As we draw closer to the beginning years of the soon-coming millennium and the responsibility God has in mind for us to be among and TEACH His holy and righteous laws to the survivors of His people Israel, we should know we have to be preparing for that time for it is not all that far away.

There is a need for as much preparation as possible while we yet have time. To aid us we need continued refresher courses in all that we have been taught as well as learning what we do not yet know.

We not only have this need, but also we should realize we have to be living what we come to know, as well as what we already know.

To motivate us there is the need of keeping the picture in mind of the horrible world conditions that will be extant after Christ returns! There will be the need to begin picking up the pieces of a world that has come apart and completely shattered. A world that will be in ruins, in chaos, and confusion!

The survivors of the people of Israel will be a part of that world and will even be in worse condition than the rest of it due to the extremely hard and trying servitude imposed on them while enslaved in the various nations of the world.

A World In Religious Confusion -

Though many of the Israeli survivors will have come to heartfelt repentance during the latter part of the ending of the slavery of the Great Tribulation period of time, many will not have! Regardless, all will have to be taught the commandments with the statutes and judgments of God just as God tells us we are to remember and do them now (Malachi 4:4).

They will need to fully understand the reason for their sufferings was due to their rejection of God, His laws, and way of life!

If we, as God's true people, are not going to remember and fully live His way of life now, we cannot expect to be a part of this coming new world, but rather will perish! And unless the people of Israel are receptive and responsive to these same laws, they, given time, will have to be removed from the land of the living as well.

We should keep in mind the religions they are now embracing either teach God's laws have been done away or accept only their version of them. However most today have no real beliefs at all in one way or another. They are fully involved in their selfish and immoral way of life as one can easily see through the medium of television and movie screens.

This is the world to which we will be introduced; aiding Christ, we will then begin turning it right side up from its upside down condition as it now is.

In order to more fully understand, we need to think of ourselves when God began working with us. If you were a part of the world's religions, as was I, then I am sure we really knew little, if anything, concerning the truth of the Bible. I came to realize everything I had known and was taught, I found to be wrong!

And to really understand the truth I had to have a teacher just as you had to have one. That teacher God sent to us was God's apostle, and the Elijah to come. Once we began hearing him understanding was granted to us by God through His Holy Spirit. It will be the same with them.

As an example of where we were in our beliefs, I had a Baptist minister to ask me in 1952, "Billingsley, just what do you people believe anyway?" I replied, "Just about the opposite of everything you do."

A Real Responsibility Ahead -

This is why we have been called now to learn and live God's laws and teachings as Mr. Armstrong makes very clear in the following comments:

MYSTERY OF THE AGES, Page 228, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong

"... let it be emphasized that the purpose of the Church is not merely to give salvation to those called into the Church, but to teach and train those predestined and called into the Church as instruments God shall use in bringing the world to salvation. ... The Church may be called God's teachers' college to prepare rulers and teachers for the Kingdom of God when God does offer redemption and eternal life to the world as a whole.

"The Church was planned to be God's instrumentality for calling predestinated human beings out of this world to be trained for positions of leadership in the world tomorrow, when they shall teach and train others. That is why in the New Testament, the Church is called the firstfruits of God's salvation."

Believing And Living God's Teachings, Now -

God, through the writing of the apostle Paul, makes it every clear through his indictment of the Jewish religious leaders, that we should not only be believing the laws of God, but those laws had better be the core and center of our very lives - living them:

"And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? ... for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified. ... Indeed you are called a Jew and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. You therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? .. You who make your boast in the law, do you DISHONOR God through the breaking of the law?" (Romans 2:3, 13, 17-23).

The Statutes and Judgments -

In my previous writings, I have written primarily about the Commandments of God, but in these current writings I am touching more on the statutes and judgments of God. The last time I wrote was about the dietary laws. (12-11-03)

This time I am writing about another statute of God that has to do with the income we receive from our efforts, the law of tithing.

A law we must willingly obey and with desire just as we are to follow and obey all of God's laws and teachings regardless of the cost as Jesus said it must be for any who desires to be His true people (Luke 14:26-35).

The Laws of Tithing -

From my own personal experience I well realize that God's tithing laws can be difficult to face head-on when we are first introduced to them for many of us at the time felt it was an impossible situation to even consider obeying them.

Without our realizing the reason for our financial problems it was due to God's curse on us for not obeying His law of tithing! As the result we were over our heads with payments that had to be made or else we would lose virtually everything we had at the time.

It is important for us to realize that we do not have to have knowledge of a law to be under a curse because of not obeying it. God's laws are spiritual and inexorable. We can think of them somewhat like the laws of gravity and inertia. Depending on how hard the impact of breaking either one can either injure us seriously or kill us!

The law of tithing functions the same. It brings a curse on anyone for not obeying it whether it is known or not. It also carries with it a spiritual penalty for it shows dishonor to God for not obeying it.

The quote below reveals God's late apostle had the same penalty on him until he saw his mistake:

Autobiography, Volume 1, Page 480 The Example of Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong

"I had known that the Bible had quite a bit to say about tithing one's income. Yet somehow, it had never become quite clear. ... I made a special and thorough study of this matter of tithing. We saw the mistake we had been making and started a definite practice of strict tithing. We had only a very little on hand, but we sent a tenth of it, plus an offering to the Oregon Conference treasurer. That very day, the way opened for us to be able to stock up at home with a reasonable amount of food. ... We have never from that day had to be actually hungry ... because of financial poverty. We have since heard of scores and scores of case histories of the experiences of others who were immediately prospered, once they began tithing. But we ourselves had to live through the same experience. .. the hard way."

My Personal Example -

In about May of 1952, I received a Good News in which were two articles that were new to me. One was entitled, "That Delicious Pork Roast, Should You Eat It." I read it and as far as I was concerned my pork eating days were over. No more pork of any kind.

However there was another article in the same magazine (I do not remember the title of it) that indicated it was about tithing. I put it away not wanting to read it for I feared what it would say and I knew with our financial obligations, as they were at that time, there was no way we could do it.

I did not put it away for long; I think no more than one day. Sure enough it said exactly what I thought it would say. Then I was faced with the question as to what I was going to do about it. After giving it some thought I knew I had to begin for I both loved God and feared to disobey Him.

When I made out our first tithe check with my next salary check. I said to my wife, "We will do it this time but I do not see how we can ever do it again."

But like so many others who have faced the same question, we did it; we never failed. Though there were the trying times, God always made it possible.

And we have been blessed ever since. All the blessings did not come all at once, rather they began to come. There was no longer a curse on us. As with others, we have had to face new and hard financial problems from then until now but they have always worked out. Sure, we have had to make loans and whatever else, but God has enabled us to make the payments and over time to fulfill our obligations.  It could have been far worse!

One thing I did do to make it possible for us to pay tithes was to sell my fairly new car with my very high payments and replace it with an old clunker that I bought at an auction for $139.00. Remember this was 1952. It wasn't much, but it provided the needed transportation to fulfill our needs.

It was an embarrassment and a blow to my vanity to drive it before my fellow workers after their seeing me in my very fast nearly new 88 Oldsmobile in which I could run away from any and all. Needless to say, I did not pass anyone anymore. In fact I was told by one man that to see it coming down the road was to see it coming sideways. It had a warped frame. Needless to say it was a humbling experience which I needed..

However it not only provided me with needed transportation, but it enabled me to obey God's financial laws. I was determined to make all the needed changes in order to obey God; and He has blessed us richly over the years.

I can testify to the fact of what has been said by many others after seeing the blessings coming from obeying God's financial laws: "One cannot figure God's blessings with a pencil."

Try listing all your bills on paper and you will see you cannot come out after paying them! But when you first pay God what you owe Him you will find, as many people have experienced, they were all paid along with the tithe. Seeing this, you are inclined to ask yourself, "How was I able to do it?"

Many have found however that after paying all of them there is no money left; and they wonder what they will they do? Then blessings come in many different ways. When a need develops possibly something can be sold. This is what Mr. Armstrong did in the early years of the depression.  He sold some old magazines for enough money to buy a bottle of milk for the baby (Autobiography, Volume 1, Pages 401-402).

Some people have found money in their wallets or purses they did not know they had or someone gives them money. I do not have the space to write from my files of the many miracles members have experienced in their own lives from obeying God's laws of tithing - all three of them.

One personal example: Before we left WCG, my wife and I sometimes talked about my being fired for not believing and teaching their wrong teachings. We said, and meant it, we would go out on the street with a cup in our hands if it were necessary to obey God for we knew there would be no income once they dealt with me.

After holding services on the very first Sabbath after departing from WCG, we returned home and found a small yellow package in our mailbox. My wife opened it and found inside a small miniature milk can. Inside of it were 100 brand new $100.00 bills, a total of $10,000.00, all in numbered sequence. It was from an anonymous giver - mailed from Germany. We were flabbergasted! This enabled us to buy our car that belonged to WCG as well as pay for other things.

Three miracles were associated with that package other than the money. 1) It cleared customs 2) It had gone to an old address that was over a year old. After a year the change of address card is thrown away. I went to the Post Office in Stockton, California (where I had my change of address card) and asked an employee about it. She was the one who had handled it and said at the time she thought it would be a shame for such an attractive package to be sent to the dead-end area in San Francisco. She went to the trouble of looking up the old card that had been discarded and mailed it to our current address. (I was told that employees do not do that! In addition this was a large Post Office in a big city that served many people.) 3) It did not come to us until the very Sabbath on which we had begun our own Church service after leaving WCG. Of interest, the town in which we met for Church services was named Escalon, meaning, "The Beginning Step."

God makes known that the tithe is the first part of our income and should be the first to be set aside for Him. Then we begin to concentrate on all the other bills. If we do it this way then no real thought will come to mind about any hardship in paying God what belongs to Him.

Sometimes A Test -

Just as we are often tested in our faith in God in other areas, so sometimes God will let us be tested to see if we will continue to trust Him to fulfill His promises.

At such times the reality of God comes to fore whether we will continue to have believing faith in the living God who has promised to supply all of our needs in this area as well as all others.

It may be possible there may be a test on you as it was with us to ask yourself as to which is more important, to have something desired that requires high payments or the willingness to settle for less to make possible obedience to God.

Once we have proven our obedience through believing faith in Him, God will respond for He loves us and wants to bless us. However we must obey Him with a glad heart and the blessings will come even though He may hold them up a bit to test our believing faith in Him.

God's way and laws work!

All Will Be In Compliance In The Millennium -

During this coming time of the millennium all three of the tithes will be taught and obeyed just as they are today. It will be harder for the people in the beginning years but after a short period of time there should be no real problem for them. A major reason for it will be because there will be no taxes of any kind for the tithes will take care of all the needs of governmental operations as well as meet all of the needs of the people.

The law of tithing is commanded of mankind today and will continue to be as long as there are human beings. Obeying this law not only shows recognition of God who is the giver of every good blessing, but also honors Him as well.

The Three Tithes -

The first tithe is to be given directly to God by giving it to His representatives. In the Old Testament the tithes were first given to Melchizedek, King of Salem (the one who came to be known as Jesus Christ, Genesis 14:18-20). It was an understood and ongoing law (Genesis 26:5;28:20-22).

Later on, when God began bringing Israel out of Egypt, He established the Levitical Priesthood to serve His chosen people under the Old Covenant. For that service to His people, He decreed the tithes that belonged to Him were to be given to them for their service (Numbers 18:20-22).

With the destruction of the Temple of old, the Levitical Priesthood ceased to function (70 A. D.).  Some few years before the New Covenant was established with Spiritual Israel, God's Church (31 A. D.). As the result the service for God's people began through His chosen ministry within the Church. As such, the tithes were then to be given to them for that service, and continues (Hebrews 7:1-12-24; I Corinthians 9:1-18).

This necessitated the change in the Priesthood from the Levitical Priesthood back to the Melchizedek priesthood under which God's ministry has functioned and still does since the beginning and establishment of the New Testament Church in 31 A.D. by Jesus Christ.

I will add that Jesus Christ confirmed the law of tithing to the hypocritical Pharisees during His earthly ministry (Luke 11:42; Matthew 23:23).

In Tomorrow's World the first tithe will go to both the re-established priesthood and the ministry as well (Ezekiel 44:10-30). However it will still be under the Melchizedek Priesthood.

The second tithe is one that each person is to keep in their own possession. However the use of it could only be for the observance of God's Holy Days; the emphasis and larger part of the tithe being used during the Feast of Tabernacles.

This tithe makes possible the attendance of all of God's people to observe the Holy Days wherever they are directed to attend or make possible transfers to other places they would like to visit (see Deuteronomy 12:17-18; 14:22-27)

The third tithe, is one that is to be saved every third year - two times out of seven years. This tithe is to be used to provide sufficient money for the needs of the Levites, the widows, the orphans, and the strangers in our gates (see Deuteronomy 14:28-30).

Though the Bible does not enumerate the tithing laws as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd tithes, they are to be distinguished from one another by their Scriptural use.

Assistance or Love Fund: In addition to the tithes, there is yet another area in which God makes known the poor people among us are to be considered and help given when needed (Deuteronomy 15:7-11; I Thessalonians 5:10; II Thessalonians 3:10; Leviticus 19:9-10).

Another example: I personally knew a widow receiving 3rd tithe who talked to a pastor about her desire to travel but was an impossible situation due to her lack of finances. (She devoted a lot of time serving in the office in Big Sandy, Texas, without pay.)

One day a new widow who had been left a lot of money from a nearby city expressed the desire to travel around the world. She became acquainted with this 3rd tithe lady and asked if she would go with her as a traveling companion; all expenses to be paid by her. They did it! A miracle! What is your desire?

The Heavy Burden of Taxes -

In view of these laws of God it would be virtually impossible for one to obey all three of these laws in our day and time with the taxes as they now are if it were not for God blessing the tithe giver. The excessive burden of taxes alone would make it very hard to survive for the average wage earner.

"Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' [God replies] In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into My storehouse, that there may be food inn My house, AND PROVE ME NOW IN THIS,' says the LORD of hosts, 'If I will not OPEN for you the windows of heaven and POUR OUT for you such blessings that there will NOT be room to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will NOT destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,' says the LORD of hosts; and all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land,' says the LORD (Malachi 3:8-12).

In these Scriptures, God says to PROVE Him and see if there would not begin to come blessings on the tithe payer; one who would take Him at His word and obey Him.

It is very easy to see in our time the result of the curse that is on the nation and mankind due to the lack of obedience of the tithing laws. The Federal Government is heavily in debt as well as many of the states - including the state in which we live, California.

Taxes continue to be piled on top of each other, open and hidden taxes made legal by governmental leaders with the elusive and evasive effort of balancing the budgetary needs. They will never be able to do it without pressing the people to the hilt with even greater taxes or elevating the cost of services provided by them. Even then the sinkhole would eventually swallow them!

A few years ago Paul Harvey was quoted in a written article in Reader's Digest, as saying: "Anytime a nation taxes its people over 30 percent, that nation is headed for economic decay." He was right; we are there!

Third World Countries -

There are also the countries whose people are impoverished and destitute because of the excessive taxation exacted on their people. The majority live on a bare existent level while others perish.

Members who live in those countries have to sacrifice to even be able to pay the first tithe, let alone save the third tithe.

A Decision Made By Mr. Armstrong -

After this was brought to Mr. Armstrong's attention, he stated words to the effect that such members should not feel obligated and depressed because of not being able to obey the third tithe law for there was no way they could do this and survive. They simply had no control over their income for it had been taken out of their hands.

To make a point: As I recall, though I stand to be corrected, some years ago the nation of Germany deducted a tithe from each wage earner before he or she received his or her salary check.

Writing of the World Tomorrow, I take the following quotes from the writings of Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong:

MYSTERY OF THE AGES, Page 322-323, Mr. Armstrong "The Tithing System"

"In God's abundant government people will buy only what they need, when they can afford it, when they have the cash to pay for it. No more interest. And no mores taxes.

"But the tithing system will be universal. Today's governments demand up to 40, 50, and even 90 percent in inheritance taxes, income taxes, federal, state, county, school board and city taxes.

"But God only requires ten percent. And out of that ten percent will be financed the entire governmental, educational and spiritual leadership of the whole world. ...

"And what a blessing that will be. None of the financial burdens that curse most peoples today. God says financial blessings are to become the order of the day."

In Conclusion -

Brethren, if I had space (it would require a book), I could add to this writing personal examples of members who have given glowing testimony to the miracles they received from each of the three tithes and praised and thanked God for them. He does indeed pour out His blessings on us as He promised He would do.

In my next writing on the subject of statutes and judgments it is my intention to go into others that are lesser known and practiced for they continue to reveal to us the way of life to which we have been called to live as His people and as the result experience His wonderful and marvelous blessings. At the same time, as teachers to be in this coming new world, we need to learn and obey them, now.

Please take care and remember God's people whoever and wherever they maybe. As a few of God's people we truly need one another.

Our love and prayers,

Don Billingsley

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