This week’s Torah Reading touched upon the Firstfruits’ offering and the Tithe.

The Firstfruit Offering or Tithe (Dt. 26:1-11)

The issue and topic of giving offerings and tithing are always controversial, both within and without our Faith Community.

As Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah, are we responsive to the instruction to collect the firstfruit of the blessings that are bestowed upon us by Father?

We find here in this week’s Torah Reading where Father instructs the Hebrews on the importance of giving by gathering the firstfruits (i.e., the first of their produce/sustenance) and taking it to the location where Father placed His Name. (cf. Exo. 22:29; 23:19; 34:26; Deu. 12:5; Pro. 3:9).

The Bringing of Tithes in Ancient Israel

In general, the people would gather and bring a tithe of the increase of their land to the appointed place of worship, which was generally Shiloh and Jerusalem. This bringing of the tithe was generally done during the time of the Feasts. For a great many of the Hebrews were not local to the sanctuary and place of worship. Yet we must bear in mind that Father stipulated three-mandated pilgrimage feasts that the Hebrews were to keep: Unleavened Bread (Spring Harvest); Feast of Weeks or Pentecost (Summer Harvest); and Tabernacles (Fall Harvest).

The ESV Study Bible Commentary indicates that this instruction to bring regular offerings of firstfruits of the harvest was to be done season by season.

All Giving Centered Around the Seasonal Harvests of Israel

Notice how these three pilgrimage feasts were situated so that at every harvest the Hebrews could gather their increase and bring it to the worship site, all around the time of the harvest of their crops.

Another thing to take note of this instruction for firstfruits, is that the very first iteration of this is  actually found in Genesis 4:2-5, whereby Cain and Abel were offering unto the Creator the fruitfruits of their increase: Abel of his flocks; Cain of his produce. We all know the story, but what we all do not fully understand is what was going on in Cain’s heart that caused Father to reject his firstfruits offering. We see from the Cain and Abel incident an important example of the importance Father places upon giving a tithe of our increase or firstfruits with a pure heart and in willing and obedience to Father’s instructions.

We also find an additional instruction regarding the firstfruit offering, which is found in Exodus 22:29, whereby Yehovah commands:

Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me (Exo. 22:29).

The First Fruits Offering/Tithe Expanded

The firstruit offerings or tithes (if you will) were not limited to produce. They included as we saw in the Exodus 22 passage, liquors, as well as oils, wine (Lev. 2:12; Num. 18:12), and flocks (Deu. 18:4). Essentially, everything that the Hebrews received as a result of the goodness of the Creator that was a result of the work of hands, they were to gather an offering/tithe of them (which is known as firstfruits) and bring them to the house of Yehovah (Neh. 10:35; Deut. 26:2). This served to honor Yehovah with the Hebrew’s substance and increase, whereby by this very action they are publicly noting that the first of all they acquired belonged to Father. The first of everything that the Hebrews acquired was considered holy and belonged to Yehovah (Lev. 27:30, 32; 2 Chr. 31:6).

Verses 3 to 11 of the 26th chapter of Deuteronomy instructs the Hebrews to take and present their tithes of firstfruits to the Levitical Priests at the place of worship and give a recite the rehearses the reason for the giving:

• Acknowledgment that the Hebrew has been given his inheritance of the promised land (vs. 3).
• The offering is set before altar of Yehovah (vs. 4) as an offering. Remember, Father always told the Hebrews not to appear before Him empty handed.
• Then the Hebrew rehearses the history of his/her people in Egypt, which is a shadow of our time as Messianics in the world and how we were delivered from the slavery of the world (vss. 5-8). That deliverance was nothing short of miraculous.
• In delivering the Hebrew from the scourge of slavery in Egypt, Father kept His promise to their Fathers and granted them an inheritance in a goodly land that flowed with “milk and honey” (vs. 9).
• The offering of firstfruits that the Hebrew brought to the altar was a form of worship that Father required of all His children (vs. 10). This was worship the way Father stipulated should be rendered unto Him. This form of worship had tremendous prophetic and relevant 21st century implications that we as Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah must not marginalize or dismiss.
• This worship of giving unto Father of the Hebrew’s firstfruits was another opportunity to rejoice and show appreciation for the goodness of the Creator. The Levite was also sustained by the giving of the firstfruit offerings.

Torah Serves as our Schoolmaster Yet Again

That which the Hebrews received and that was recorded for our benefit in Torah served to educate us in tithing and giving and the importance of the first of a Hebrew’s increase. From a historic and practical angle, how did this instruction actually play out?

Practical Application of the Tithe and First Fruits Offering in Ancient Israel

In the Apocryphal book of Tobit, we find recorded:

Now all the tribes which together revolted, and the house of my father Naphtaliy, sacrificed unto the heifer Ba’al. But I alone went often to Yerushalayim at the feasts, as it was ordained unto all the people of Yisra’el by an everlasting decree, having the firstfruits and tenths of increase, with that which was first shorn; and them gave I at the altar to the priests the children of Aharon. The first tenth part of all increase I gave to the sons of Aharon, who ministered at Yerushalayim; another tenth part I sold away, and went, and spent it every year at Yerushalayim; and the third I gave unto them to whom it was meat, as Deborah my father’s mother had commanded me, because I was left an orphan by my father (Tobit 1:6-8; Cepher).

First Fruits Over and Above the Tithe?

Now, it seems to me that the firstfruits (bikkurim) offering is over and above the primary tithe of 1/10th of the increase or substance that the Hebrew was to give each year. The firstfruits or bikkurim was made of the choicest examples of the Hebrew farmer’s increase. The offering of the firstfruits each harvest season was a joyous occasion whereby the farmers would adorn their baskets with gold and silver, according to their wealth, join caravans (typically during the season of Ha Yom Bikkurim which is late in the spring, after Shavuot or Pentecost) heading for the Mishchan to offer their firstfruits at the altar. It was a celebratory occasion that served to keep the people’s hearts focused on the joy of giving and reminder of the steadfast provision of Yehovah over them each year.

Rabbinic Influence in Giving of Offerings

The rabbis took it upon themselves to regulate the giving or tithe that in many cases does not jive with Torah. Father seems to have been pretty clear as to what portion of the increase or income the Hebrew was expected to give in Torah.

Those of us who dare journey over to Jewish sites such as www.myjewishlearning.com, www.chabad.org, even www.hebrew4christians.com will receive new terminology (i.e., Hebrew) that may confuse and muddy the understanding of this simple concept.

Generally speaking, the Rabbis declared there are as many of 3 to 5-mandated tithes. Depending on which Jewish circles you run in, the grand total for tithes to be given by the Jew ranges from 10% to 30%+ annually.

The range of tithes annually include

Firstfruits (1/50).

The regular annual tithes (10%).

The 3rd and 6th year tithes (10%).

The pilgrimage feast tithes (10%).

Torah does speak to each of these giving opportunities. I would only question whether or not we’re talking 3-separate tithes equally 30% or simply the 10% that is apportioned in accordance with the 7-year shemittah cycle.

Nevertheless, the tithe, in my opinion, was simply a 10th of every Hebrew’s increase. However, I do believe the Hebrew was required to give additional tithes over and above the basic 10%. (I am still working this out in my heart and mind as of this post.)

The Rabbis stipulated that a 50th portion of harvested grain such as wheat, barley, spelt, wine and oil be given as a tithe. Yet there is nothing in scripture that supports this precise formula of giving. Later on, the Rabbis expanded this tithe, which is known as Terumah or the Heave-offering, to include all forms of produce grown in the Land.

First Fruits Considered By Some a Tithe

This tithe, if you will, was actually the firstfruits offering we just discussed, taken out of verses 1-11. If you recall, no amount was assigned to it by Father. It was left up to the giver to select the choicest of his first produce of the year to happily and proudly present to the Father and give thanks for Father’s providence and blessings.

The First Fruits Offering Practice Diminished in First Century Israel

After the destruction of the Temple in 68-70 C.E., this specific tithe (i.e., Terumah) continued to be practiced by Jews. However, the Jews no longer gave the Terumah tithe to the Levitical Priests (i.e., the cohen) nor the rabbis, but simply discarded it–in most cases actually buried it–because Torah originally required that Heave-offerings (which is what Terumah was) be consumed by the Levitical Priests in a state of ritual purity. Given that the priesthood fell into an irreparable state of disrepair, the rabbis ordered the Terumah tithe be simply discarded.

Again, the rabbis chose to assign an amount or specific value to the Terumah tithe (actually an offering) that is not based on Torah. Would you consider this that the rabbis have done to be in violation of the prohibition against adding to and taking away from Torah?

Sometimes the Answers Aren’t Always Apparent in Torah

I get it. Torah as written appears quite nebulous in what amount the Terumah or Firstfruits offering should be. Thus, it is the natural tendency of men to fill in the holes of a story. In this case, that story is Torah. This is what the Talmud was in part designed to do: fill in those holes or answer those questions that are derived from the often nebulous nature of Torah.

However, as I’ve always said: Father kept much of Torah nebulous for a reason. Father is itching to see what we do with His Torah and how we will behave, just as He did with the Hebrews of old.

 

The Tithe (Dt. 26:12-15)

The verses 12-15 provide us with an overview of the required general tithe, a 10th of each Hebrew’s annual increase or income. Overall, Father organized the giving of tithes in a 7-year cycle that corresponded to the Shemittah. [See my post on Pilgrimage Feasts and the Shemittah if you desire more information.]

Mention of Tithe Limited in Scripture

The term tithe is only found in 13 verses of the KJV. Yet, when we are trying to nail down the whole story of the tithe from Torah, we have to consider also that the KJV also uses the terms “tithe (7),” “tithes (8),” “tenth (40),” and “tithing (1)” when discussing this form of giving. So, as always when we are studying Torah as Messianics, we want to exercise due diligence in our search for understanding. [Reference my post “Is Tithing a Burden?” for more information on the Tithe.]

Specific Torah Facts About the Tithe

We learn from Numbers 18:21 that the Levites lived off the tithes of the nation since they were not given an inheritance of land. Their inheritance was Yehovah (cf. Num. 18:24).

In Leviticus 27:32 we find that a tenth of each Hebrew’s herd or flock was to be considered holy unto Yah and used as a tithe. We receive also from Torah that a tithe of all of the produce of the Land was to be given (Lev. 27:30; Deut. 14:22).

We find in Genesis 14:20 that Avraham rendered a tithe of the spoils he received from his war against the nations of the plain. Melchizedek received those tithes.

Leviticus 27:31 records that when a Hebrew elects to take from his tithe (for whatever reason), he was obligated to restore that tithe with 20% added to it.

Even though the Levites lived exclusively off the tithes of the people of Israel, we find in Num. 18:26 that they themselves were required to tithe from the tithes that they received. Their levites’ tithe went to Aaron and his line (Num. 18:28).

We find in Deuteronomy 12:6 that the people were to bring their tithes to the sanctuary or the dwelling place of Yehovah (cf. Deut. 12:11, 17). This instruction is further expounded upon in Deuteronomy 14 where Father instructs that tithes of the increase of the Hebrews’ flocks, herds and produce were not only to be taken to the place of worship (the sanctuary and temple originally at Shiloh and then Jerusalem), but the tithe was to also be consumed and enjoyed by that tithing Hebrew family while at the feast celebrations. If the distance was too great to transport the content of their tithes, the Hebrew could exchange their produce and animal tithes for money (Deut. 14:24, 25). This was a celebration and Father gave the Hebrews license to spend this tithe on things that would enhance their enjoyment of the feast celebration such as the purchase of meat, wine or strong drink (Deut. 14:26). The Hebrews were to also remember to take care of their hometown Levites in the giving of this tithe. Was this tithe an additional tithe to the original 10th of every Hebrew’s increase? Or was this from the original 10th of the annual increase? Some would contend that it was a tithe over and above the original tithe. Some call this the 2nd tithe. I am not entirely convinced that this is an additional tithe as this passage is not clear.

Deuteronomy 26:12 instructs the Hebrews to give tithes of their increase on the 3rd and 6th years of the 7-year Shemittah-cycle to their town’s Levites, orphans, needy strangers and widows. This passage proves somewhat challenging for me in terms of it being an additional tithe to the regular tithe or not. Some would contend (strongly I might add), that this 3rd/6th year tithe is an additional tithe to the regular, annual tithe. To be honest with you: I am on the fence with this. This passage is not clear as to whether this tithe is an additional 10th of every Hebrew family’s annual increase.

Brit HaDashah on Tithing

The Brit HaDashah is silent on Tithing with the exception of Master’s mention of it in Matthew 23 and Luke 11. Both these passages pertain to the same story. The story is a familiar one to most of us who have been in Faith for any length of time and who are familiar with the teachings of Yahoshua.

In Master’s denunciation of the Scribes’ and Pharisees’ hypocrisy, He described how both religious group members placed so much technical focus on their tithing, even down to the gnat’s behind rather literally. Yet these self-professing men of faith were feloniously negligent in their keeping of the weightier provisions of Torah that included justice, mercy and faithfulness (Matt. 23:23; Luk. 11:42).

One may be quick to mis-conclude that Yeshua was in sense disavowing the Torah mandated practice of tithing in this incident. Yet if we pay particular attention to what Master was saying in the tail end of both these verses, He asserts the relevance of tithing: for Master says to these fellows:

…both these are the things (i.e., tithe and observe the weightier provisions of Torah) you should have done…

Yet Master goes on to say that neither of these elements of Torah should be neglected. In fact, He was essentially saying that the whole of Torah works in concert with the other and no one Torah instruction should be omitted over another.

Beyond the Master’s denunciation of the Pharisees on this issue of tithing, the Brit HaDashah speaks to the attitude that believers must possess and exercise in their giving:

2 Corinthians 9:6,7–But this I say, he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for Yah loves a cheerful giver.

Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand  know what thy right hand doeth: 4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.  (Mat 6:1-4 KJV)

In Matthew 19 and Mark 10, Master instructs the Rich Young Ruler to sell all he owned, give the proceeds to the poor and follow Him.

Luke 6:30–Give to everyone who asks of you and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.

Matthew 5:42–Give to him that asketh thee and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Luke 11:41–But rather give alms of such things as ye have and behold, all things are clean unto you.

And there are a small handful of other passages that highlight the general topic of giving on the part of disciples of Yeshua. Nevertheless, tithing as a stipulated command or even practice, beyond those two passages where Master denounces the Pharisees and Scribes, is strangely absent.

Christianity Embraces Tithing–Well Almost

Since coming to Faith, I have been amazed at how churchianity for centuries hijacked the Torah instruction on tithing while at the same time rejected the applicability, required obedience, and efficacy of Torah for Christians.

Since churchianity rejects Torah and condemns any who would keep it, how could the Torah instruction on tithing have made it into the Church—apart from the obvious reasons?

History of Tithing in Christianity

Tithing in churchianity can be traced as far back as the ecumenical councils of Tours in 567 C.E. and the Synod of Macon in 585 C.E. A penalty of excommunication was prescribed for those who did not adhere to the Catholic law of tithing. Essentially, the practice was for tithes to be given all at once or distributed though out the year during the part of Western Christian liturgies known as the offertory into the collection plate. The church leaders latched on to the teaching of Paul that encouraged giving cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7); giving what one can afford (2 Corinthians 8:12); giving regularly (1 Corinthians 16:1,2); for support of the financial needs of Christian workers (1 Timothy 5:17,18); for the feeding of the hungry and in support of widows and orphans (James 1:27).

When compared with other ANE civilizations and communities, tithing as a practice is not easily recognized as there is scant evidence to be had.

The Church Demands Tithes

Nevertheless, despite the rejection of Torah by the Church Triumphant and churchianity of the 21st century, church leaders still demand tithes of their members. Why seems pretty evident: to sustain the often expensive operations of the organization seeking the contributions.

The Hypocrisy of the Church Over the Collection of Tithes

The hypocrisy on the part of churchianity in regards to the issue of tithes cannot be understated here. I have to side with Hebrew Roots teacher and overseer of the House of Israel Charlotte, Arthur Bailey, that church organizations that require that members to tithe yet reject Torah, teach that Torah has been done away with; and that anyone who claims to be a born again believer in Jesus Christ who keeps any aspect of Torah has fallen from grace, is subjecting their members and their entire organization to a curse. You cannot reject Torah while at the same time require members to keep one instruction of Torah simply because it benefits the organization financially.

Despite this hypocrisy, however, the Church as a whole is having a most difficult time collecting on this hijacked Torah instruction.

Some Tithing Statistics to Consider

According to www.sharefaith.com, with 41,000 Christian denominations and organizations in the world today, 78% of U.S. adults (~247 million) identify themselves as Christian, yet only 50 million (~20%) attend a church or fellowship of some sort on a regular basis. It is evident that far less than this number actually tithe.

As a whole, Christians now give less per capita than during the Great Depression. That being taken into consideration, sharefaith’s research suggests that at best 25% of the congregation actually gives anything, while a shocking 3-5% of its member actually tithe. Here’s another shocker: those who make less than $20K/year are 8-times more likely to tithe than those who make greater than $75K.

The article goes on to surmise why Christians refuse to tithe and to offer possible solutions to this perceived problem. The writers suggests that churchgoers are simply selfish in nature and cling to their income and refuse to give. As evidence, the writers of an article entitled, “The Truth About Christians Tithing in the U.S.,” declare that tithing is an Old Testament practice that is no longer valid. Isn’t that what Christianity has taught their parishioners for years? Anyway, the article goes on to point out that the overwhelming individual non-tithers tend to be the biggest in debt.

Messianics and Tithing

Unfortunately, there is little information to be found regarding Messianics’ tithing practices. It would stand to reason that Messianics in general would seek to keep all of Torah’s instructions to the best of their ability. The tithe, being a Torah requirement would of course be something that every Messianic would need to consider and practice.

Yet, it would seem to me from my various forays online and in my various interactions with other Messianics, that tithing is not practiced anywhere like the practice of keeping the Sabbath, the food laws or the Feast of Tabernacles. In fact, there appears to be a great number of Messianics who outright reject tithing for various and sundry reasons.

One prominent reason for rejecting the giving of tithes by Messianics today is that we cannot tithe the way Father prescribed it be done in His Torah. Others contend that under the renewed covenant, we are no longer required to tithe as a Faith Community, especially given that the Temple was destroyed in 68-70 C.E. Still, others in the Hebrew Roots Community follow churchianity’s current mindset and simply choose to not tithe, or for that matter, not give at all. I will never forget accessing a prominent Hebrew Roots teacher’s/leader’s site and hearing one of his teachings where he maligned another Hebrew Roots teacher’s selling of tickets to a Hebrew Roots conference and touting that all that he put out was free. This post was met with accolades from his follows who asserted that they were drawn to this free Hebrew Roots teacher’s ministry because everything he did was free.

Look, I do not believe that the Word of our God should ever be sold. Yet I realize that it costs money to produce and disseminate the Word, especially today. Somewhere in putting out the Word of Truth, organizations should be supported by members of the Body who are blessed by their teachings. It’s just the right thing to do, as well as it’s Torah, Yeshua and apostle-mandated to give.

I would be remiss in noting that there are some Hebrew Roots organizations that require their members to tithe. I’ve come across some organizations that go so far as requiring their members to submit some form of income documentation (e.g., tax returns) to ensure that each member is actually tithing of their income.

Still, other Hebrew Rooters tithe and give offerings because they feel compelled to do so, without being coerced to do so by any organization’s leadership. These tithe and give offerings out of a giving and generous heart and because they believe Torah requires it, despite the claims that tithing has been done away with because it cannot be practiced as it was given in Torah.

My Stand on The Tithe

I firmly believe that every Torah Observant Believer in Yahoshua Messiah is required to tithe. Here are, among several that I have, 3 reasons why I believe in tithing is necessary for every disciple of Yeshua Messiah.

1. As Torah observant believers in Yeshua, we are compelled to keep Torah to the absolute best of our ability.

We who are of Faith and who revere and keep Torah, have no problem keeping the Sabbath, the Feast Days (for the most part) and the food laws, even though aspects of all these cannot be kept as they are rendered in Torah. Nevertheless, the vast majority of us do the very best we can to keep the Sabbath, the Feasts and so on. Yet when it comes to giving and the tithe, many of us find reasons to ignore or outright reject this instruction.

It was the half-brother of our Master Yeshua Messiah who wrote:

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all (James 2:10; NASB).

As Torah observant believers in Yeshua Messiah, we do not have the luxury to pick and choose which instructions we will and will not keep. We keep the whole of Torah to the best of our ability within in proper context and in Spirit. There is no longer a Temple to keep the Feasts in Jerusalem, but we keep the Feasts centered around our bodies being the Temple of the Most High. We cannot keep the Sabbath as the Hebrew forefathers of old did, but we certainly can honor Sabbath by not working, doing our best to keep it holy and by convening and participating in holy convocations. We keep Torah in Spirit and in Truth under the auspices of the renewed covenant.

The same principle applies with the tithe: most of us are not farmers nor do we reside in the Land of Promise with the Temple in operation in Jerusalem. Thus, we cannot take our produce or our herds or flocks to Jerusalem to keep the mandated pilgrimage feasts. Our increase comes from the wages of our jobs, investments, businesses and retirements. Thus we take from those sources of income the required tithes and we apply them to whatever entities that the Spirit directs us to.

2. Not only does Torah mandate that Hebrews tithe, Yeshua substantiated that instruction and the apostles encouraged rigorous giving.

We do not belong to ourselves but to Father (I Corinthians 6:19, 20). All that we have belongs to Him (Psalm 24:1). In His Torah Father stipulated that the first of all that we possess belongs to Him (Lev. 23:27; 27:32).

Yeshua substantiated during his denunciation of the Pharisees and Scribes that their meticulous practice of tithing should be maintained equally with the keeping of the weightier aspects of Torah (Matt. 23:23; Luk. 11:42).

The Apostle Paul reminds us that “it is not merely the hearers of Torah whom God considers righteous; rather, it is the doers of what Torah says who will be made righteous in God’s sight” (Romans 2:13).

The writer of the Cepher of Hebrews made not of Abel’s giving and sacrifice, which in great part cost him his life, but which also a testimony of his righteousness (Hebrews 11:4). Noah’s sacrifice and giving after he and his family departed the ark resulted in great part him and his family being blessed (Genesis 8:20-9:1).

Torah shows us such examples of giving and honoring of our Creator as a means of Truth-seekers and disciples of Yeshua Messiah living righteous lives. For when a disciple gives unto Father as Father has commanded and instructed, and he or she gives with a willing and cheerful heart, they are blessed and are seen as righteous before Yehovah. No, tithing does not purchase our salvation. Yeshua’s sacrifice purchased our salvation. However, because we now belong to Yehovah our God, we give according to Torah because Torah is written on the fleshly tables of our hearts (Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26).

3. Tithing is the right thing to do.

Giving is a tell-tell sign of a True Believer and disciple of Yeshua Messiah (Luke 6:38; 2 Corinthians 8:12; 9:7; Romans 12:8).

As I mentioned earlier, delivering the Gospel of the Kingdom to the Body and to the world is not a free endeavor. It cost and in may circumstances the costs for some organizations who have a far-reaching ministry can be pretty substantial. Thus, it falls upon the financial gifts and tithes of members of the Body of Messiah to come alongside those ministries so that they may continue their work.

Concluding Thoughts

I get it. Some will contend that the burden that these ministries take upon themselves should NOT be passed down to those who receive teachings from those ministries. I get it. Some will automatically point accusatory fingers at those ministries tied to churchianity that fleece the so-called flock, take their followers’ financial gifts, and handsomely line the pockets of those organizations’ leaders. Yes, there has and continues to be an over-abundance of financial abuses in certain segments of churchianity. Unfortunately, this cannot be helped or prevented apart from true believers becoming fully reliant upon the leading of the Holy Spirit that will direct their giving of tithes and offerings. It’s just that simple.

Giving to the work of the Gospel is the right thing to do. Not giving to the work of the Gospel, or for that matter, failing to obey the Spirit and directions of Torah is a dangerous thing for Torah Observant Believers in Messiah to do. It comes down to each of us examining in our hearts how we are to keep this instruction to tithe and to give offerings. At the end of the day, regardless my stated opinion on this matter, tithing and the giving of offerings is between the individual Torah Observant Believer in Messiah and Yehovah. We all should know what is expected of us. If we don’t, it behooves us to study and search the Scriptures to nail down what is expected of us. We have been instructed to give up everything we have and take up our stakes and follow Yeshua. Now, that’s not to say that we sell and give away all of our material blessings at all. What I’m saying is that we have to stop coveting and hoarding things and money at the expense of our relationship with the Almighty.

The whole point behind Torah’s instructions on tithing and giving of offerings was to teach us to be rigorous and steadfast givers, over and above the basic tithe or 10% of our increase. It was to teach us the importance of supporting the least fortunate of us in society. It was to teach us to support those who deliver the Word of Truth and stand in the gap for us. It was to teach us to rely upon the sovereignty and providence of our Father over our lives—to trust that He will take care of us. It was to teach us obedience and the benefits of being obedient to the instructions of the Almighty.

Faithfully submitted.