MONEY CHANGERS 2
Was Tithing Part of the Law of Moses?
Scripture reveals that tithing was definitely a part of the Law of Moses. In fact that is where it was first instituted for a specific purpose.
We find in Numbers 18: 20-32, God giving instructions concerning the tribe of Levi, known as the Levites, and these included the law of tithing.
Verse 21 says - “And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.”
Here we see who God gave the tenth, which is the tithe, to. He gave it to the children of Levi. Any covenant to the Levites was a part of the Law of Moses, for the work that the Levites did pertained to the keeping of that law.
So then, since it was the Levites to whom the tithes were given, let us pause for a moment to see who these people were. They were Israelites, so let us start with the beginning of the Nation of Israel.
The Israelites were descendants of the great patriarch Abraham who was called Abram before God changed his name in Genesis 17:5 -
“Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of Many Nations have I made thee.” (emphasis mine)
The name Abram (ab-rawm' [GRK] meant 'high father') The name Abraham (ab-raw-hawm') [GRK] meant father of a multitude.) His original name showed the importance of his position. His changed name agreed with the promise of God to make him the father of many nations. (note: 'nations' plural, not one great nation but many nations.)
In Gen. 17:16, when Abraham was ninety nine years old, God promised him that he would give him a son by his wife Sarah, whose name had been Sarai before God changed it in Gen. 17:15.
Gen. 17:16 “And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations: kings of people shall be of her.”
Again notice the words nations, plural, and kings, plural.
This promised son was born when Abraham was one hundred years old, and he was named Isaac (Ge. 21: 2-5)
Verse five says - “And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.”
God promised to establish the covenant he had made with Abraham, with his son Isaac also, for an everlasting covenant in Genesis 17:19.
When Isaac was sixty years old, a son was born to him and his wife Rebekah, who he named Jacob.
Gen. 25:26 “... and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she (Rebekah) bare them. (parenthesis mine)
The word 'them' is used because Jacob was a twin.
Later God changed Jacob's name to Israel.
Gen. 35:10 - “And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel.”
The name Israel (yis-raw-ale') [Grk] means “he will rule as God.” (Strong's)
Jacob, who became Israel, had twelve sons. These were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. Each son and his descendants became known as a tribe.
Gen. 49:28 “All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.”
Thus began the nation if Israel through Abraham's grandson Jacob, now called Israel. So there were twelve tribes of Israel. Each generation carried the name of their forefather who was one of the sons of Israel (Jacob). Israel's son Benjamin and his children would be known as the tribe of Benjamin, and so on.
God chose to separate the tribe of Levi from all the other tribes to do the service of the tabernacle. In Numbers 18:2 God says (speaking to Aaron), -
“And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister before the tabernacle of witness,”
This tribe, and this tribe alone, was to serve as ministers and their only inheritance was to be the priesthood of God.
Joshua 18:7 “But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the Lord is their inheritance ... “
They would be what was called the Levitical Priesthood in Hebrews 7:11. As we have already seen in verse 21 in Numbers, given at the beginning of this chapter, all the tenth in Israel, or in other words, tithes, were to be given to this particular tribe. This was their only means of support.
Aaron and his sons were appointed to the priests office (Ex. 28:1; 39:41; 29:1-46). These men would have enough to do without trying to produce a living for themselves as well. We will find that the priesthood spoken of later in the New Testament, is supposed to function quite differently, but consider for a moment what it might have been like for these people.
Originally their work began at age 25 and ended at age 50. (Num.8:23-66) At age 50, they were to cease from their regular duty, and then they were to keep the charge. (We will not discuss that here.) Some of the work done by the Levites included such things as taking down, moving and putting back up the tabernacle of God. (Num.1:50-51) They were to guard the tabernacle (Num.1:53), be the ones who served the priests in all of the tabernacle worship (Num. 3:9; 8:15,22; 18:21-23; 1Chr. 6:48; 2 Chr .35:3-18), be the ministers of God (Num. 3:12, 39-49; 2 Chr.13:9,10; 23:6; 30:27; 31:2), be the providers of music for worship etc.
The high priests had authority over the Levites who were given to them to minister to them. (Num. 3:32, 5-9). They had to wear certain garments (Ex. 28) and do certain cleansings (see Ex. 29:4; Lev. 16:1-3, 23-28). To enter into the Holy place, not having followed all of God's rules, would result in death, as it did for two of Aaron's sons. These were devoured with fire by God. (Lev. 10:1-5) The high priest also bore the judgment of Israel (Ex. 28:29, 30, 38, 43) and offered the sacrifices. (Lev. 1:1-17)
So as you can see, to be born a Levite was to be born with your life's work already laid out for you. You were not hired to this office. You did not have to take an oath or be sworn into office to get the job. It was not even voted on. All you had to do was be born a Levite and be born a male. Hebrews 7: 21 says this -
“For those priest were made without an oath , ...”
However, you also had a prearranged income. The Levites' income was paid to them from all the other eleven tribes.
Num. 18:24 “But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the Lord, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.”
There were also three other classes of people who were supposed to receive certain tithes according to the Law. These were the strangers, the widows and the fatherless.
Deut. 14:28+29 “At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithes of thine increase the same year, and shall lay it up within thy gates.
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.”
Thus God always took care of His own.
Scripture also tells us what the tithes consisted of.
Lev. 27:30+32 “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's: it is holy unto the Lord.”
32 “And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord.”
Notice that money is not mentioned in these verses.
Scripture clearly shows tithing as being an integral part of the Law of Moses. It shows what its purpose was, to whom it was given, and what it consisted of. It is necessary then, to see if Jesus fulfilled that part of the Law which pertained to the work of the Levites. For if he fulfilled even this part, the Law of tithing would not be in effect today, unless of course, it was made a part of the New Covenant. So let us go on and see what scripture tells us about the fulfilling of the Mosaic Law.
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