Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 11/19/2007

Question
QUESTION: Hi Pastor,

I my last email I was arguing a point based on Nehemiah 10, but I didn't use all the arugments I had and I've been worried that I represented the word of God incorrectly to you, from how I understand it.

In my last email I was discussing how in Deuteronomy it is clear that the tithe to the Levites was once every 3 years, and that I knew you would say that Nehemiah 10 goes against that because it says that the tithes were every year:

"And we made ordinances to bring the firstfruits of our ground and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, to the house of the LORD..."

Here it says year by year, but my argument is that this is an ordinance that the Israelites made for themselves (man made) because by that time there were only 3 tribes left (Levi, Benjamin and Judah) and most of the children of Israel were still in Babylon, so to support the Temple they decided to give more than the Law required to make up the difference. Like it says in Nehemiah 10:32, when they created the Temple tax:

"Also we made ordinances for ourselves, to exact from ourselves yearly one-third of a shekel for the service of the house of our God..."

The point that I didn't discuss which made me feel bad was that in 10:36 it says: "as it is written in the Law". This would make one think that the Law said that the tithe had to be each and every year, instead of once every 3 years, as it says in Deut. 14:27 and Deut. 26:12 (where it says that the third year is "the year of tithing").

The reason I see why it says "as it is written in the Law" can be interpreted 2 ways.

1. Because this part of the chapter is not talking about tithes from year to year, but as it says: "to bring the firstborn of our sons and our cattle". This no longer deals with a yearly tithe, but with the Law of the Lord to bring the firstborn of the sons and cattle to the Lord. It's already a different topic, even though the topic just before it is about bringing the first fruits.

2. The other way of looking at this (which I did mention in the last email) is that individual Israelites tithed only once every 3 years, but that since this would mean that the food would rot by the second or third year, therefore the tithing every three years was rotated between different groups. One third of the people gave the first year, then the second third gave the next year, then the third third gave the third year. By the fourth year it was the turn of the first group again. The Levites administered the taking of the tithe, as it says in scripture. This would have to be done to prevent the food from spoiling.

In my arguments on this issue today I have stated that the tithe to the Levites was only once every 3 years, and that the Levites were expected to share that with the poor (Deut.14:27 and Deut.26:12-13). You might ask how would it then be possible for the tribe of Levi (which made up about 8%-10% of the population, plus the cost of the animals which were used for sacrifice) to come up with the costs of surviving and supporting themselves and the Temple worship. That is easy. The Levites didn't just live off tithes. They also lived off offerings and they had their own animals which they raised. The OT discusses how the Levites had communal land given to them around each Levite town/city, where they could raise their livestock. They did not tithe on the livestock which they raised. They only tithed on what they received in tithes (From what I understand - I could be wrong on this point, but I think Numbers 18 is clear on this). And finally the priestly family of Aaron (the Kohanes). Were they so rich that they had 1% of all the produce in the land of Israel (10% going to the Levites, and then 10% of the Levitical tithe going to just that one family)? Or were they also expected to also take care of the poor (and to provide the animals for daily, weekly, monthly, etc., sacrifices) with what they received from the tithe of the Levites? When the Levites tithed to God, did it all go to the priestly family, or did some go to other causes? It is not clear in Numbers, but Deuteronomy does make it clear that the tithe wasn't just for the Levites to live off, but it was also for the stranger, the widow, and the orphan.

My conclusion is that Israelites tithed to the Levites only once every 3 years. That makes an annual amount of 3.33%. The Levites used that money to live and to care for the poor. But the Levites also engaged in other types of work and commerce, such as raising their own animals. And finally the Levites also lived off the offerings which people gave.

God did not create a theocracy which would be a burden on his people. He did not create a theocracy which made the poverty of the poor even worse. God loves his people.

But the tithe is for an Old Testament economy which was supposed to work for the Israelite theocracy, not for a modern church which is not a nation. When the children of Israel were in Babylon there is no reason to believe that they tithed at all, and neither is there any reason to believe that the Church must do so.

You may ask how a church is supposed to finance itself if the people are only giving 3.33%. That is easy. The Old Testament tithe is dead. The Old Testament priests also lived off offerings and sacrifices. But the sacrifices and animal offerings are done with. The people should give generously as they have purposed in their hearts, and base on how God has prospered them. If he hasn't prospered them, then they might not give.

Finally, I do not believe in the "prosperity gospel". God has not promised to make anyone rich. The blessings of Malachi are for the entire nation of Israel, and not for individuals. But Christians are not a nation. We have no land which the Christians have received as an inheritance. That blessing is for Israel.

And in the end most evangelicals give about 3.33% anyhow. Which consists of about $10-$20 per week per person. And the churches are able to run just fine, plus give to missionaries. If they have problems running, then the pastor should ask God to bless the Church with more finances and members.

Any thoughts?

-Josh

ANSWER: Hi Josh,

I was with you as long as you were talking about the Levitical practice because we do not keep ceremonial laws any more.  I do not think that all ththes are Levitical or ceremonial.  I do not think that you can say that we are to only give 3.33%.  

We seem to be re-hashing over and over the tithe issue.  I have made it clear that I believe that Malachi 3 can be applied to the church... it is not merely ceremonial.  You do not agree,.... fine... we can do that as Christians.  I cannot keep re-visiting this same issue and be fair to the other 20 people that ask me questions every week.

I hope that you understand.

In Christ
Pastor Don

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Sorry about this. I don't mean to take you away from other people. I admit that I sometimes like to argue. I am in the wrong here. I admit it.

Before I noticed that you sent this email today I sent you another email stating the same thing, but much shorter. I didn't know that you had sent this. Sorry.

In the end I guess I can afford 3.33% and that is actually less than I have given in the past. I'm looking for a Pastor to agree with me on this. But I'm being argumentative to a fault and that's not a good thing.

-Josh

Answer
Hello again Joshua,

I strongly suggest that you not worry about finding a pastor to agree with you as much as you need to simply agree with the Bible.  We could come to the Bible with a preconcieved notion of what we want to believe and make the Bible say it.  OR.... we could simply read the Bible and obey.  You may get a pastor toagree with you, that will nto change the truth or your responsablity to find and obey that truth.

I hope that this helps my brother.

In Christ
Pastor Don