“Give, and it will be given to you: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use will be the measure you receive.”Lk6:38 NET
Generosity is a part of God’s economy. There is no increase in the Kingdom of God without generosity. You must have a generous heart if you are going to increase and prosper. Your propensity or capacity to give also determines your propensity or capacity to receive. A mean person does not want to let go of what they have but they also don’t have the heart that receives. Their unwillingness to give also hinders their ability to receive the good things of God. For the measure you use will be the measure you receive.
The same heart that gives is the one that receives. Generosity enlarges its capacity to share, to give and also to receive. This is why God encourages us to be generous. It is beneficial to those in need but also to the giver.
UNDERSTANDING THE TITHE
Genesis14
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
This is the first time that the tithe is mentioned in scripture. The word tithe simply means a tenth or ten percent. Abraham is the one that introduced this concept of tithe i.e. giving God ten percent of your income. This was long before the Law was given. The tithe did not begin with the Law and neither was it even introduced by God. It was Abraham, out of his deep appreciation, gratitude and trust in God who decided that he would give God ten percent of all his income as a sign of his trust and dependence on God as his source and provider.
Melchizedek was the king of a kingdom called Salem which is ancient Jerusalem. This word Salem means peace. He was also a priest of God. A representative of Jesus Christ, the Prince of peace. Abram voluntarily gave tithe to Melchizedek who was the priest that was appointed over the city of God. He was the representative of God.
Furthermore, it is important to realize that Melchizedek didn’t compel Abram to tithe, he didn’t demand the tithe, and he didn’t even take the tithe. The bible says that he received the tithe. In other words, this was Abram’s idea, not Melchizedek’s. Remember, the tithe didn’t even exist. This is how the New Covenant believer is to tithe. We are not under the Law. Jesus has liberated us from the Law. We operate under a superior covenant. A covenant of grace. Now we tithe, but not by Law, we tithe voluntarily, willingly, cheerfully, without law and without punishment.
There is no commandment for us to tithe in the New Covenant. Instead we do it on our own volition just like Abram as a way of thanksgiving, appreciation and an expression of trust and dependence on God as our source and provider. And just like Melchizedek received Abram’s tithe, Jesus is the one that receives out tithe. For He is our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.
“Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.”Heb5:10
“where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” Heb6:1 ESV
THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK
Hebrews 7
1 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; 2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; 3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
This Melchizedek priesthood is a priesthood that doesn’t have a beginning or an end. This is symbolized by the fact that Melchizedek’s descent is not mentioned in Genesis14 when he first appears blessing Abram. He just shows up from nowhere and disappears to nowhere after blessing Abram. His priesthood is an earthly picture of the eternal priesthood of Christ and his earthly kingdom is an earthly picture of the eternal Kingdom of Christ which is a kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. 5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
The priests under the Old Covenant, the Levitical priesthood had a commandment to take tithes from the people. The tithe was compulsory in their covenant. It was mandatory. It was legislated by Law. These priests were the sons of Levi and descendants of Abraham.
6 But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. 7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
But Melchizedek was from a different line. He wasn’t an offspring of Abraham. He was greater than Abram or his offspring. That is why Abram is the one who gave tithes to Melchizedek. He recognized his superior ministry as a priest of the Most High God (El Lyon) and king of righteousness and peace.
Melchizedek didn’t demand the tithe. There was no legislation of it. There was no law that said Abram had to tithe. Abram decided voluntarily to give the tithe, and Melchizedek received his tithe.
8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
Under the Law (the Aaronic priesthood) the people gave their tithes to men that they could see physically. You took your tithes to a priest in the temple. But now, in this New Covenant, it is not men after the Levitical priesthood that receive our tithes, it is Jesus Himself. Our eternal High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.
The tithe that was legislated by law and mandatory was of the Old Covenant and of the Levitical priesthood. This priesthood and order and covenant ended at the Cross when Jesus took away the first covenant that He may establish the New Covenant. “Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.” Heb10:9
We are under the Melchizedek priesthood that has no end and Jesus is our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. In this New Covenant He doesn’t take our tithe. It isn’t mandatory. He receives our tithe. We don’t give it grudgingly or of necessity. It is not a law that we must obey. We do it like Abraham did. As we purpose in our heart. Cheerfully and lovingly and willingly. As a sign of worship and honor to God for providing for us and keeping us and giving us victory.
9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. 10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
When Abram gave tithes to Melchizedek, his offspring who were still in his loins (not yet born) also gave tithes in him. In other words, Abram represented all those that would ever come out of him. His progeny. These included Levi who would be born later and us too who are the seed of Abraham according to the promise. Therefore Levi also tithed to Melchizedek because he was in Abram when Abram gave the tithe in Genesis14.
This of course means that the order of Melchizedek is a superior order and a superior priesthood. Even the Levitical priesthood submitted to the order of Melchizedek when Levi tithed in Abram.
Why is this important to understand?
It is because when Abraham tithed to Melchizedek, he connected to the eternal priesthood of the order of Melchizedek. He connected Himself to the blessing and provision of God Most High. From then on he became a mightily prosperous man until he was wealthier and more powerful than entire nations. Through his tithe he connected to a spiritual blessing that caused him to supernaturally prosper. Now we have been told that all of his seed (who include me and you) also tithed in him and connected to this eternal Priesthood and the eternal blessing that was a part of it.
Through Abram we connected to this spiritual blessing that caused him to supernaturally prosper and causes us also to supernaturally prosper. Every time we tithe we renew our commitment and connection to this supernatural blessing and supernatural increase that God gave to Abram when he placed his trust in Him as his source. Every time we tithe we are saying that just like Abram we trust and acknowledge God as our source and provider. We acknowledge that He is our keeper, He gives us victory, He keeps us in good health, He prospers us and takes care of us.
Comments
Post a Comment