The Divine Plan for Giving
By Henry S. Shaw
The Part Reserved by the Lord for Himself—Both Tithes and Offerings This is the first of four short articles by Elder Shaw on the subject of the support of the gospel work. Each article will present some independent thought, and it will be shown that if the Bible system is followed we need not resort to any of the questionable methods of raising money for the church. God has a well-defined plan, and His plans are always the best. THE subject of tithes is not a new one, nor is the principle obsolete to-day. Abraham paid tithes in the days of the Melchizedek priesthood. See Genesis 14. Jacob understood the tithing principle. When he was fleeing from the face of his angry brother, he made a new consecration to the Lord, and promised that if the Lord would feed him, and clothe him, and prosper him on his way, till he could return home, he would serve Him, and the Lord should be his God, and “I will surely give the tenth unto Thee.” Gen. 28: 20-22. He had been acquainted with the subject of tithes; but like many to-day, he had grown careless in the service of the Lord. Now he was ready to fulfill his obligations to God. He said, “I will surely give the tenth unto Thee”—not a tenth. The tenth was understood by the patriarchs to belong to the Lord, and not to be appropriated for common purposes as might please the individual. ALL THE TITHE OF THE LAND
Two centuries or more later, the Lord 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,104. . . 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.” Lev. 27: 30-32. The prophet Malachi, in the last book of the Old Testament, says, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house.” Mal. 3: 10. When Christ was on the earth, He indorsed the tithing principle; and rebuking the Pharisees for their lack of judgment and the love of God, He said: “Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” Luke 11: 42. You should have done these,—and the other too, not doing a part of your duty and leaving the other undone. CHRIST AND THE MELCHIZEDEK PRIESTHOOD
In the seventh chapter of Hebrews, the apostle Paul refers to the priesthood of Melchizedek, with which the Hebrews were familiar, and in which they believed; and while this chapter was written to establish the priesthood of Christ in the minds of the Hebrews, and not primarily as a discussion of the tithing question, yet his reasoning recognizes that Abraham lived under the Melchizedek priesthood, and that he helped to support it with the tithe. When Abram was returning from his expedition to rescue Lot, Melchizedek, priest of the most high God, met him, and blessed him; and Abram “gave him tithes of all” (Gen. 14: 17-20)—“a tenth part of all” (Heb. 7: 2). Abram gave “tithes of all” before he returned the spoils to the king of Sodom; recognizing that, all this property having fallen into his hands, he became responsible for the tenth, which belonged to the Lord. The remaining nine tenths he could give back to the king if he chose, or any part of it; but the tithe he turned over to the Lord. It was a principle well understood by Abram, and not some sudden impulse, that prompted him to single out a tenth for this particular occasion. He gave to the Lord “tithes of all.” Paul reasons with the Hebrews, that Christ has been made a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, who received tithes from Abram. The principle of tithing was recognized in the Melchizedek priesthood; and since Christ was made a “priest forever after the order of Melchizedek,” is it not reasonable that the doctrine of the tithe is still recognized in the priesthood of Christ? “Her priests have violated My law, and have profaned Mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, . . . and I am profaned among them.” Eze. 22: 26. In Ezekiel’s day, the people had been led into such a state of darkness that they were not able to discern the difference between sacred things, which God had set apart for a special purpose, and the things that were only common. The sacred and the common were alike to them. “They have put no difference,” says the prophet, “between the holy and profane.” Even the priests who taught the people, seemed to see no difference between God’s holy things, and the common things, which are called profane. In all of God’s dealing with mankind, from creation till now, He has prescribed certain requirements, by the observance of which man is to recognize the sovereignty of his Creator and Benefactor. This principle of recognition may be illustrated by various examples, where certain things have been made sacred by the Lord’s special appointment. One of these things is the tithe. “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.” Lev. 27: 30. The tithe, then, is sacred. It is not common. It “is the Lord’s.” It is “holy unto the Lord.”