Ive heard lots of messages about the need for Christians to tithe to their church, especially quoting Malachi 3:7-12. Since we are not under the Law, do Christians need to tithe?
I’d like to begin with some historical background. In the time before the giving of the commandments at Mount Sinai, the Torah records that Abraham and Jacob both gave a tenth, a “tithe” or ten percent of what they had. When it comes to our responsibility to give money under the Covenant made with the Jewish people at Mount Sinai, it becomes more complicated, because we are dealing with the economic system of an entire nation. According to my understanding, each year two tithes were required of the Jewish people, along with other special offerings. The First Tithe and the offerings took care of the Temple, the Priests and the Levites, and is described in Numbers 18:8-29. The Priests and their families were allowed to eat those parts of the sacrifices that were not burnt on the bronze altar. The firstfruits – the first part of our crops, were also given to the Priests. Our firstborn animals were sacrificed and eaten by the Priests. Instead of our firstborn sons being required to serve a
