Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all. (Genesis 14:18-20) The Lord [God] said to my Lord [Christ] , “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”...“You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” (Psalm 110:1-4; Hebrews 5, 6, 7)
This is one of the times, many Bible scholars believe, we see Christ's physical manifestation in the Old Testament. This is also the first time we see the word tithe used in scripture, Genesis 14:20. Tithing is to give God back a tenth of what He blesses you with. The tithe was to be brought to God's house and used by the priests to take care of their needs and the needs of the people, per God's instruction: And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.” (Genesis 28:22) “This also is yours [Priests & Levites]: the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel; I have given them to you, and your sons and daughters with you, as an ordinance forever. Everyone who is clean in your house may eat it. “All the best of the oil, all the best of the new wine and the grain, their firstfruits which they offer to the Lord, I have given them to you. Whatever first ripe fruit is in their land, which they bring to the Lord, shall be yours. (Numbers 18:11-13, God commands firstfruits be brought to the priests, God's teachers on earth) It was important to God that the teachers of His Word be taken care of, so that they could concentrate on studying and interceding on behalf of the people.
God is God, so He can do whatever He wants, but He always has a reason. When we obey Him in giving our firstfruits, tithes and offerings, He will bless us beyond what we can imagine: “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try 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 blessing That there will not be room enough 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; ... (Malachi 3:8-12) Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)
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