“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And blessed be God Most High,
who has defeated your enemies for you.”
Then Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had recovered.
Melchizedek came to Abram with some bread and wine. The bread represents the Word of God and the wine represents the Holy Spirit. Abram then gave a tenth of all the goods he had recovered.
Most Christians make tithes and offering to receive a blessing. Many start to tithe thinking they will receive a hundred fold. Many think this because this is how many churches attempt to bribe their people into tithing and to make offerings. They are not tithing and offering out of obedience but out of greed. But if you read the proper order, the blessing was spoken first. The blessing is already available. It was spoken to Abram by Melchizedek. But for us to obtain this blessings since we are the heirs and seed of Abraham, we must act as our forefather Abraham did. He gave a tenth of all the goods he had recovered. He did not give it to receive the blessing. The blessing was spoken first. But today, many view it backwards.
We read of the blessings and the promise to Abraham and the Christians today receive the blessing. If we are to inherit and receive the blessings, then are we not obligated with the promises or vows our forefathers had made on themselves and on our behalf? The bible speaks numerous times as it refers God as the God of Abraham, the God of Issac, and the God of Jacob. Who are these people? Let us briefly touch on Jacob.
Genesis 28:16-22 (NLT) Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I wasn’t even aware of it!” 17 But he was also afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! It is none other than the house of God, the very gateway to heaven!” 18 The next morning Jacob got up very early. He took the stone he had rested his head against, and he set it upright as a memorial pillar. Then he poured olive oil over it. 19 He named that place Bethel (which means “house of God”), although it was previously called Luz. 20 Then Jacob made this vow: “If God will indeed be with me and protect me on this journey, and if he will provide me with food and clothing, 21 and if I return safely to my father’s home, then the Lord will certainly be my God. 22 And this memorial pillar I have set up will become a place for worshiping God, and I will present to God a tenth of everything he gives me.
Did Jacob give a tenth to receive protection, food, and clothing? No, God gives us these things out of His Grace. And as God continues to provide for His children whether they obey or not, He out of His Grace still sends the rain. So Jacob, our forefather, made a vow to God. He said if God would be with him, protect him, provide food and clothing that he would present a tenth of everything the Lord gave him. Verse 20 shows that he had made a VOW. This vow resonates down the generations as we are the heirs and seed of Abraham and we serve the God of Abraham, the God of Issac, and the God of Jacob.
Today and many generations past, we Christians wait for God to provide first before we decide to give him His tenth or before we make an offering. Many make ridiculous promises to God saying they will give to HIM if HE allows them to win the lottery or get that high promotion. In fact, we attempt to give to him in our abundance rather than in our obedience. All we are required to do is obey. If we obey, we can tap into the blessing spoken thousands of years over Abraham. But since most have not obeyed, they are thus receiving curses rather than blessings.
Moreover, many Christians are erroneously taught that they do not have to tithe to God a tenth of all their income anymore. They are taught it has to do with "law" and the Old Testament.
If you read Malachi chapter 3:10, most versions if not all versions say to bring ALL of your Tithes to God's storehouse.
Malachi 3:10 (NLT) Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!
Many Christians have been led to believe this verse meant all of your money. But if you read this verse and word carefully, it says to bring all the tithes into the storehouse. All of the tithes represents 10%. Many of God's people were and are robbing God because they were not obeying God. They were tithing less than 10%. Just as today, they are tithing what they have determined with their own minds and personal will and thus they are robbing God showing that they do not trust HIM. Moreover, rather than tapping into the blessing that Melchizedek has spoken over Abram and to his descendents, they are tapping into the curses. And as a result, the devourer is released upon their disobedient lives.
But the Amplified version specifically states in parenthesis
Malachi 3:10 (AMP) Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it..
Malachi 3:11-12 (AMP) And I will rebuke the devourer [insects and plagues] for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruit before the time in the field, says the Lord of hosts. 12 And all nations shall call you happy and blessed, for you shall be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.
Therefore the opposite applies if we do not tithe properly out of disobedience. When we begin to obey and start to tithe properly, then the blessings can continue as the devourer is REBUKED! If we do not tithe properly, then the devourer has authority over us to destroy the fruits of our ground and our vine will drop before our time in the field. We will be cursed economically. What else is our fruit? Our fruit is our children. We will bring down a curse to them as well. Moreover, those who rob God will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
But the question still remains for many. Is tithing done away with through the ceremonial law or is it still in effect as a commandment? In fact, why was tithing instituted? Why was this necessary? Does God need our money? No, it was to teach us something. What does tithing teach us?
Deuteronomy 14:23 Bring this tithe to the designated place of worship—the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored—and eat it there in his presence. This applies to your tithes of grain, new wine, olive oil, and the firstborn males of your flocks and herds. Doing this will teach you always to fear the Lord your God.
If you read the end of Malachi chapter 3, there is a book referenced. This book is called the book of remembrance. And the names of those who feared HIM are written in there. Deuteronomy chapter 14 showed that tithing was to teach His people to fear HIM. In Malachi 3, the ones who feared HIM were the proper tither and they observed the consequences of those who had disobeyed this commandment as the devourer was released upon their disobedient lives. Is teaching people to fear God part of the "Law?"
Malachi 3:16-18 Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another; and the Lord listened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who reverenced and worshipfully feared the Lord and who thought on His name.17 And they shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, in that day when I publicly recognize and openly declare them to be My jewels (My special possession, My peculiar treasure). And I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him.18 Then shall you return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who does not serve Him.
The author of Hebrew states that Jesus is the High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. Moreover, the bible says Jesus is the High Priest in the order of Melchizedek FOREVER.
Hebrews 5:10 Being designated and recognized and saluted by God as High Priest after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 6:20 Where Jesus has entered in for us [in advance], a Forerunner having become a High Priest forever after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek.
Those who believe unto Jesus for their salvation are the seed and heirs of Abraham who had given a tenth to Melchizedek. And if Jesus Christ is appointed the High Priest in the order of Melchizedek which means King of Salem (Peace) and King of Righteousness, then just as our forefather Abraham gave a tenth to the King of Peace/Righteousness, we are to continue to give our tenth to Jesus Christ the appointed High Priest through His churches as He is a High Priest FOREVER in the order of Melchizedek! Moreover, Jacob had made a vow.
Galatians 3:29 (AMP) And if you belong to Christ [are in Him Who is Abraham’s Seed], then you are Abraham’s offspring and [spiritual] heirs according to promise.
And if Abraham, Issac, and Jacob are our forefathers and if we are the seed and heirs to that promise, then the vows they make to God also apply to us as well. We expect the blessings spoken to them even in our generation but are we not to accept the promises and vows they had made to God? Are we not the children of the God of Abraham, the God of Issac, and the God of Jacob?
May your names be written in the Book of Remembrance. A people declared to be a special treasure. May we be the people of the God of Abraham, the God of Issac, and the God of Jacob. May we be a people who obeys showing our Love to HIM.
Fire of God Ministries International Church
Fremont, CA
Pastor Steve Yong Kim
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