Bible Truth

Tithing Part 4

How many tithes?

It may suprise you to hear that there are actually 4 tithes listed in the Bible for Israel, not just one as is taught today.

The Levitical tithe

This tithe was in two half's. In the first part the tithe was given by the people to the Levites (who were not priests) and was 10% of the agricultural harvest and the herds of animals, the good with the bad. Then in the second part the Levites would tithe from the tithe they had just received from the people to the Priests. This was the best 10% of what they had collected from the people (so actually 1% of the total tithe).

The Festival tithe

Deu 14:22 - 27 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always. And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee: Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household, And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.

The Festival or Feast tithe was brought once a year and was eaten at the place the Lord would choose. This was when the Ark was on the move and the tent of meeting would be set up to house the Ark in various locations. When the temple was built, the Ark was permanently at rest inside and so from then on the location for the festival tithe was the streets of Jerusalem. The tithe would be eaten in the streets by the people who had brought it and would be shared with the poor, the stranger, the Levite official and the Levite priest.

If your tithe happened to be a team of oxen or a barn full of wheat and the logistics of getting it to the place it should be were challenging, you were allowed to sell it, then travel with the money & once there buy anything you desired including strong drink which you would eat or drink before the Lord as well as sharing it out with others while everyone remembered the goodness of the Lord in all he had provided for them.

The inclusion of wine and strong drink in the list meant that this has come to be known by some as the party tithe, and doubtlessly meant that some peoples share piles were more popular than others.

The Poor Tithe

Deu 14:28 - 29: At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.

This tithe which happened every third year was like a house to house harvest festival where again the Poor, the Stranger, the Levite and the Levite priest would come and be fed at the individual houses (or farms) until they were full.

The Kings Tithe

This was not a tithe under levitical law and not a tithe "unto God" , but we'll include it as it is where a lot of confusion arises about today's tithe teaching.

1Sa 8:10 - 18 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.

When the people insisted on having a King to reign over them rather that God himself, God warned them that the King would take the first and best 10% not just of the agricultural crop and herds of animals but also of the people and land. Despite his warning to the people they still insisted on having a King regardless and God agreed.

Today's tithing doctrine commands you to bring the first and best to God when actually it was only the human King that had the first and best, but not just of the agricultural crop and herds but also of people and land too.

The tithe that the Levitical priests received from the Levites was the best but not the first and amounted only to 1% of the total tithe not 10%. If tithing is required in today's church, why does the doctrine not include the rest of the tithes as well?

Confused? Ask your Pastor to explain the remaining tithes to you and why he doesn't include them in his tithing doctrine.