God told his people to eat up one-tenth of all their income (tithe) between harvests in one concentrated period of time!
Deu 12:18 But you must eat them before the LORD your God in the place which the LORD your God shall choose, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite that is within your gates: and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God in all that you put your hands unto.
Deu 12:19 Take heed to yourself that you forsake not the Levite as long as you live upon the earth.
This does not make sense especially since people want to feel constantly secure about their future. The natural inclination is to accumulate for ourselves any extra thing that can make us materially powerful. This is the natural selfishness of mankind.
Even if they ate a lot of their food themselves, they definitely did not want to be forced to give out to other people. A whole ten percent? (After all, who knows how that woman became a widow, or if the orphan child is a witch, or why the stranger left their own home town! And that Levite should go get a job, please.) Ha, ha.
READ ALSO: SHOULD CHRISTIANS TITHE? (PART 2)
The War Against Selfishness
God wanted His people to constantly act contrary to their natural thinking in relating with Him on the earth; Because man’s long-term calling is to be a son of God and God is a spirit that is not limited to this lowly realm’s rules.
This constant call to act above natural trends is seen in God’s instructions regarding warfare; the weekly, 7 year, and 50 year Sabbath; accumulation prohibitions on money and wives, etc. (See Deut. 17 and Leviticus 23 and 25)
As with Noah, Abraham, Moses, Daniel, and others, God provides tests for all who claim to pursue after His will. This is another reason for the tithe laws provided through Moses. Again, just like the Sabbath laws and the circumcision requirement, and such, there is wisdom in obeying the ‘ridiculous’ instruction of paying your tithe just because God said so.
The question is, WHY DID HE?
We will look at this in the next part. Thereafter, we will see if it is still required in this day and time.
Then you may ask your questions in the comments!
READ ALSO: SHOULD CHRISTIANS TITHE? (PART 4)