your life. You will be a fool not to be grateful and give God your best.
5And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
Now some say tithing was before the law. Like all things, what Abraham did by grace became law ie tithing became law and not of grace. Abraham got Ishmael who is also a son but that was by works and human wisdom. However the Son of His grace is the one that will inherit the divine blessing both spiritual and physical. Works will only bring the physical. Let us be patient through trials and tribulation so we can inherit that which is of the grace of God.
6But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
See, He blessed Abraham that had the promises. We have the promises today by Christ Jesus
7And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
We are all less than God, Christ and the Holy Spirit. We are blessed by Him who is greater than us through our great High Priest.
8And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
On earth men that die receive tithes under the law ie the Levites. In heaven this is received by God from Christ Jesus, now our High Priest. Jesus blood fulfilled any offering under the law to the letter and God is satified.
9And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
The blessing is a generational one. Levi was in the loins of Abraham when he paid tithe and the word of God says for that, Levi has automatically paid tithe. The same way, ONE man’s obedience brought everyone righteousness, grace, mercy and blessing not what we do or did not do. The Bible says what we try to do to meet God’s standards (ie our own righteousness) is as filthy rag. What we do should be by faith in Christ and out of gratitude for what He has done for us. So any good we do is a thank you to the Lord rather than a means of twisting His hand. His hands are already open towards us. So we can sing “Abraham’s blessings are ours by the Grace of God through Christ”.
10For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
See again the generational correlation of the blessing. In the same way, we were in Christ before the foundation of the world. We are in this world but not of this world. That which is born of the flesh is flesh that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
11If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
What Paul is saying by the Spirit is that if the law including that which commanded men to give tithes was perfect, then Jesus would not have come. No part of the law made anyone perfect, but the Great High Priest’s sacrifice made us perfect before God.
12For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
Look here! There has to be a change in the law including tithing because it cannot make anyone perfect or blessed or forgiven or free. The Son sets and makes free
13For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
14For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
Verses 13 and 14 says that Jesus did not come from Levite tribe who were the bona fide priests and high priest according to law. Automatically, Jesus should come from the Levites the legitimate priest lineage. But so that it may be of grace by the God and Father who conferred it on Him by oath and we also have become priests under the High Priest by oath. We being gentiles were not even entitled to know God let alone be in the priesthood, it has been conferred on us by grace. We are all priest under grace ministering to the Lord in praise and worship and we are equal before Him. We are all ministers, so who should receive tithes and offerings. None of us. We should give out of the generosity of our hearts being privileged to be priests and people of God especially the gentiles.
15And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
So there has to be a new High Priest of a new order, not the old order of the law and Levitical priesthood. We are a royal priesthood. No wonder Paul only mentioned tithe in passive just once in the New Testament. Presumably, there might have been arguments in those days especially among the Jews who have been exposed to tithing all their lives.
16Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
New Life, New order. People keep mentioning new world order, well I have good news for you, Jesus Christ the great High Priest is the new order. That is why Jesus was not received in those days by the priests and chief priests, they did not recognise Him because He did not come or assume office as the routine priests who went through ceremonies of sacrifice and cleansing before they functioned.
17For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
18For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
Can you see that? Note Paul was enlightening the Hebrews, Jews to whom tithing was a ritual and a routine about the law with specific emphasis on tithing law. The old commandment including tithing was disannulled by the oath of God. That Levitical lineage has seized. The new Melchisedial priesthood has taken over because the old order was weak and unprofitable.
19For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
There you go! The law including that of tithing made nothing perfect. It was just ritual and routine which did not make people to draw near in their hearts to God because they feel they have to perform the law or duty or tithe or bring something other than themselves to be near to God and be blessed. It made them more selfish rather than Christish. Paul said for us to present ourselves as living sacrifice before God — our reasonable worship. Come freely but be generous with what the Lord gives you for his Kingdom.
20And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:
21(For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)
Note, this is by oath of God Himself and cannot change, whether by man, saint or heathen. You can preach tithe till you are blue, eventually it will not be profitable for you at the end. You can amass as much but you will continue demanding for more. This new order cannot be disannulled by theology.
22By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
JESUS Christ and His blood alone is now our surety of every good thing from God the Father or heaven, not tithe or offerings. By the way, why do you want to go through the windows of heaven when the door of the sheep is open? Are you a goat or a thief? You decide. I hear that people become church members by tithing, and some names are put in plaques and is a criterion for ministry. There are even different tiers of tithing. Our priesthood is inherited.
23And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
It says the men you give tithes to here to get approval will die. You may say you are giving it to God, but he says he does not need anything from you, but He wants your heart and your whole being. Commit to Him and you will act generously to the works of His Kingdom, then that will be recorded as an eternal reward for you.
24But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
This new order is unchangeable, whether you are bishop or pope or theologian or a super saint. Absolutely no private interpretation.
25Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
There you go. We are not saved or blessed of perishable stuff but by the WORD – JESUS and He is able to save to the uttermost including blessings when we just appear before God or come to Him by Jesus Christ rather than by tithes and offerings
26For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
He is higher than any earthly thing that you can tithe with.
27Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
Jesus has offered Himself wholly once and for all time as tithe to God the Father who received it Heaven. Don’t ask me to explain because I can’t. All I know is that He did it because He said it. Vs 27 says these men that you give tithes to on earth here are not perfect but they too have sins themselves and they all have to come to the High Priest Jesus for their own sins and therefore they cannot save you no matter how much you tithe. Look unto Jesus then give generously. It is a new day, it is a new order.
28For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
That settles it and it will not change or repent the Lord. Jesus is now your High priest, your everything. Stop feeling guilty or condemned because of those who want to merchandise you and look to the grace of the Lord. Tithing in the New Testament is not profitable for you, because they will keep demanding it and you will continue ritualising it and your heart will be further from God thinking that it is your tithing or works that has made you blessed. As the demand comes more and more, you become bitter and when things do not go as expected, you question God and doubt Him and you begin also to doubt His ministers and some may even quit the church because the “window of heaven is not open to them”. They become faint and weary. The ministers too become weary as they depend on tithe rather than the generous graceful, thankful giving of Christians and what is coming in cannot maintain the gigantic edifices because we have neglected Christ who is able to save us to the uttermost including financially. Though we do not say it, we have neglected Christ and began to look to the people to finance and build the Church. The law demands, Grace Supplies. You think the Apostles were foolish that they accomplished so much but yet worked or are we holier than them. Believe the truth, let no man beguile or condemn you because of tithing. That is exactly what the law does. There is no condemnation, shame or guilt with Christ. That is why we can appreciate His great sacrifice and give generously, cherfully and thankfully without fear.
REMEMBER – ABOUND IN THE GRACE OF GIVING
This is the end of the series on the grace of giving.
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