Chapter 17: Myth—Giving 10% Is A Tithe

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Myth—Giving 10% Is A Tithe

Who Robbed God Of Offerings?

You already learned from Martin that it was the nation of Judah living around Jerusalem that was not bringing in the tithes of “the seed of the land” and “the fruit of the tree” to the temple. But who is it that was robbing God of offerings? If you only listen to apostate tithe preachers and teachers like

William Neal Matthews, they will tell you that it is you who are not only robbing God of the tithes, but also robbing God by not giving offerings in addition to the tithe. Yet this is also a lie and not biblical. We learn in Numbers 18:21-32 further instructions from God and find the basic elements

of the tithe and offerings that Malachi speaks about.

God says: “Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work

which they perform … For the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer up as a heave offering to the Lord, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance … When you take from the children of Israel the tithes which I have

given you from them as your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave offering of it to the Lord, a tenth of the tithe.” Numbers 18:21-26 NKJV

Therefore, the following simple facts exist about who made the tithes and who made the offerings and why both are cited as missing by Malachi.

Fact: The tithe was 10% of the produce of the land, herds & flocks.

Fact: The people gave the tithe to the Levites as an inheritance. Fact: The Levites were required to give 10% of the tithe to God. Fact: The Levites tithe was called a “heave offering” to distinguish it. Fact: The priests ate the heave offering in the temple.

When Malachi says God is robbed of tithes and offerings, he is saying that the people are not tithing to the Levites and because of that, the Levites do not give their heave offerings. Verily I say unto to, it was not the people who “also” robbed God of offerings like some tithe teachers claim.