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Romantic Adventure

Friday 30 January 2015

Is It True That Abraham Did Not Tithe On His Possession?

By Ines Flores


Calculations from the Old Testaments reveal that Israelites were required to give as much as twenty percent of their earnings to the priests. It was the priests who gave ten percent of that as offering. Present day tithing is sacrifice that has been misunderstood. It is worth noting that there is no clear mention of tithing in the New Testament leave alone a specific percentage.

From the history of the bible, there are instances of sacrifices from the time of Cain and Abel to Isaac and Jacob. From the narrative in the Old Testament, is it true to say that Abraham did not tithe? The people who lived before Abraham, and whose life is thoroughly documented are said to have sacrificed but not tithed.

The insistent on planting a seed in order to get blessings lacks a foundation in the bible. With the afflictions that befell Job, a sacrifice or tithe would have shielded him. The people who came before Abraham only made sacrifices. Tithing is fore grounded during the time of Abram.

The offering made by Abram in Genesis fourteen was based on what the armies had captured in battle. It also included what his brother Lot had as well as the people around him. This is an indication of sacrifice and not tithing. The tithe that Abram gave after rescuing Lot came from what the armies plundered.

All the sacrifices made by Abram were voluntary. When asked to keep what he had captured in war, Genesis chapter twenty records that he declined. The reason given is that he did not want to be considered rich through war plundering. He allows the army to share what they had captured after giving a portion of it to the high priest.

The church today has made tithing part of daily service unlike what the bible suggests. Abraham was a very wealthy man yet he only gave up what was gotten from war. From the traditions of the Israelites, tithing was a form of worship and was to be based on individual preference. There is no mention that people were required to give their best as is advocated in the church today.

The New Testament is said to have replaced laws that were considered obsolete. It is interesting to note that church ministers do not consider tithing among what was erased by the New Testament. Curiously, the pastors and church ministers own the best cars, houses and properties yet they do not offer them to the ministry. Their expectation that their followers should do that is therefore suspect.

Moses introduced the rule of a tenth in an attempt to protect the theocracy. In Leviticus 27, he orders that all proceeds from the land, either as seeds or animals must be brought to the Lord. This rule was to apply to priesthood whereby they were to give a tenth of what they got from Israelis as well.

Tithing is mandated in Malachi chapter three. People were punished by drought if they failed to sacrifice to God. The New Testament gives a new perspective where it insists on giving and not tithing. In fact, Jesus condemns people who tithe instead of giving the poor. This is contained in Matthew chapter 23.




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