giving
Leaking Oil
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In the past, a car or truck would leak oil. The owner would have to replace the lost oil, sometimes daily, depending upon the leak.
Something similar was happening at the time of Haggai. “There is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9)” The types of problems people in every generation have are presented somewhere in the Bible for our instruction. They were experiencing their own types of losses.
Haggai 1:1 (KJV) In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying,
2 Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built.
3 Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying,
4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?
5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.
6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.
7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.
8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.
9 Ye looked for much, and, lo it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.
10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.
11 And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.
12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the Lord.
13 Then spake Haggai the Lord’s messenger in the Lord’s message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the Lord.
14 And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God,
15 In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.
The people paid attention, and did the work the Lord asked them to do, and three months later this message came. It was part of a longer message. It reviewed the fact that when the people failed to lay the foundation of the temple, they suffered. Then they laid the foundation and the Lord said, “… from this day will I bless you.”
Haggai 2:15 And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the Lord:
16 Since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty.
17 I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the Lord.
18 Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, consider it.
19 Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.
When it comes to tithing and giving, God considers the total picture, not just the amount of giving.
Mark 12:41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
It is interesting that this event happened right after Jesus had talked about the scribes that devour widows houses.
Mark 12:38 And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,
39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:
40 Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.
You have to wonder if some of those same scribes who heard him talk about devouring widows’ houses also heard him talk about the poor widow. Maybe part of the reason she was in that case was because they had something to do with it? Perhaps they decided to change their ways.
In any case, giving is related to the tithe. It is called giving in the New Testament. The tithe existed before the law (given to Moses) as Abraham was a predecessor of Moses and Abraham gave tithes to Melchisedek. The concept of tithing was established before the law, just as the concept of marriage and being fruitful was established before the law.
Hebrews 7:1For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
6 But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
Some things were established before the law. The concept of marriage and family was established before the law.
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth . . .
Genesis 2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
If you take the position that things established in the Old Testament no longer have any relevance today what are you going to do with the institution of marriage and family? Jesus did away with the ceremonial sacrifices of the law that were a temporary measure to cover the people’s sins until Jesus came. But other principles are still in effect. And while we are on that topic, if you take the position that the things Jesus said were only for the people of his day, what are you going to do with “ye must be born again (John 3:7)”? Are the only people who can be born again and saved and to whom John 3:16 applies those who physically lived while Jesus was on the earth?
But back to the topic of tithing and giving to God ….
Malachi 3:5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.
6 For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?
8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.
13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?
15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.
17 And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.
Depending on the ministry, there may be online church services, YouTube videos, podcasts, radio programs, books, teaching, or more. You have to seek out what they have.
Tithe vs Giving
Photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash
In the Old Testament we see the word “tithe” used. In the New Testament it is more usual to see the word “give”, “giving”, “sowing”, or “seed”.
There is a principle called cultural intelligence. In other words, you speak and act to mirror the people you are around in order to relate to them better.
After Jesus was resurrected, he told his followers to share the gospel. Then Jesus ascended back to heaven.
Up until this time, Jews and non Jews (also called Gentiles) stayed apart. While Jesus was on the earth, he was sent first to the Jews with the message of salvation. The time of the Gentiles had not yet come. However, Jesus in mercy still responded the faith of a Gentile woman prior to the cross.
Mark 7:24 And from thence he [Jesus] arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.
25 For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:
26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation [a Gentile]; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children [the children of Israel, through whom came the Messiah (Matthew 1:1-17)] first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.
28 And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.
29 And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.
30 And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.
31 And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.
After the cross, the message of salvation was preached to both Jews and Gentiles. As things evolved, Peter primarily went to the Jews with the message of salvation, and Paul went to the Gentiles. Paul was highly educated, as well as being perceptive, and knew how to say the correct word in due season. Here are a couple of examples where the Romans were going after Paul, and he got out of it by knowing what was happening and how to deal with it.
Acts 22:24 The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.
25 And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
26 When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
27 Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
28 And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.
29 Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
Acts 23:6 But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
7 And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.
8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
9 And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees’ part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.
Paul knew how to use the correct words in due season. He knew his audience. He understood the background of the gentles. The gentiles, if they had religion, it was of a pagan nature. The word tithe might not have been in their vocabulary.
On the other hand, the Jewish audience that Peter primarily preached to grew up around the Jewish temple and Jewish synagogue and were familiar with the concept of tithing.
It is conceivable that in the interests of cultural intelligence, that Paul used the word “giving” or “seed” or “sowing” instead of “tithe” and “first fruits”. “Tithe” and “first fruits” would have been terms familiar to Jews, not Gentiles.
When we don’t know what something means or represents, it is good to go back to the beginning, which in terms of Bible knowledge, would be the Old Testament. How did giving or tithing work in the Old Testament? There were various tithes and offerings and alms for the poor. A tithe is 10%.
Malachi 3:6 For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?
8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.
In today’s world, in today’s preaching, there is a lot of preaching that “we are not under the law”. But we are to be led of the Spirit. So what does that mean? What will that look like? It will look a lot like the Ten Commandments and the directives of God in the Old Testament, only under the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit rather than some kind of a daily check list. It will be an inner guidance from the Holy Spirit within rather than an outer checklist, but it will still mirror the righteousness laid down in the Old Testament. It will not look vastly different.
In other words, if you love your neighbor you will keep the Ten Commandments on their behalf.
It seems good to pause and point out that the power of God operated in the Old Testament as well through various signs and miracles. There were the miracles of Egypt. And then there were other times the power of God manifested such as this.
I Kings 8:10 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord,
11 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.
The Old and New Testament are not two different books. The New is a continuation of of the Old and if you read through them, you will see parallels.
The Old Testament gives a foundational understanding of the New Testament.
If the terms are not defined according to the Old Testament, and are instead defined according to the prevailing modernistic, secular, atheistic culture, a word such as “love” could have a totally different meaning than a Biblical one.
A good check chart for “further definitions” is the Old Testament and a Strong’s Concordance (which is keyed to and defines every Hebrew and Greek word of the KJV Bible) and an older dictionary.
Otherwise, a person can get really off course.
Marriage. That used to be defined as between a man and a woman. But now the culture would try to redefine the word in multiple ways. This is why that even though Jesus brought the New Covenant, the concepts have to be tethered in Old Covenant, Old Testament understanding lest words and concepts become meaningless or go off course.
This same principle has to do with the word giving. What is giving? How does it work? How did it work in the Old Testament? How much did they give in the Old Testament? The tithe is a good starting point when you don’t know what to do.
A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.
Depending on the ministry, there may be online church services, YouTube videos, podcasts, radio programs, books, teaching, or more. You have to seek out what they have.