“Tithes of All”

The one question still remaining unanswered is: Why did Abram pay "tithes of all" to Melchizedek, King of Salem? (Genesis 14:20) And that one remaining question generates still other questions; what does "tithes of all" mean exactly; did God tell Abram to do this and we just didn't hear those instructions; or did Abram do it of his own volition, and if so, why? All of which brings us back full circle to the original question.

What is clear to us is that Abram recognized the validity and importance of the role of Melchizedek, King of Salem. Perhaps this is simply because Abram is here in a pagan land, and suddenly before him appears a man who worships the same God Abram does. Perhaps he saw divine intervention in that, whether he understood how it came to be or not.

The words spoken by Melchizedek are: "Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: and blessed be the most high God which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand." (Genesis 14:19-20)

By these words, Abram knows that this man, Melchizedek, honors his own God, claims his God to be the "most high God" (which Abram knows God to be as well) and believes that it was this God who delivered the victory of the battle into the hands of Abram. All of which Abram believes himself.

We've already seen something of what Abram's heart is made of by the very fact that he went to rescue Lot, to whom he had at one time given first choice of the best land. Now, perhaps, we are seeing Abram's heart of gratitude to the Lord.

For something in all of this causes Abram to give "tithes of all" that he had returned with from battle. While we aren't told what that included other than "goods," what we do know that Abram gave a "tenth" of all the plunder to the priest, Melchizedek (the Hebrew word ma'aser means "tithe or tenth part").

If indeed it is out of gratitude that Abram gives a tenth to the priest, then Abram has exemplified for us that divine ordinance of "tithing." We might not know whether it was of Abram's own volition, or as a result of communion (intimacy) with God from which he learned to do this unto God. But it is, in fact, a divine ordinance and anything not given out of a heart of gratitude, but only out of obligation, must be a slap in the face to our God who is so bountiful in His blessings towards us.

Following are a few scripture passages that get to the heart of what the tithe is about.

God considers the tenth of man's blessings from God to belong to God, while the remainder (90%) is at the disposal of man:

"And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S: it is holy unto the LORD." (Leviticus 27:30)

"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings." (Malachi 3:8)

God directs a portion of the tithe to be given to support the "priests" of God (those whose sole work is to minister unto God full-time, leaving them no time to support themselves). These were known as the Levites; we will study them in more detail further along. They were given no land, as the other tribes of Israel were given, no inheritance, for they were fully supported by God alone, and it was to be their reward for service in the tabernacle or in the temple of God:

"But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the Lord, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.…" (Numbers 18:20)

God expects His portion (the tenth or tithe) to help take care of others in need, as well as to take care of those who minister to Him full-time:

"When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled…" (Deuteronomy 26:12)

God promises to bless those who honor his divine ordinance of tithing:

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat 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." (Malachi 3:10)

Somehow, Abram knew all of this, even though these scriptures had not yet been written down. Abram knew that a tenth should be offered to God, he knew that this tenth should go to the priest of God, he knew that God would bless him for his obedience in fulfilling God's desire.

I think we can safely say that Abram tithed because he knew GOD.

The real question here is: do we know God that well?