Understanding Tithe and Offerings

Understanding Sonship Today’s Focus: Understanding the Kingdom Tithe and Offerings of the Sons Scripture: Genesis 14:18-20; Genesis 28:19-22; Hebrews 7:4-13 Greetings Kingdom Citizens Now this is probably the first time I have dealt with tithe and offering since this ministry’s conception two and a half years ago. So much has been misunderstood about the tithe and offering. To many Christians, the tithe and offering is viewed as negative because they feel they are getting ripped off. They see the pastor with millions of dollars worth of cars and they are still left with a beat up day-to-day car. But sadly the part that they miss is that they are not spiritually growing. Let’s look at a slight history of the tithe and offering and I know once you hear this message your view on tithing will change because it is not meant to be burdensome but a celebration. Now we know the tithe to be a tenth of your first fruits. Now one of the first places you see this is in Genesis but not where you may have thought. Genesis 14:18-20! Here we have Abram and Melchisidek. Now let’s lock on verses 19 and 20. Here we have Melchisidek blessing Abram and Abram giving him tithes of all he had. Now you may say so where does the tenth come from? Genesis 28:19-22! Here we have Jacob changing a place called Luz to Beth-El (House of God) and making a vow with God and vowing that He will give God a tenth of all God gave him. So now we at least have some form a foundational scripture on this. But here is something else, all of this happened before Mt Sinai and the Covenant of Law. Over 430 years before the children of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. So the tithe was customary in that time and not by the Law at the time. But look at this again, we know that the tribe of Levi was the priests of the nation of Israel. But where was Levi during both of these events between Abram and Jacob. That’s right, the Levites were not even born yet. But yet we see Abraham giving a tithe to Melchisidek. One represents a priesthood (Levites) that will die (The Law) and another representing a priesthood that is forever. To really bring this home let’s look at Hebrews 7:4-13 Hebrews 7:5,6 – Here we have a slight explanation of what was discussed above that the sons of Levi (office of priesthood) have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the Law. These tithes then were taken from their brothers even though they were all from Abraham. But Abraham tithed Melchisidek who was not of Abraham’s lineage and Melchisidek blessed Abraham. Hebrews 7:7,8 – The less is blessed of the better! The less being the priesthood of Levi which was in Abraham is blessed by the Priesthood which is of the order of Melchisidek which represented Christ which is forever. Hebrews 7:9-10 – Here is where the revelation gets good. Levi pays tithes to Melchisidek. How? Because he (Levi) was in Abraham when Abraham tithed Melchisidek. So what does all of this even mean to us and what does it have to do with us today as sons of God? Hebrews 7:11-12 – God explains that if perfection were by the Levitical priesthood then why the need for Christ? The Levitical priesthood was under the Law! Christ fulfilled with the Law! So if Christ fulfilled the Law why do we tithe and do offering because we are not under the Law. We tithe and give offerings to celebrate the fact that we are sons of God and to show honor! We will pick up right here in the next message because it is a lot of information and I do not want to lose anybody. I know! The statement above is unique from what is being taught! At Our Father’s Service, Elder Calvin Calhoun, Jr.