Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful give.
2 Corinthians 9:6-7
This past Sunday I had the privilege to help preach about tithing and generosity. The etymology of the word “tenth” stems from “tithe”. In other words, “tithe” is simply an old word where we get our modern word “tenth”. Tithing simply means giving a tenth of one’s income, presumably to a religious establishment. The Bible isn’t the first mention of such a practice – Ugaritic documents from the 14th century BC mention people giving a tenth to the local temple or as a royal tax.
However, did you know that there is more than one tithe mandated in the Torah? Let’s take a moment and explore them.
The first tithe was given to the Levites and priests (Numbers 18:20-29). Their full time job was to teach the people and represent them before God in the Tabernacle/Temple. The tithe supported them, much as tithes collected in churches today support the church and its employees.
The second tithe (Deuteronomy 14:22-27) was set aside for festival expenses. Three times a year, the Lord commanded his people to come to Jerusalem and celebrate. This tithe budgeted for travel and party expenses. It was also to be used to enable those less fortunate to celebrate, too. The closest thing in modern Christianity is budgeting for holidays like Christmas or other celebrations.
Finally, the third tithe (Deuteronomy 14:28-29) was only collected once every three years. Some argue that it replaces the second tithe in those years, but that leaves the question of how to celebrate the festivals in those years. This tithe was to support the poor, widows, orphans, and others in need.
Earlier this year I set up an extra savings account to which I automatically transfer a set amount after each pay day. This has helped me track how much I plan to give in a year. All that money is marked for being given away by the end of the year, which has taken away guesswork and debating how much to give. What has God laid on your heart to give?