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sion in A.D. 31- Christ, as High
Priest, authorized bis servants,
whom he has chosen as bis minis–
ters, to receive it for him and to
disperse it, as he directs, for the
WORK of the gospel of the kingdorh
of God.
How many of you knew
that
is
one of the functions of Christ, who
is High Priest today? It's time we
understood wby tithing is included
in the one book in al! the New
Testament that specifically ex–
plains Christ's priesthood.
"But," sorne will ask, "what
about the Levítica! priesthood?
Didn't the Levites receive tithes?"
That is just the point Paul
makes.
If
the Levites-a priest–
hood of merely human rank-re–
ceived tithes under the Mosaic dis–
pensation, how much more worthy
to receive tithes is Christ, who,
since bis resurrection, has again the
rank of Melchizedek-the "King
of Righteousness"!
Why the Levitical Priesthood?
The Mosaic dispensation was
purely materialistic, fleshly, with
physical rituals and sacrifices. In
Hebrews 4:2 we read: "For unto
us was the gospel preached"-in
New Testament times-"as well
as unto them: but the word
preached did not profit them, not
being mixed with faith in them
that heard it."
The Holy Spirit was not
promised under the Covenant
made at Sinai. The Mosaic cere–
monies did not impart the gift of
faith. That was not the time God
was trying to save all Israel. It was
not the time for the gospel to go to
all the world. God was only calling
a very few, primarily the prophets,
who were used in Christ's work to
write the Hebrew Scriptures for
us. .
The nation Israel formed a
flesh-born congregation, not a
Spirit-begotten church. During
those years a priesthood of
lower
rank
was in office--of mere hu–
man rank. It was vastly inferior to
the spiritual and divine rank of
Melchizedek. The priests were of
the tribe of Levi. It was called
the "Levítica! priesthood." It ad–
ministered physical rituals-called
"the works of the law" in the
New Testament.
34
Yet this lesser priesthood had to
be financed. Once again God used
the tithing system. "And verily
they that are of the sons of Levi,
who receive the office of the priest–
hood,
have a commandment to
take
TITHES
of the people accord–
ing to the
LAW" (Heb. 7:5).
Since tithing is God's perma–
nent, continuous financing system,
it
continued
through the Mosaic
dispensation. During that period,
when the Levites were the minis–
ters, their physical work had to be
financed.
·
But when Christ carne and the
priesthood was changed, God did
not change his financing system.
Christians in Paul's day did not
need to be instructed that tithing
is an obligatory and permanent
law of God. They
did
need to
have it made clear that the Levít–
ica! priesthood was superseded by
that of Jesus
Christ - the
Melchizedek priesthood restored! .
The only question was to
which
priesthood
tithes were now to be
paid.
To make this point plain, Paul
explains the superior ity of the
Melchizedek priesthood.
"Now consider
how great
this
roan was, unto whom even the pa–
triarch Abraham gave the tenth of
the spoils. 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 Abra–
ham.
"But he whose descent is not
counted from them [the Levites],
received tithes
of Abraham, and
blessed him [Abraham] that had
the promises. And without all con–
tradiction the
less
[Abraham] is
blessed of the
better
[Melchiz–
edek]" (Heb 7:4-7).
Continuing the comparison of
the two priesthoods, verses 8-10:
"Here meo [the Levites] that die
receive tithes: but there he
[Melchizedek] receivetb them, of
whom i t is witnessed that he
liveth"- as he does today, in
heaven, as our High Priest.
"And as I may so say," contin–
ues Paul, "Levi also, who receiveth
tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
For he was yet in the loins of bis
father , when Melchisedec met
him."
Figuratively, even Levi paid
tithes to Melchizedek-that is, the
One who became Christ. Similarly,
Judah, the father of the Jews, and
the brother of Levi, paid tithes "in
Abraham"- hundreds of years be–
fare Sinai!
The Melchizedek priesthood is
far superior. It has precedence.
1t
is again in force under Christ.
Christ is now carrying out the
WORK of God.
lt,
too, has to be
financed. So we read:
"For the priesthood being
changed, there is made of neces–
sity a change also of the
LAW"
(Heb. 7:12) .
New Testament LAW
Paul does not say tbe law was
abolished. The change in priest–
hoods makes necessary a
change
in
the law. What law was thus
changed? The very law this chap–
ter is instructing New Testament
Christians about- the law govern–
ing the priesthood and its right to
receive tithes. "The sons of
Levi . .. have a
commandment
to
take TITHES ...
according to the
law"
(verse
5).
Tithing, far from being abol–
ished, is NEW TESTAMENT LAW!
Actually, the law is merely re–
stored
as
it
was from the begin–
ning .
How plain. Tithing is God's
law-his
system for financing bis
work today. It's commanded,
now!
People today, says Malachi in a
prophecy for our day and for al!
time, are under a divine curse be–
cause they disregard that law. Ev–
ery individual who breaks it is un–
der a curse! Notice it-Malachi
3:8: "Will a roan rob God? Yet ye
have robbed me. But ye say,
Wherein have we robbed thee?"–
Don't
we
own everything? The an–
swer is NO!-"/n
tithes and offer–
ings.
Ye are cursed with a curse:
for ye have robbed me, even this
whole nation. "
Let each one ask, "Does that
mean
me?"
God has now set befare you the
way of life and prosperity, and the
way of poverty, suffering and
death. He commands you to
choose.
Which way will you take? o
The
PLAIN TRUTH