The biblical truth is that the law of Moses established the Levitical priesthood for the nation of Israel. The same law of Moses established tithing as a mandatory mandate for Israel. Tithing was agricultural products (crops and animals) that were kept in the storehouse and never in the temple or the tabernacles. Tithing was never monetary in nature. Tithing was meant primarily for the daily upkeep of the Levites, widows, poor, orphans and strangers. Leviticus 27:30: “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. Verse 34: “These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai.” Numbers 18:21-26: “Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe.”
The priesthood of Jesus Christ has now replaced the Levitical priesthood forever. To change the priesthood demands legally that the law that established that priesthood must also be changed. The change of the priesthood from Levi to the new priesthood of Jesus Christ implies that the law of Moses and all its ordinances and mandates (yearly and daily animal sacrifices as well as tithing) are now completely obsolete, totally irrelevant, 100% outdated and closed forever under the new priesthood of Jesus Christ in this Church Age. Hebrews 7:11-12:"Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further needwas there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.
The Book of Malachi is the last Book of the Old Testament Scriptures. Malachi was also the last prophet sent by God to the nation of Israel under the Old Testament biblical dispensation or the Old Covenant era under the Law of Moses. The opening sentence of the Book of Malachi in the Old Testament Scriptures tells every sincere and objective reader of the Book of Malachi who exactly this God's prophet, his message or the body of divine truth he wrote about by divine inspiration was primarily written to or was directly addressing. Malachi 1:1 reads "The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi."
That body of divine revelation that is known as the Book of Malachi was written primarily to Israel and Israel only. Israel was a nation that refused to follow God's mandatory commandment to tithe according to the Law of Moses for the daily welfare of the Levi or the Levitical priesthood. The Book of Malachi was NOT WRITTEN to the Church of Jesus Christ or to the Christians who now live under the dispensation of grace and truth or the New Covenant. The name Church was never mentioned in the Book of Malachi. The Church is not also the storehouse.
Jesus Christ in all his words and teachings that were written in the New Testament Scriptures never commanded Christians at anytime to tithe either once or regularly. The New Testament Scriptures never commanded Christians to tithe either once or always. Jesus Christ never tithed once or collected tithes once and there is no biblical record anywhere in the entire New Testament Scriptures to show that tithing was commanded and practiced by the apostles of Jesus Christ, the early Church or the entire early Christians. Jesus Christ came from the tribe of Judah and never Levi. According to the law of Moses, Jesus Christ was not legally qualified to collect the tithes.
Under the Old Testament Scriptures, God commanded Israel under the Law of Moses (Old Covenant) to tithe. From all the biblical and the secular historical records, Israel lived in the era of FARMING ECONOMY and the IRON AGE TECHNOLOGY. Prosperity teachers teach erroneously today by claiming falsely and deceptively that the devourers will destroy the finances of any Church Age Believers or Christians that refuse to tithe. The real devourers of Israel under the old covenant were the locusts and the pests that destroyed their crops, farming and agricultural economy.
See the Book of Malachi 3:8-11:“Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the Lord Almighty (NIV Translation).
Prosperity gospel preachers teach the following unbiblical and pro-tithing doctrine about tithing to defend and to justify why Christians must tithe mandatorily in this Church Age and under the New Covenant. (i) Tithing was commanded and is made mandatory for all Church Age believers or Christians. (ii) Any refusal by a Christian to tithe will result in the personal destruction of that Christian's finances by the devourers that God will send. Furthermore, that particular Christian who refuses to tithe is automatically guilty of the sin of divinely robbing God and a divine curse from God will be placed upon the life of that defiant Christian. (iii) Tithing is the divine key and the hidden godly secrets to solving the problem of abject poverty in the life of a Christian and for any Christian to enjoy high finances, divine blessings and good health in this life.
Below is the New Testament way of giving as a Christian in this Church Age as it was done and practiced by the early Church:"Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" - 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV Translation).
He that oppresses the poor to increase his riches, and he that gives to the rich, shall surely come to want - Proverbs 22:16.
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ - 2 Corinthians 11:13.
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