More Money Than You Can Count: Tithes and First Fruits (Part 2) (Malachi 3:8-10; Proverbs 3:9-10; 2 Chronicles 31:1-12)

The LXX translation of Malachi 3:8 refers to, "...the tenth parts/tithes and first fruits..."

NOT JUST TITHES

It is supremely evident, that just giving tithes DOES NOT open the windows of heaven over our lives, to cause a superabundance of financial or material blessing, beyond what we can contain. Yet God says that if we are obedient in this area of giving, He will open the windows of heaven, and empty out a blessing that we won't even have the capacity to receive it (Mal.3:10) [see More Money Than You Can Count: Tithes and First Fruits (Part 1)].

TITHES & FIRST FRUITS

Countless people have faithfully given their tithes, FOR YEARS, to God, yet have, in no significant measure, enjoyed this extravagant blessing that the scripture says is the result of giving. Where we have been missing it, is thinking that it was ONLY our tithes that released this overflow. Even the KJV, translated from the Hebrew, clearly states, that God's issue with His people was over "...tithes and offerings" (Mal.3:8), not just tithes. The LXX translation of the OT, simply qualifies the statement further, to let us know specifically, that God is concerned about both tithes AND first fruits.

If this abundance is available, and it is, would it be a severe hardship for us to "prove" or "test" God in this, as He commands us? What do we have to lose, other than a little bit of money? What do we have to gain?...a life time of enjoying the constant overwhelming flow of God's financial prosperity, exceedingly abundantly above all that we could even ask or think or even imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Can we be like the unconverted Bereans, being more noble than some, and receive the word with all readiness of mind, and search the scriptures daily, to see whether these things are so? (Acts 17:11).

TITHES & FIRST FRUITS: SEPARATE OFFERINGS

First of all, a simple overview of scripture, can lead us to no other conclusion than tithes and first-fruits are two separate offerings, especially since they are repeatedly mentioned in the same verses as distinct from one another:

Deut.12:11,17 - translated tithes and heave offerings from the Hebrew, but tithes and first-fruits in the LXX.

2 Chr.31:5; 2 Chr.31:12 - translated offerings and tithes from the Hebrew, but first-fruits and tithes in the LXX.

Neh.10:37;12:44; 13:5 - the second word translated offerings, from the Hebrew, is first-fruits, in the LXX.

LAST FRUITS?

Secondly, if tithes and first-fruits were the same, than they would be more aptly called last-fruits, since the tithe was given at the end of harvest, whereas the first-fruits were given at the beginning of harvest.

FIRST FRUITS: BEFORE & AFTER

In the matter of faith, first-fruits takes a higher step of obedience, in that you are giving to God, BEFORE, based on something, through God's blessing, you believe you will have - (future tense) - [i.e., an abundant harvest], but though still an act of obedient faith, the tithe is given AFTER the harvest has already been brought in, - (past tense) - and then you give the tenth. The commandment to Israel was to give the first sheep; cow; chicken; etc., born, and to bring in the first sheaf; first grapes of the vine; etc., as a demonstration that their total confidence was in God to produce abundance in harvest, with which they then honored God as their God, by bringing in the tenth/tithe to Him, AFTER the harvest.

First-fruit is the beginning of harvest; tithe is the end of harvest. To translate that into North American dollars and cents, it is your first check of the year, or, depending on your faith; your first money made on the first work day of every month; the first check from every new business venture; the first income of whatever source of revenue you enjoy, so that the harvest, will be blessed.

PROVERBS 3:9-10

A parallel passage to Malachi 3:8-10, is Proverbs 3:9-10. Here the scriptures say, "Honor the Lord with your substance [that's something you already have - i.e., the tithe], and with the first fruits of all your increase", [that's giving based on something you are going to have - i.e., an abundant harvest]. The result of this obedience, as in Malachi 3:8-10, is that "...your barns will be filled with plenty, and your wine presses will burst out with new wine"

BURST OUT

The words "burst out" in the English, are one word in the Hebrew, indicating powerful multiplication and the spreading of something in all directions. It means "to overflow with abundance". It also carries the ideas of increase that "breaks over" with plenty. In parallel with Malachi 3:10, the visual imagery is that of such abundance that the wine-vats cannot contain it, and so it bursts over or over flows the wine-vats.

PLENTY

The word "plenty", is only used 8 times in the OT (Prov.3:10; Ecc.5:12; and Genesis 41:29,30,31,34,47,53) and refers to the possession of plenty and abundance of food.

Ecclesiastes 5:12 says, "Sleep is sweet for the laborer, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich man allows him no freedom to sleep."; referring to the rich man who has so much wealth that he can't sleep at night, for fear that someone might steal what he has.

The scriptures are often the best commentary on themselves in bringing definition and visual imagery to the meaning of a word. In Genesis 41 the scriptures vividly describe the meaning of "plenty". This passage is the account of Pharaoh's dreams, and the interpretation given by God, through Joseph.

THE WHOLE WORLD

"...in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls (41:47) and Joseph gathered grain as the sand of the sea, very much, until he ceased numbering; for (it was) WITHOUT NUMBER (41:49). The LXX [Septuagint] says, "...they were not able to count it...".

Not only was this extreme abundance "without number", but Joseph had instructed to take a fifth (41:34) of all the "plenty" [i.e., 20%]. This 20% of the "plenty", not only fed all of Egypt for the 7 years of famine, but, "...the famine was over all the face of the earth..." (41:56) "...and ALL countries came into Egypt to Joseph to buy grain; because the famine was severe in ALL lands". (41:57). Twenty percent, of "plenty", was enough to feed THE WHOLE WORLD for 7 years of famine!! That is EXTREME ABUNDANCE!!

God says, that if we honor Him with what we have (tithe), AND the first fruits of all our increase, we will have such super abundance of harvest, that not only will it overflow to the point that we cannot contain it, but eventually, we will have so much "plenty", that we won't even be able to count it!

HEZEKIAH'S REFORMS :

In 2 Chronicles 31 when Hezekiah reinstituted the tithes and first fruits in the land of Judah and Israel and brought the people back to serving the one true God, "...as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the first fruits of grain, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; AND the tithe of all brought they in abundantly (31:5) and laid (them) by heaps" (31:6). [The LXX says, "...they carried in and put heaps upon heaps"]. When Hezekiah and the rulers saw the heaps they asked the priests and Levites about the heaps, and were told that since the people began to bring in the first fruits (8-10) [LXX - "offerings" in the Hebrew] "...we ate and drank, and we left behind in abundance. For THE LORD BLESSED HIS PEOPLE, and we left behind still this multitude!" (31:10 [LXX]).

There was so much abundance, that Hezekiah had to build store houses to try to contain the first fruits and tithes. (31:11-12). If the offerings of the tithes and first fruits were in such abundance that they stacked everything up in heaps upon heaps, and the scriptures state that it actually took 4 months to bring in all the abundance (31:7), then the obvious conclusion, is that the people themselves must have had OVERWHELMING ABUNDANCE to be able to supply such extreme abundance to the priests and Levites!

PERSONAL TESTIMONY: BROKE TO BLESSED!

Though the revelation of the tithes AND first fruits had been something that my wife and I had been aware of for several years, we never acted in complete obedience to the scriptures. We would give the first fruits at the beginning of the month, and then some bill or seemingly pressing need would come along, and we would pay that instead of giving our first fruits. We ALWAYS tithed. This half-hearted, almost feigned obedience to God's word, never produced results. Finally, we made the decision, that "sink or swim", we would obey God no matter what.

At the time of that decision, we were exploring options of debt consolidation and possible bankruptcy, with never enough money at the end of the month. We gave our first fruits, and for the first 2-3 months, it didn't seem like there was any significant change...then the harvest began to come in! In TWO MONTHS, we paid off approximately $70,000-$80,000 in credit card and line of credit debit; had $70,000 for a down-payment on a house, gave away thousands in tithes and offerings, and not only did we go from broke to blessed, but IN LESS THAN ONE YEARS TIME, after expenses, we began tithing in one month, what we were previously making in one month! In less than one years time we could pay cash for a vehicle. This testimony is by no means to imply that we are better than anyone else, or certainly not more favored than anyone else, for God is no respecter of persons. What we are, is obedient to God's word, that works the same for all Believers, in giving tithes and first fruits.

AFFIRMATION:

I choose to be obedient to God's word, no matter what. God is no respecter of persons, and He honors my obedience to the same extent that He honors anyone's obedience to His word, in giving tithes and first fruits.

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours

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