TITHING AND GIVING IN THE SCRIPTURES AND CHURCH HISTORY.

CONTENTS.

Preface and Introduction.

- The scandal of extortionate demands for money in the name of God.
- Unreasonable demands for money usually spring out of personal kingdom building.
- The costly nature of competition and duplication in Christian circles.

1. CHRISTIAN TITHING IS NOT AUTHORISED BY ABRAHAM'S TITHES TO MELCHIZEDEK.

2. CHRISTIAN TITHING IS NOT AUTHORISED BY THE TITHES THAT JACOB GAVE TO GOD.

3. CHRISTIAN TITHING IS NOT AUTHORISED BY TITHING UNDER THE LAW.

a. The tithe was the means of supporting the Levites and priests
b. The place where tithes were taken to under the Law.
c. The tithe was also Israel's Income Tax to be used for Israel's welfare state.
d. God told Israel to use part of their tithe for a religious holiday at Jerusalem at His expense.
e. The corruption of God's beautiful laws on tithing by Israel's leaders.

4. CHRISTIAN TITHING IS NOT AUTHORISED BY TITHING UNDER THE MONARCHY.

a. Samuel warned that having a king would lay heavy burdens upon the people.
b. The Solomon and Rehoboam Syndrome.
- Solomon's extravagant demands compared with Christ's undemanding poverty.
- An anointed ministry does not authorise unreasonable financial demands on God's people.
- Solomon's horrific and burdensome levies on God's people.
- The inevitable division of Israel through Solomon's and Rehoboam's heavy yokes.
- God's lack of enthusiasm over Temple building.

5. CHRISTIAN TITHING IS NOT AUTHORISED BY OUR LORD, AND HIS EARLY CHURCH.

a. The financial integrity and simplicity of Christ and His apostles.
b. The early Church leaders told Christians that they were not under the Law.
- Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law. Gal.3v13.
c. The early Church priorities and motivations compared with today.
d. Most pastors and leaders in the early Church worked for a living.

6. CHRISTIAN TITHING IS NOT AUTHORISED BY EARLY CHURCH HISTORY.

Tithing was totally absent from the first few centuries of Church History.
For centuries the Church was based around the homes of believers.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON TITHING,
An expose of the unscriptural answers given by many preachers to the following questions.

1. Should we tithe on our gross income or net income?
2. N.B. Many preachers rob the poor by saying that even the poor should tithe, or they rob God.
a. Should I tithe when my tithe is small?
b. Is it not a hardship for the poor to tithe?
c. Should we tithe when we are in debt? Should we not pay our debts first?
d. Should children or teenagers tithe?
e. Should students tithe their grant?
f. Should a pensioner tithe their pension?
3. Should we keep personal records of our giving?
4. Should our tithes be paid weekly or monthly? Should we pay back tithes?
5. Has the New Testament ministry to be supported like the Old Testament priesthood?
6. Is the storehouse always the church you attend?

THE SIMPLE, UNDEMANDING FINANCIAL STRUCTURE OF EARLY CHURCH ORGANISATION.

a. The poverty of Jesus and His early Church leaders.
b. Do our modern Church structures imitate the early Church structures?


Preface.

I want to make it very clear that I am not against church organisations, for there are many good churches and ministers that are worthy of financial support. Nor am I against generous giving, or tithing, for those who can afford it, and feel that they should tithe, particularly if their gifts are used to help the poor, as they were in the early Church. However, I am appalled that some preachers have distorted both the facts of Church history and the Scriptures, by saying that God commands all Christians to tithe, and that even poor Christians are under a curse if they do not tithe. Compassionate Christian leaders will appeal to Christians to give to worthy causes because of the constraint of the love of Christ, not by threats of curses and judgement. I wrote this study when I heard that some poor Christians, including old age pensioners, had been without food, because they had been told that they were under a curse if they did not tithe. Such oppressive demands are intolerable, and the authority for them certainly does not come from the Scriptures. God desires to bless, not burden people, His yoke is kind and His burden is light. Mt.11v28-30. It is an historical fact that giving in the early Church was on a voluntary basis, and that early Christians did not tithe, and that there was no tithing in the Church for several centuries, and that some parts of the Church never tithed.

I am not a recent convert to the thoughts expressed in this study. I have been very concerned for almost fifty years by the way that some preachers have fleeced Christians of their money, by a twisted exposition of the Scriptures. The truth has been corrupted by various evils, ignorance, party spirit, pride, a love of power and money, a false prosperity gospel, personal kingdom building, and a stress upon buildings. I appeal for a return to biblical financial integrity; where being of one accord, having all things in common, and a caring love that ministers to the poor, are the most important priorities for Christ's Church.

W. H. Turner. January 10th. 2001.

Introduction.

The scandal of extortionate demands for money in the name of God.

Christians awake and beware! There are many wolves loose in the Church, who by their plausible appeals, and a twisted and dishonest exposition of the Scriptures, are extorting money from Christians in the name of God. Some causes which they put forward seem to be almost essential, until you compare them with the practice and example of Jesus and His early Church. Some preachers have such huge financial needs, through putting into operation every idea that comes into their minds, that they cannot minister to small Christian groups. Their financial needs direct them, not God, and some extort money from Christians to finance their organisations. Their insatiable demand for finances has hindered ministry to the poor, and has depleted the finances of good churches, and other worthy causes. It is very sad that some who have had genuine ministries have ignored our Lord's command, "Freely you have received, freely give," Mt.10v8., and have become financial wolves, and the resulting deterioration of their characters and ministries has become obvious to all discerning Christians.

Jesus said the Scribes and Pharisees were full of extortion ("harpage," robbery) and unbridled greed, and pronounced repeated woes upon them. Mt.23v14,25,27,28. Woe to those who follow their example, for Jesus warned that judgement and Hell await religious robbers who make merchandise of people in God's name. Jn.2v16. Mt.21v12,13. 23v4,14,23,33. The name of God and the Gospel are blasphemed among worldly people by such financial extortion and wickedness. Rom.2v4. Jesus said people can work miracles, but if they consistently practice iniquity, on judgement day He will bear legal witness against them and publicly proclaim ("homologeso," see Mt.10v32.), "I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness." "Knew," is "egnon," the aorist of "ginosko," to know by experience and relationship, so Jesus was saying, "I never at any point of time have been in any relationship with you, or recognised or approved you as my servants." Mt.7v21-23. To use God's gifts and twist God's Word, to dishonestly fleece people of their money is a very serious sin. Jesus warns us that we have to do God's will and obey His Word, and bear genuine fruits of character to stand on the day of judgement. These fruits include the weightier matters of the Law, judgement, mercy, faith, love of people and God. Mt.7v16,21,24. 23v23. Lk.11v39-44.

We should not be surprised that there are ravenous wolves in God's Church, for our Lord, Paul and Peter have warned us about them. Mt.7v15-20. Acts.20v28-30. In 2Pet.2v1-3,15-17., Peter warns us that there are plausible false prophets and teachers in the Church, "who motivated by covetousness and greed for money; will, with forged words and cunning false arguments, exploit and make merchandise of you: for whom their long pronounced sentence and judgement does not linger, and their destruction is awake and ready to seize them.-to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever." In 1Pet.5v1-4., Peter exhorts Christian leaders, "Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by constraint, but willingly, not from the motive of fondness for dishonest gain, but eagerly and willingly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." Some methods of extorting money from Christians are positively evil. Peter's warning about correct financial motivation in Christian service needs to be heeded.

Unreasonable demands for money usually spring out of personal kingdom building.

Some Christians have been put under extreme financial pressure because their leaders have had big plans for building and expansion, and have claimed divine inspiration for these plans. These leaders feel that to have influence, they have to imitate the building programmes of other denominations. They forget that our Lord, His apostles, and Paul, never built any church buildings, and never said that they should be built.

Paul said that he had never coveted other people's gold or silver; indeed, coveting and using other people's money and resources to put our plans into operation is a sin. Acts.20v33-35. How often people claim that they are building for the glory of God, when, in reality, they are only building a kingdom for themselves, and a monument to their pride. God hates the pressure that is put upon Christians through excessive building plans, the real motives for these building plans will be manifested on judgement day.

We read in Acts.20v28-31., that Paul warned the Ephesians with tears for three years, that after his departure fierce wolves in would enter in and ferociously attack the flock, but, unfortunately, they did not heed his warnings. False teachers appear to have succeeded in turning all the churches in Asia against Paul. Mt.7v15. 2Tim.1v15. Paul also warned the Ephesians that some from among them would want a personal following, and would draw disciples after themselves. A great deal of church building and denominational expansion is tainted with this doubtful motivation of kingdom building. Two people can preach exactly the same truth, but with totally different motives, one can preach to build a kingdom for men, or themselves; another can preach out of love for God, purely to bless people and build God's kingdom.

The costly nature of competition and duplication in Christian circles.

The competition and duplication of effort between different Christian groups has been very costly and used up vast amounts of finances. The need to pay for the building and upkeep of competing religious structures and ministers, has resulted in excessive and unscriptural demands being made of Christians to give finances. The people of Israel desired to be like the nations about them and have a king and kingdom. In 1Sam.8v6-22. N.B. v17,18, Samuel solemnly warned Israel that kingdom building is a very costly business, and that they would groan under the burden of it. Israel did groan under the demands that were made upon them by Solomon's expensive building projects, and one can hear the groans of Christians who have been over-burdened by expensive church structures. The grievous yokes of Solomon and Rehoboam resulted in the division of Israel; and some Christians have also rebelled against similar heavy yokes and financial extortion, and have voted with their feet and left the churches that have laid these appalling unscriptural demands and burdens upon them. Mt.23v4. 2Chron.10v3-19. N.B.v4,10,19. Lk.11v37-54. N.B. v46,47. Let us return again to biblical simplicity, honesty and integrity.

1. CHRISTIAN TITHING IS NOT AUTHORISED BY ABRAHAM'S TITHES TO MELCHIZEDEK.

Systematic tithing is certainly not authorised or justified by appealing to the tithe that Abraham gave to Melchizedek about 430 years before the Law. Gen.14v18-20. Heb.7v1-11. N.B. v4. This tithe was almost certainly given to Melchizedek to give him some financial security, however, it was a voluntary once only gift. We also need to remember that Abraham's tithe was not a tenth of his wealth, it was a single gift of "the tenth of the spoils" of victory in war. In Heb.7v4., "the spoils," is "akrothinion," the top of the heap of spoils. Melchizedek had the first choice of a tenth of the best of the spoils. Abraham obtained these spoils through a miraculous military defeat of the four kings who attacked Sodom and captured Lot. One king was Amraphel king of Shinar (Babylon), who has been identified as the great king and renowned law-maker Hammurabi, whose "Hammurabi Code" was a landmark in history, for it not only stated legal rights and responsibilities, it also fixed the rates of wages. There was also the great and famous Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Arioch king of Ellasar (Larsa), and Tidal king of Goiim, usually rendered as "nations." Abraham won a miraculous victory over the vastly superior forces of these four kings and successfully rescued Lot out of their hands. Gen.14v5-20. Those who use Abraham's tithe to Melchizedek to demand tithes, must realise that this would mean that we would only have to give tithes of the spoils of victory in war, and then only once!

2. CHRISTIAN TITHING IS NOT AUTHORISED BY THE TITHES THAT JACOB GAVE TO GOD.

Jacob promised to give God tithes of all that God had promised to give him in the wonderful vision of the ladder to Heaven at Bethel. Gen.28v11-22. This again was a voluntary gift, and not demanded by God. Jacob obviously used this tithe to minister to the poor and needy people that he came across in his travels, for there was no Levitical priesthood to support; Jacob himself was the spiritual head of his family. There is no record that Jacob gave tithes to the successors of Melchizedek, indeed, according to Heb.7v1-3. Melchizedek had no genealogy, and his priesthood was confined to himself.

3. CHRISTIAN TITHING IS NOT AUTHORISED BY TITHING UNDER THE LAW.

a. The tithe was the means of supporting the Levites and priests.

Levi was the third son of Jacob and Leah. Gen.29v34. 35v23. Ex.1v2. 1Chron.2v1. The three sons of Levi, Gershom, Kohath, and Merari, were born before Israel's exodus from Egypt. The family of Levi had some nasty skeletons in their cupboard. When Dinah, the sister of Levi, was assaulted and violated by Shechem the Hivite, Levi and Simeon pillaged the city of Shechem and killed all the males there. Jacob condemned this evil act at the time, and in his final prophetic blessing and estimation of his sons, he pronounces God's curse upon Levi and Simeon for this cruel and evil act.. Gen.34v1-31. 49v5-9. The priests in the Temple settled into a state of formal worship and hypocrisy, and became the opponents of true spirituality; the martyr Stephen said that they had always resisted the Spirit of God. Acts.7v51-53.

We read in Deut.14v28,29. and Numb.18v21-24,27., that the tithe was to be used to financially support the Levite, because the Levites had "no portion nor inheritance with you." In Numb.18v21., God states, "And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation." cf. Heb.7v5. The Levites service included caring for the poor in Israel's welfare state, and they had more than enough for this, for Hooker says that the tithes given to the Levites meant that their worldly estate was four times as good as any of the other tribes of Israel. Even if Hooker was speaking of a double tithe, then a single tithe meant that the Levites still had twice as much as the other tribes to service Israel's welfare state. The tithes were a tithe of the seed and crops of the land, the fruit of the trees, the oil and wine, and the herds and the flocks. Deut.14v22,23. As the herds and flocks passed under the rod, every tenth animal was taken. Lev.27v30-33. Jer.33v13. Ez.20v37. The animals could not be redeemed, but the fruit and seed of the land could be for an extra fifth on the tithe price. In Numb.18v26-32., we read that the Levites were to take a "tithe of the tithe --- from all the best of them" and give it to the priests. Neh.10v39. Some have suggested that a second tithe of the remaining nine tenths of the tithe was given for the feast at Jerusalem, they feel that this would harmonise the accounts. But this is not necessary, it seems clear enough that the Levites shared the tithe with the people who gave it, and with the poor, fatherless, stranger and widow, and saved the rest for themselves and the needy. God's laws are very thoughtful and kind.

b. The place where tithes were taken to under the Law.

Tithes were to be brought once a year, "to the place which the Lord your God shall choose." However the tithes could be eaten and distributed locally, "within thy gates," if the Temple was too far away. Deut.14v22. 12v5,11,14,18,21. The tithes of corn, wine, oil and animals were to be eaten not only by the Levites, but also by the people who brought the tithe. Deut.12v17,18. Some think it better to distinguish between tithes and first-fruits; however, Deut.26v1-15. mentions them together, which implies that they are the same, or that the first-fruits could be part of the tithe, they were given to the priests. Deut.18v4.

Every third year all who tithed were to give their tithes to the Levites and poor and needy from "within their gates." Deut.14v28,29. However, they still had to go to worship at Jerusalem after distributing their tithes in their local community, and there proclaim that they had given their tithes to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless and the widow. Deut.26v12-19.

We read in Deut.12v20,21., that if the distance to Jerusalem was too far to travel, the tithe was to be shared among the poor and the Levites and eaten "within the gates" of the person who tithed them, the tithe was to be used as a contingency fund for the poor. Have you ever heard any Bible teachers tell you that you are to invite the poor and needy to your home and consume some of your tithe in a religious party of thanksgiving and worship, and the rest of your tithe is to be used as a contingency fund to provide for the poor? How different from the modern teaching and demands on tithing!

c. The tithe was also Israel's Income Tax to be used for Israel's welfare state.

In Deut.10v16-19., God commanded the Levites to administer justice for the stranger, fatherless and widow and feed and clothe them. We read, "Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer. For the Lord your God is a God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing. Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in Egypt." These are strong words, and emphasise God's loving concern for the poor and needy. This is why our Lord was so angry with the Jews in Mal.3v7-10., and said there would be a curse upon them, if they failed to bring the tithes into the storehouse. God said that they were robbing Him, when they robbed the Levite and the poor. The Levites and priests also came under a curse if they robbed the poor.

In Deut.14v28,29., we read that our Lord gave the Law on tithing to Moses out of a concern for the poor, we read that the tithe was not only for the Levite, but also for "the stranger and the fatherless and the widow." Our Lord castigated the Jews for their arrogant pride and self-deception over their tithing, and pointed out that it availed them nothing when they omitted and neglected the weightier matters of the Law, judgement, mercy, faith, and love of God. The judgement and mercy mentioned here is undoubtedly the ministry to the poor mentioned in the Scriptures. Mt.23v23. Lk.11v39-44. Our Lord was very angry with Israel's religious leaders, because they devoured widow's houses, neglected the poor, and turned God's Temple into a "den of robbers," and He warned them that they were bound for Hell because of it. Mt.21v12,13. 23v13-39. N.B. v14,33. Lk.20v46,47.

d. God told Israel to use part of their tithe for a religious holiday at Jerusalem at His expense.

If we only had Numb.18v21., to guide us on tithing, we would think that "all" of the tithes were to be consumed by the Levites, but other Scriptures show that this was not so, for we read that others, including those who tithed, partook of some of the tithes. In Deut.14v24-27., we read that if the distance was long, but could be travelled, the tithes were to be changed into money, and the person who tithed was to use part of their tithe to buy food and drink; "And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat them there before the Lord thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household, and the Levite that is within thy gates; for he hath no part or inheritance with thee." The tithe belonged to the Lord, but he gave a great deal of it back for a religious holiday at Jerusalem, not only for the household of the person who gave the tithe, but also for the local Levite, and the poor, fatherless, stranger and widow. Deut.12v6,7,18. In Deut.16v10-17., God said the poor, the widow, fatherless, and stranger, were to be taken to Jerusalem to the three feasts of Israel, for three weeks of joyful holidays whose aim was physical and spiritual refreshment, and God paid the expenses out of the tithes and offerings. This shows the beautiful giving goodness of God. The tithe was Israel's income tax, and God was the tax inspector; however, God is the only tax inspector I know, who says, "Use some of your tithes and offerings for a religious holiday at Jerusalem." No worldly tax inspectors do that!

The 1957 edition of "The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopaedia of Religious Knowledge," under the heading "Tithes," Confirms, on page 453, the philanthropic and generous nature of God's Law on tithing. Schaff states that Deut.14v22ff., teaches that the tithe was used to provide for a joyous communal meal at the Temple at Jerusalem with the Levites of the tither's locality, because Levites did not own landed property, and this part of the tithe did not go to the priests or Temple officers. God required the celebrations and participants to be pure. Schaff confirms from Deut.14v28,29. and 16v12-15., that in the third year the tithe was deposited and stored at the tither's home, and not at the sanctuary, for the consumption and benefit of the Levite, stranger, fatherless, and widow. Schaff makes the very important point that this was NOT a second tithe, but a special employment of the third year tithe for charitable purposes; and that Deuteronomy knows nothing of a second tithe expressly for the Levites. Schaff also states that Deuteronomy does not make clear what is the relationship between the tithe and the first-fruits offerings, but thinks that they are identical, because it is unlikely that each generation of the herd was subjected to a double tax, and Deut.26v1-15., closely connects the first-fruits and tithe, the basket of first-fruits which is brought to the priest is part of the tithe which is devoted to the joyous communal meal. End of synopsis.

Later on in Israel's history, Israel's greedy religious leaders, like some modern preachers, demanded two tithes a year, however, Schaff's statement here refutes that conclusion. The tithe of the third year was not a second tithing, but a use of the tithe for charitable purposes; and the offering of the first-fruits was part of the tithe and not a double tax.

e. The corruption of God's beautiful laws on tithing by Israel's leaders.

God's simple, beautiful and thoughtful laws on tithing were distorted, corrupted and changed by the kings and priests of Israel. They not only stopped the people using the tithe for a religious holiday; they greatly increased the burden of taxation upon the people of God. In Christ's time the greed of the High Priests even impoverished ordinary priests. Josephus tells us in his Antiquities, Book 4, chapter 8, paragraph 22, that in his time the people were paying two tithes each year, and a third tithe in the third year. Some modern theologians have incorrectly suggested that this was true in the time of Moses. The Talmudic rabbis laid down elaborate and burdensome rules, even for the smallest products of the soil. They said that great personal merit was obtained through following these man-made rules on tithing. The tithes of mint, anise and cummin was an enforcement of the Talmudic rabbis, they said that even the leaves and the stalks had to be tithed. This went far beyond the teaching of Scripture, and Christ condemned them for it. Mt.23v23. Lk.11v42. 18v12. They also made rules as to the time of tithing for cattle, fruit and produce. They rigorously enforced these tithing laws, and offended God by making His house a den of robbers by their extortion of finances from people; some modern preachers have followed their evil example.

4. CHRISTIAN TITHING IS NOT AUTHORISED BY TITHING UNDER THE MONARCHY.

a. Samuel warned that having a king would lay heavy burdens upon the people.

When Israel demanded a king like the nations around them, Samuel forewarned them by prophecy, that the kings would take their tithes, and misappropriate them to themselves and their friends. 1Sam.8v11,15-22. After the monarchy was set up, the kings, as Samuel had warned, did appropriate the tithes for themselves. The burden upon the people was greatly increased by the greed of Israel's kings, and some of them badly neglected the priests and Levites and Temple worship. When Israel forsook God for idols, the Levites and priests suffered badly from neglect, Hezekiah rectified this and built rooms in the Temple for the tithes, and Nehemiah followed his good example. 2Chron.31v4-21. Neh.10v37-39. 12v44-47. 13v5-14.

God said that Israel had rejected His gentle rule, when they rejected Samuel's spiritual oversight, and chose to imitate the heathen's system of government by kings. 1Sam.8v6,7. This ungodly choice made the corruption of God's Law inevitable, for as Jesus said, heathen rulers dominate and tyrannise their subjects, and their systems of government are based on greed and love of power, not service. Mt.20v25. The heathen structure they had embraced had permanently destroyed the divine beauty of the use of tithes under the Law. When churches accept heathen methods and standards the same thing happens.

Christ's life of service and caring ministry demonstrated the gentle rule that Israel had rejected, and Jesus said His spirit of service must be exactly followed by the leaders of His Church. Mt.20v20-28. Jesus warned His apostles that the leaders of His Church must not follow the example of heathen kings, and dominate and tyrannise God's people, "It shall not be so among you." Mt.20v25,26. It is a tragedy that Christians have often followed the example of Israel, and chosen to imitate the kingdoms and hierarchies of men in their structures; rather than Christ's New Testament pattern, and in doing so have rejected God's pattern and rule, and have inevitably brought great financial burdens upon God's people.

b. The Solomon and Rehoboam Syndrome.

Solomon's extravagant demands compared with Christ's undemanding poverty.

God would not allow David to build the Temple because he had killed so many people in war, and so God told David that his son Solomon would build it. 1Sam18v7,8. David was determined to ensure that the Temple would be "exceeding magnificent," and so he "prepared abundantly before his death" for the Temple. 1Chron.22v1-22. N.B. v5,8,9,14-16. This must have put a heavy burden upon God's people. We cannot help but question both David's extravagant preparations for the building of the Temple, and Solomon's extravagance in the building of the Temple, particularly when the divine pattern of the wilderness tabernacle was so simple and comparatively inexpensive.

God certainly directed Solomon to build the Temple, 1Chron.22v8,9., but the Lord certainly did not inspire Solomon to put huge burdens upon the people of God by extravagance in building the Temple. One fears that Solomon built a magnificent Temple as a work of architectural showmanship, to demonstrate his abilities, and enhance his own reputation, rather than for the glory of God. Solomon spent seven years in building God's Temple, and thirteen years in building his own magnificent palace, twenty years in all; and then followed this with twenty years of other building plans. 2Chron.8v1-5. 1Kings.6v38. 7v1. Solomon had many plans, and He used other people's resources to bring them to fruition, and a lot of Christian leaders have followed his bad example, and have grievously burdened God's people. 2Chron.8v1-18. 1Kings.9v10-28.

Compare Solomon's heavy yoke on Israel through his extravagant building plans, with the financially undemanding organisational simplicity of Christ's ministry. Solomon made other people poor to make himself rich, Jesus voluntarily became poor to make us rich. 2Chron.9v9-28. 2Cor.8v9. Christ is our example, and he did not make one appeal for money, and His financial integrity and the way that He chose total poverty, rather than be a financial burden upon anyone, is beyond praise. Our Lord's yoke is easy and His burden is light, and He proved it by the total lack of financial demands on people during His ministry. Mt.11v28-30. Praise His wonderful Name.

An anointed ministry does not authorise unreasonable financial demands on God's people.

The anointing of God on people's ministries does not authorise them to make unreasonable financial demands of Christians. The glory of God that fell on the Temple did not authorise Solomon's extravagance in building it, or authorise him to fulfil all his other ambitious plans. Was not the sacrifice of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep at the dedication of the Temple very excessive and an appalling burden on the people of God? 2Chron.7v1-5. The queen of Sheba may have been very enthusiastic about Solomon's kingdom, but the burden that he put upon the people of God in the fulfilment of his ambitious plans, and in the accumulation of his wealth, was a great sin. 2Chron.9v1-28. The Queen of Sheba said Solomon's subjects were happy to have him as king, but they were anything but happy, and complained over the grievous burden and heavy yoke that had been put upon them by Solomon. 2Chron.9v7. 10v4,10,14. Heathen kings came to hear Solomon's wisdom and see his kingdom, probably to learn how he had out-financed them in exploiting the people of God. 2Chron.9v22-27.

Solomon's horrific and burdensome levies on God's people.

In Numb.31v25-47. N.B. v28,30,47., God told Moses to levy a small percentage of tribute from the spoils of their victory in war over Midian for the Levites, one purpose of this would certainly be aid for the poor. As Samuel had warned, even David made levies and took tribute. 2Sam.20v24. However, Solomon took the imposing of levies to extortionate lengths in building the Temple, his palace, and the store cities, and for a period of forty years these levies were an horrific burden and heavy yoke on God's people. A levy was taken to support Solomon's extravagant standard of living. 1Kings.4v7. 12v18. A levy was made upon people's time in the form of forced labour. Solomon demanded one month of labour on his projects out of every three months by tens of thousands of Israelites; and had over one hundred thousand Israelites working for him. Solomon also compelled captured inhabitants of the land to do forced labour, and be his slaves. 1King.5v13-18. 9v15-23. 2Chron.2v1,2. The word, "mas or mees," is translated, "levy" in 1Kings.5v13,14. and 9v15., and "tribute" in 1Kings.4v6. and 9v21.; Strong says it means, "properly a burden (as causing to faint) i.e. a tax in the form of forced labour, levy, task, tribute."

Rehoboam admitted that his Father's rule was oppressive and tyrannical, and Solomon certainly caused God's people to faint with burdens. In 1Kings.12v11., Rehoboam said to Israel, "my father did lade you with a heavy yoke,---my father hath chastised you with whips:" Solomon may have had great knowledge and wisdom, but he appears to have been totally lacking in compassion and consideration for God's people. Solomon will have a great deal to answer for on judgement day for the oppressive yoke that he put upon the people of God; and so will many ambitious preachers, who have put similar heavy burdens and grievous yokes upon the time and finances of Christians.

The inevitable division of Israel through Solomon's and Rehoboam's heavy yokes.

Solomon's heavy yoke was laid upon the Israelites for forty years and it caused great resentment. It is not surprising, therefore, that when his son Rehoboam came to the throne, the people asked for this "heavy yoke" to be made lighter. We read in 2Chron.10v4., "Thy father made our yoke grievous, now ease somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee." In 1Kings.12v6-19. Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older and wiser men to ease the burden of the people, and followed the advice of the young men, and threatened an even more oppressive rule, and even greater demands on the people. The Israelites were appalled at the threat of an even more demanding reign, and an even more ambitious building program, and as a result Rehoboam lost most of his kingdom. Ten tribes, quite rightly, withdrew from his kingdom and made Jeroboam king over them; only Judah and Benjamin, and a remnant of the other ten tribes of Israel who lived in Judea, submitted to the reign of Rehoboam. When Rehoboam sent Adoram to collect the tribute money from the ten tribes, forty years of pent-up anger and frustration erupted, and Adoram was stoned to death. Sensible Christians will withdraw from Churches that make unreasonable demands of them. 2Tim.3v5.

God's lack of enthusiasm over Temple building.

On many occasions God told Israel that he was not impressed by Temple building. 1Kings.8v27. 1Chron.17v4-6. Is.66v1,2. Hos.8v14. Acts.7v48. 17v24. God knew that Israel's Temples would become the centre of resistance to Him, being dominated by unspiritual and carnal men under the control of Satan, whose man-made traditions made God's Word of none effect, and the worship in the Temple vain and empty. Mt.15v5,6. Mk.7v3-13. Acts.7v45-60. Col.2v8. We are now the temple of God. 1Cor.3v16,17. 6v19. 2Cor.6v16. The glory had long since departed from the temple that rejected Jesus, God took up his abode in the praying believers in the upper room of a house, and poured out the Holy Spirit upon them. Acts.1v13. 2v1-4.

It was the glory and presence of God that gave value to the Temple buildings, not their expensive materials and architectural beauty. God said that Zerubbabel's poor Temple architecture, which was rebuilt after the Babylonian captivity, would be greater in divine glory than the glory of the former magnificent Temple of Solomon. Haggai.2v9. Zerubbabel's Temple was a very basic building, and quite devoid of the material glory, splendour and beauty of Solomon's Temple. The old people, who remembered the beauty and magnificence of Solomon's Temple, wept in sorrow when they beheld Zerubbabel's unimpressive and comparatively poor Temple. Ezra.3v12. However, God's greater glory was there and this was all that was needed and mattered.

It is a tragic fact that both Solomon's and Herod's magnificent Temples took the people's minds away from the divine typology, and worship of the divine presence, to admiration of human achievement. Jesus warned His apostles not to be deceived by the architectural beauty and splendour of Herod's Temple, for the Temple they admired so much was soon to be destroyed. Mt.24v1,2. Mk.13v1,2. Lk.21v5,6. They were awed by the beauty and architectural splendour of the Temple and failed to recognise that without God's presence and glory, this beauty and splendour meant absolutely nothing. The Temple was spiritually bankrupt and devoid of God's glory, and quite unwilling and unable to help the sick and needy; and, even worse, it was the source and centre of rebellion against God, and resistance to Christ's ministry.


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