What did E.W. Kenyon teach on tithing? Part2

Israel’s tithing was really sharing with Jehovah, the income from the gardens, vineyards, livestock and business. This “sharing” was a real partnership, a real fellowship with God, the priests and the poor.

It was God being identified with every phase of their living.

While Israel shared with Jehovah, they became the most prosperous nation in the world. They were blessed as they shared. Tithing is older than the Abrahamic Covenant. We have the record of Abram giving tithes to Melchizedek, Priest of Salem. Gen. 14:17-24

Jacob promised a tenth to Jehovah if he would return him safely to his home. Gen. 28:22

Tithing bound the individual Jew to Jehovah. It bound every family, every member of the family, to the center of the Nation, the Tabernacle.

The Levites and Priests were supported by the tithes and free-will offerings. It was a Divine-Human partnership. God, working with His man, was carrying out a great scheme for the betterment of the Human Race.

This is God’s challenge to Israel and to the Church today. Mal. 3:10 “Bring ye the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food 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.”

Prov. 3:9-11 “Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of all thine increase; so shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy vats shall overflow with new wine.”

Few of us have grasped the significance of Giving. It makes the Father a partner in all that we do. It makes Him a sharer in all our business and in every phase of our lives.

Prov. 3:5-7 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not upon thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy paths.”

This is really the foundation of Giving and Receiving. You trust Him so utterly that you are not afraid to give, even when reason warns against it. In other words, you do not put your own judgment over against the Word of God.

Your judgment would say that you must pay your bills before you give your tithe. If you wish to pay your bills, pay your tithe first.

Although tithing is not mentioned specifically in the New Testament, yet you can see it clearly suggested.

1 Cor. 16:1-3 “Upon the first day of the week, let each one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him.”

Here we have a distinct suggestion of orderly giving…a laying aside of a portion that we have earned, and this to be done weekly.

That gives the Believer money to care for the Lord’s work, for which he is responsible.

II Cor. 8:1-24 gives you a moving picture of Love making free-will offerings.

Paul says, “But first they gave themselves to the Lord.”

Here was love pouring itself out upon the feet of Jesus.

Jesus not only lays down the law of giving and receiving, but reveals the outpouring of Grace and of Blessing that comes to the Giver.

Luke 6:38 “Give and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom.”

You are seeking for the fullness of the Father’s blessing. That fullness is the “Love Way,” and only givers walk this way. Selfishness throttles giving.

Jesus gives us the law of fellowshipping others. Love must give in order to remain Love.

When tithing becomes a duty or a burden, the blessing is lost. It should always be a love privilege. There is no love that does not give. But in the giving, we should be very, very careful that our gifts are not wasted, that the greatest good to the greatest number is achieved.

Let us challenge God’s grace and merit His cooperation.

The Measure that we give of Love, of Service, of time, of money will be the measure of the Father’s blessing upon us.