The Lords Tithe – Should A Christian Pay Tithes To The Church? – Part 3
December 10, 2008 by A Watchman
Click here to read The Lords Tithe part 1
Contrary To What The Preachers Tell You… Melchizedek Tithed To Abram – Not the other way around.
Genesis 14:17-20
17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him, after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, at the vale of Shaveh–the same is the King’s Vale.
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine; and he was priest of God the Most High.
19 And he blessed him, and said: ‘Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth;
20 and blessed be God the Most High, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.’ And he gave him a tenth of all.
Christian preachers use the above scripture (Genesis 14:17-20) as evidence that we should tithe to them. They say that Abram tithed to Melchizedek king of Salem because Melchizedek was priest of God the Most High. These Christian preachers tell us that they too are priests of God the Most High and therefore worthy of receiving our tithes.
Sadly, every preacher I have ever heard quote from Genesis 14 has missed the whole point to this story. They are too busy focusing on the money, telling you that Abram tithed to the priest and God requires you to follow his example. While Abram, with just 318 members of his household defeats 4 kings with 4 mighty armies that had just defeated eleven other kingdoms including the Rephaites (Rephaim is the Hebrew word for Giants – According to scripture descendants of the fallen ‘Sons of God’ – Click here to watch a video), the Zuzites (another race of giants), the Emites (yet another race of giants), as well as the 5 armies that came together and were defeated which resulted in the captivity of Lot. King David wasn’t the only giant killer in the bible… These 4 kings were defeating ARMIES of Goliaths. And Abram defeated all 4 of these kings armies with just 318 of his family members. You won’t hear the details of that story in church though. The preachers eyes are on the money! They want their 10 percent.
There has always been something that doesn’t sit right with me with regard to the preachers telling me that Abram tithed to Melchizedek. I just don’t read it that way. It doesn’t make sense.
Here’s how I read the story starting at the beginning of Genesis chapter 14:
Four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. They also carried off Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom. When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive by these kings Abram set off after them. Abram then attacked them and defeated them, he recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.
Then we arrive at the verses in question… Genesis 14:17-20
A number of things just don’t add up about Abram tithing to Melchizedek.
- Verse 20 says: “And he gave him a tenth of all.” The fact that it says “AND he” tells me that it is a continuation from the previous sentence. It is not a new subject, it is not talking about something from a different perspective, the verse is still talking about the same person it was talking about before. AND is a joining word in the same way that because, so, then, but, also are joining words – these joining words are called conjunctions and connectives. So if we read the “And” as a continuation of the previous sentence, without a change in subject matter or topic, the verse reads that Melchizedek said, “20 and blessed be God the Most High, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.’ And he gave him a tenth of all.” According to the sentence structure, the same person giving the blessing (Melchizedek) is the same person giving the tithe. According to the sentence structure Melchizedek gave Abram a tenth of all.
- The King of Sodom was a very evil man. He was the king of one of the two most evil cities on the face of the earth at that time (and he was allied with the king of the other most evil city on earth). The name of the king of Sodom was “Bera”, which means “Son of Evil or in the evil”. Why do you think he rode out to meet Abram? Do you really think that he rode out there to give Abram all of his goods and thank Abram for returning his people to him…? Of course not! He rode out there to collect what was taken from him… Goods and all. But something unexpected happened. Melchizedek blessed Abram and gave him a tenth of everything as a reward for his valour. Melchizedek gave Abram a tenth of everything he had recovered. Greedy Bera king of Sodom obviously didn’t like giving Abram a tenth, for the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give the people to me and take the goods for yourself.” Don’t kid yourself into thinking that one of the most wicked kings of the day would ride out to pat Abram on the back and reward him by giving him a generous helping of his goods. He was actually upset because Melchizedek gave Abram a tenth of the women, and the people.
- A righteous man like Abram would never give a tithe of something that didn’t belong to him: 22Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to the LORD God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, 23that I will not take a thread or a sandal thong or anything that is yours, for fear you would say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ 24″I will take nothing except what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their share.” Notice what Abram says? I will take nothing except what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Abram makes no mention of a tithe to Melchizedek. If Abram had tithed to Melchizedek a tenth of the recovered goods he surely would have made mention of it here. If Abram did not take a thread or a sandal thong or anything that was Bera’s (except what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with him) then he could not possibly have given one tenth of it in tithe.
“But what about the book of Hebrews?” I hear you say…
The Book of Hebrews tells us that Abram Tithed to Melchizedek.
Hebrews 7:1-3
1This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, 2and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” 3Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.
The book of Hebrews was written by an unknown author who frequently misquotes old testament scripture to justify his own doctrines.
Now before you get all angry and click away from this page… Don’t go anywhere… I am about to give you an example.
You cannot even get through the first chapter without being misquoted to by the anonymous author of Hebrews.
The ‘Anonymous’ scribe of Hebrews While attempting to establish the deity of the Son takes Psalm 102:25-27 Completely out of context in Hebrews chapter 1 verse 10, as a continuation from verse 8-9 when he tells us that YHVH said to the son:
10… “In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
11They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
12You will roll them up like a robe;
like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same,
and your years will never end.”
That was not YHVH saying that to the Son at all.
The writer of Hebrews misquoted scripture… to prove his false Pauline trinity doctrine.
Read the Psalm that he is ’supposedly’ quoting and boldly stating that it is what YHVH said to the Son.
Psalm 102
A prayer of an afflicted man. When he is faint and pours out his lament before the LORD.
24 So I said:
“Do not take me away, O my God, in the midst of my days;
your years go on through all generations.
25 In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
26 They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
Like clothing you will change them
and they will be discarded.
27 But you remain the same,
and your years will never end.
Read the whole psalm!
That is not YHVH speaking to the Son at all!
That is the Psalmist crying out to God (El).
There is not any mention of the Son in that Psalm whatsoever.
Most Christians claim that the bible is the infallible word of God. If the book of Hebrews is the infallible word of God then it stands to reason that the book of Hebrews would be infallible. But it isn’t infallible. In fact, the book of Hebrews is very Pauline in the way that the author misquotes scripture to establish his false doctrines.
The author of Hebrews lied in Hebrews chapter 1 verse 10 to try to establish the Divinity of Christ so can we rely on him to be speaking the truth in Hebrews 7:1-3?
To Be Continued…
Heb 7:4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
What are you trying to say here Russell?
My Dear Brother – I agree with you whole heartedly concerning the “Tithe” but when you cut down the writings of a Apostle or the scriptures of “YHWH”; your treading on dangerous ground. For all scriptures is to be used for doctrine, edification, instructions and should not be dismissed or addressed as a lie; maybe a word or two or more; has not been properly translated but you can’t blatantly say that the author of Hebrews was lying; that’s like saying “YHWH” is lying; because the author is recording what thus saith the Almighty and is not responsible for a translators mistakes.
Matt 24:
4And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.
5″For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am anointed,’ and will mislead many.
Priests paid tithes:
Num 18:25 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Num 18:26 Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even ***a tenth part of the tithe****.
Mat 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ****ye pay tithe*** of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
God commanded who the tithe should be shared with and it included strangers:
Neh 10:38 And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the ****Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes *** unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure (H214 cellar, store-houses) house.
DEUT 26:11 And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you.
DEUT 14:29 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.
DEUT 16:11 And thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to place his name there.
DEUT 16:14 And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.
DEUT 26:12 When thou hast made an end of tithing ***all the tithes*** of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and ***hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger***, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled;
DEUT 26:13 Then thou shalt say before the LORD thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have ***given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger***, to the fatherless, and to the widow, ***according to all thy commandments*** which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them.
Abraham was a stranger!
GEN 17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein ****thou art a stranger*****, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
GEN 28:4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein ***thou art a stranger***, which God gave unto Abraham.
Scripture specifies grain produce and wine as priestly tithed goods which could be eaten anywhere:
Num 18:30 Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshingfloor, and as the increase of the winepress.
Num 18:31 And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation.
Melchizedek brought bread and wine (ie tithed goods ) to share with Abram
Gen 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem ****brought forth bread and wine****: and he was the priest of the most high God.
Gen 14:19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
Gen 14:20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And ****he gave him tithes of all*****.
God assures us that lies are indeed included as ’scripture’
JER 29:9 For they prophesy falsely unto you ***in my name****: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.
Jer 8:8
(ASV) How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of Jehovah is with us? But, behold, the false pen of the scribes hath wrought falsely.
(CEV) You say, “We are wise because we have the teachings and laws of the LORD.” But I say that your teachers have turned my words into lies!
(Darby) How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of Jehovah is with us? Behold, certainly the lying pen of the scribes hath made it falsehood.
(DRB) How do you say: We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Indeed the lying pens of the scribes hath wrought falsehood.
(ESV) “How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us’? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made it into a lie.
(GNB) How can you say that you are wise and that you know my laws? Look, the laws have been changed by dishonest scribes.
(GW) “‘How can you say that you are wise and that you have the LORD’S teachings? The scribes have used their pens to turn these teachings into lies.
(HNV) How do you say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? But, behold, the false pen of the scribes has worked falsely.
If God assures us absolutely clearly that scripture contains lies, then why should we even consider heeding any human who disagrees with God? God is true and God claims scripture contains errancy and I believe God rather than man. Biblical inerrancy is a man-made religious dogma which empowers frauds. Truth sets us free. God is Truth.
IS 65:16 That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the ***God of truth***; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the ***God of truth***; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.
JN 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the ***Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father***, he shall testify of me:
There are false apostles.
REV 2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried ***them which say they are apostles, and are not***, and hast found them ***liars***:
ROM 3:7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded through ***my lie*** unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
Scripture tells us the name of the apostles and Paul isn’t on the list. There were only 12 apostles, otherwise if it was ok to have 13 apostles, then both candidates for Judas’s replacement could have been accepted, but that was not the case because 12 was the limit. There is no ‘true’ 13th apostle … there are only frauds beyond the 12.
REV 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the ***twelve*** apostles of the Lamb.
The fraudulent claim of ‘biblical inerrancy’ enabled the corrupt religious leaders to canonise some writings which they claim are Godly and to omit some that highlight their corruption. Very convenient and powerful and financially smart.
Mat 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
Mat 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Luk 4:6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is ***delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.***
Luk 4:7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
JER 16:19 O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have ***inherited lies***, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.
JN 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Jesus told us that he is the sower who sowed God’s Words. Jesus assured us that an enemy would come immediately after Jesus finished sowing and spread weeds among the truth. Jesus spoke truth. Recognise weeds and the enemy. Satan is a liar. JN 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
ROM 3:7 For if the truth of God hath more abounded through ***my lie*** unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
JN 8:55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be ***a liar like unto you***: but I know him, and keep his saying.
Heed truthful Jesus or lying Paul?
Is there error in scripture or are we simply in need of (more) enlightenment.
I feel it necessary as bible students to question every letter of God’s word; else we are doomed to repeat the same mistakes of past generations by failing to dig for the truth.
By following the traditions of men, we will either follow false teachers, or like so many have already done, start more denominations (divisions) within the church.
God doesn’t need our money, our time, our vegetables, or even our spotless livestock. Let’s face it, there is nothing we have that God needs; He gave us everything we have in the first place…period. The issue is not with what we have to offer, but instead isn’t it more to do with our willingness to be obedient.
I agree that the modern day church is focused on money and numbers, nothing new here; but Isn’t this the way its supposed to be. Since the bible is indeed without error, then sooner or later we shouldn’t be able to tell the difference between those in “church” and those not in “church”… I speak of the building, not the body.
Perhaps we shouldn’t bother ourselves with those who are in error, and certainly not call scripture false to prove them so. Instead, perhaps we would do better by directing our tithing (time, money, skills, food, knowledge, friendship, kindness, etc.) towards areas we know that, in doing so, we are being examples of Christ.
If we could see ourselves as God does, perhaps we would die of shame. So blind and naked are we.