Bible Studies

---

First with the false promise of gaining the windows of heaven by tithing. No, it ain't going to happen. 'Bring your tithe and prove me now' is what is given to millions of Christians as a promise. Bringing the tithe is to be separated from 'proving God' for the same reason that 'tempting God' for water is separated from putting a tenth of the manna into the pot. You will find this in Exodus 16 and 17.

The first error with tithing is always with the substance of what is brought. Never, never replace the corn, oil, and wine with money. Secondly, understand the sense in which God mentions the windows of heaven promise. This is just the same as the abundance of water that was given out of the rock in the wilderness. This is why God mentions the promise with the tithe of the land. God is having a de ja vu moment.

Proving God is the same as tempting God. Just because God says to 'prove' Him does not mean that you should take it as a command. He also says, 'Come to Bethel and transgress....'

God declares in Isaiah 55:1 that the water is free, without silver (money). Why do we as Christians give money to ministers. For equity and for the worthiness of the laborers to receive their hire. These reasons are given in the New Testament. To hawk or peddle the water that God promises for free is to make oneself akin to a snake oil salesman or a used car dealer.

There is another good reason to not challenge believers to 'prove God' for the water that is free. It is so the New Testament minister may inherit the promise that is. There should be no doubt as to the certainty of this promise. The language is clear, those who despise the gain of oppressions have God's favor.
"Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure." Isaiah 33:14-16

What gain is to be more despised than tithe collecting. It is oppressive. It puts the burden that was on the land for producing the tithe on the people. That was never God's intent. In fact, I will tell you a secret. The Hebrew word for 'oppressions'is a word that combines tithe with oppress. The Hebrew word for tithe is "ma'aser". The Hebrew word for oppressions in Isaiah 33:15 is "ma'ashaqqah". This word is only used twice in the Old Testament. The NIV translates the word as 'extortion'. To make the word for tithe from ten God adds this "ma" to the word for ten. To make the word for 'oppressions' in Isaiah 33 He adds the "ma" to oppress. This tells me that He most certainly had the practice of collecting tithes (as money) in mind when He spoke these words to Isaiah.

So here He gives the promise of water as in Isaiah 55:1. The remedy for the error of tithe collecting is the quoting of this verse thousands upon thousands of times. It will counter the error that is now running rampant in the church today.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE