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Gospel Finance

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 31, 1903

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 80, No. 13.

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Gospel Finance

By William Covert

WILLIAM COVERT
THE remedy for sin was provided because man so greatly needed a Saviour. The gospel of this salvation had to be made known to men before they could receive it. The tithing system was doubtless inaugurated to provide an adequate finance for the material support of gospel workers while bearing the glad tidings of life to dying men. Before man sinned, the tree of knowledge, which occupied a central place in Eden, was claimed by the Lord, and of its fruit man was forbidden to eat. After man had partaken of this tree, he was sent forth to till the less fertile soil outside of Eden, and of its products the Lord is found to have claimed a tenth. But in the sequel of our investigation this claim will not seem an arbitrary thing on the Lord’s part, as it is used in the most sacred way for man’s greatest good.
The fourteenth chapter of Genesis contains the first Bible account of a definite income for the support of gospel workers. Herein is introduced Melchisedec, the Lord’s high priest, as performing a gospel rite, and then receiving tithes from Abraham, the ancient father of Israel, to whom the promises had been made. “And Melchisedec king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: and blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.” Gen.14: 18-20. The account given is very brief, yet sufficient is said to show that Abraham looked upon the matter of turning over a full tithe of his income to the Lord’s cause as a part of the gospel plan.
The account of Abraham paying tithes to Melchisedec antedates the making of the Levitical law and the appointment of the Aaronic priesthood, more than four hundred years. The order of priesthood to which Abraham paid tithes is the order to which Christ, our great High Priest, belongs. Indeed, Paul expressly declares that Christ is “a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec.” Heb. 7: 17. He also shows that the Melchisedec order of priests now receives the tithe of God’s people. “Here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.” Christ is the One of whom it is witnessed that “he liveth.”
The argument made by Paul in the book of Hebrews goes to show that the priesthood to which Christ belongs was recognized and supported by the tithes of Levi’s ancestors centuries before Levi was born, and that this priesthood is to receive the tithes of the faithful children of Abraham during the ministration of Christ as high priest in the true sanctuary in heaven. Study the whole scope of the book, and be convinced of the truthfulness of this proposition.
In the twenty-eighth chapter of Genesis is found the second reference to the tithing obligation. This time, Jacob, a grandson of Abraham, makes a solemn vow to the effect that he will be faithful in the payment of tithes. “And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: and this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.” Gen. 28: 20-22.
This vow of Jacob was probably made about one hundred and fifty years after the event mentioned in chapter fourteen, the time when Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedec. These citations show that the tithing obligation was recognized and observed by the patriarchs generations before the time of Moses and the exodus from Egypt. The fact that Paul cites the very first mention of tithing to be found in the Bible, and clearly connects it with the support of the priesthood work of those ancient times, and refers to these things for the purpose of connecting them with the priesthood work of Christ in this dispensation, surely settled the question as to the necessity and obligation of Christians faithfully tithing for the support of the gospel now.
It came to pass in process of time that Jacob had twelve sons, and he with all their families were living in Egypt. Before going into Egypt, however, Jacob passed through a severe trial, which resulted in a rich Christian experience. At the time of this experience, the Lord changed the name of Jacob, which signifies a supplanter, to Israel, which means one who prevails with God. The twelve sons, already mentioned, in the making up of their history, became the heads of twelve tribes, and these were called “the twelve tribes of Israel.” These people in Egypt were after a time made slaves, and greatly oppressed. Then they cried unto God, and deliverance came, which brought them out of Egypt. However, they had to quite a degree become contaminated with Egyptian idolatry; and when the first flush of their great deliverance had subsided, and reaction came, they made a calf in imitation of what they had seen done in Egypt, and worshiped it. At the time this apostasy began, Moses, their visible leader, was absent, but returning in the midst of their greatest demonstrations of folly, he called for all who would at that time stand up in defense of the Lord’s cause, to meet him at the camp gate, and the sons of Levi, descendants of the third son of Jacob, rallied to the call, and by their swords put an immediate stop to the idolatrous scene. The house of Aaron, of the tribe of Levi, had previously been chosen to the holy office of sanctuary service for Israel, but the decisive action of the tribe of Levi at this crisis gave them great prominence in Israel.
The strong stand taken for the truth by the sons of Levi, when Aaron was vascillating and yielding to the evil demands of the people, was rewarded by the Lord with a covenant of sacred trust and responsibility greater than had previously been assigned them. Moses tells of how “at that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day. Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the Lord is his inheritance, according as the Lord thy God promised him.” Deut. 10: 8, 9.
Moses, in pronouncing blessings upon the twelve tribes, spoke of the firmness of Levi for the right when the many had departed from the true path. On the occasion cited, the sons of Levi spared not their nearest relatives if found participating in idolatrous rites. Because they refused to favor father, mother, son, or daughter, when found in wickedness, Moses said to the Lord, “They have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant. They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar. Bless, Lord, his substance, and accept the work at his hands.” Deut. 33: 9-11.
While faithfully performing the work assigned them, they could not accumulate property, nor give attention to finances, therefore the other tribes were required to turn over the Lord’s share of their income to the tribe of Levi. Of the Lord’s share it is said, “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s: it is holy unto the Lord. . . . And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord. He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed. These are the commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel in Mount Sinai.” Lev. 27: 30-34.
The book of Numbers tells how the Lord would have the tithe appropriated. “And the Lord spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.” Num. 18: 20, 21.
The reader can readily gather from the Scriptures which have been cited thus far, that the Lord claims all the tithe of the land. The statement is very positive that all the tithe “is the Lord’s.” It is even declared to be “holy unto the Lord.” Being the Lord’s, it is for the Lord to say what shall be done with it, and for the period of Levi’s appointed service it was wholly given to Levi. This portion the Lord assigned them in Israel. Besides the tithe, there was also given them many special offerings, to be described further on.
The Lord claims the tithes and offerings for the support of his cause, under every dispensation during all probationary time. It has been shown that many years before the Levites were upon earth, tithes were paid for the support of the Lord’s workers, and that the same obligation is extended throughout the Christian dispensation.
The Saviour himself, when upon earth, defined what men ought to do regarding the payment of tithes. He said that the Pharisees had been very precise in the payment of tithes, but had failed to be faithful in such important matters as judgment, mercy, and faith. “These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other [payment of tithes] undone.” Thus Jesus says the payment of tithes should not be left undone. Matt. 23: 23.
Passing over centuries of history during which time the Levites should have received the tithes and offerings of Israel, we come to the writings of Malachi, the book which closes the Old Testament. The book is both historic and prophetic. By its history the student may learn how the subject of Bible finance was regarded and acted upon by the people of Israel during a long period of time. By its prophecy one can see that a great amount of unfaithfulness on the part of Christian people concerning tithes and offerings is foretold. We refer to some portions of this book (Malachi), not for the purpose of learning about who has been unfaithful, but to find out what the Lord requires of us. Both priests and people have gone asidefrom the Lord’s ways. Even the priests have corrupted the covenant anciently made with the tribe of Levi by pandering to the selfishness of the people. They are accused of yielding to the people to such an extent as to offer polluted bread and lame and blind sacrifices upon the Lord’s altar. This course is so very different from the firm and uncompromising stand taken by the sons of Levi at the time they gave the severe chastisement to the worshipers of the golden calf, that they are spoken of as decidedly backslidden.
The third chapter speaks first of the coming of the Lord, and the purging of the sons of Levi so they may consistently perform the services enjoined upon them as priests. This advice shows that the “sons of Levi” addressed in this chapter are the priests. After giving this advice relative to the leaders, then all the sons of Jacob are addressed. Evidently what follows concerning their unfaithfulness in the matter of tithes and offerings, and the demand asking for a decided reformation, pertains to the Lord’s people just now. Read the strong statements made, the advice given, and the promises associated. “Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.” Mal. 3: 7-11.
The unfaithfulness on the part of the people concerning the tithes and offerings pointed out in the Scripture just quoted certainly applies to the conduct of the professed Christian church much more than it ever did to the fleshly descendants of Jacob. The Lord is being robbed, and he speaks in no uncertain way about it. He says plainly that he is robbed by his whole people in tithes and offerings. This wicked conduct has been going on for a long time. He calls most earnestly for his people to cease their transgressions, and return to faithfulness in the matter of gospel finance. His cause needs the funds which his people are using in carrying forward their own enterprises. The Lord’s work is hampered because of the shortage on tithes, and the lameness and blindness of the offerings.
(To be continued)