If the Church is the Storehouse

If the Church is the Storehouse
by Ronald Ward Robey
(written May 23, 2020)

In the Bible, the storehouse was not a place to go to hear a sermon. Nor was it a place to preach a sermon. The storehouse was a place to store food and other items associated with the House of God.

This begs the question…

Since so many of the “pro-tithe” persuasion insist that “the church is the storehouse,” why are they going to church to hear a sermon? Why are their (ahem) pastors preaching sermons in the “so-called” storehouse?

Shouldn’t they be going elsewhere to hear sermons and to preach sermons, and not to the storehouse?

 

Tithing Scripturally

Tithing Scripturally
by Ronald W Robey
(written April 17, 2020)

There are many today who are deceived into believing that when they take monetary tithes to their New Testament church building they are being Scripturally obedient to God’s command to tithe.

“Scripturally,” the command to tithe was given to the children of Israel. (Leviticus 27:30-34) It was not given to the New Covenant Church.

“Scripturally,” the commanded tithe was to be agricultural. (Leviticus 27:30,32) God never commanded anyone in the Bible to give Him tithes of their money.

“Scripturally,” the commanded tithe was not to be observed until moving into the land of Canaan to live there as a citizen of that land. (Deuteronomy 12:10-11) It was never required by God in other lands.

“Scripturally,” God commanded the congregation not to take their tithes to the House of God. (Numbers 18:21-22;Nehemiah 10:29,37-38) Only the Levitic tribe was commanded by God to take tithes to the House of God.

If people would actually take a Scriptural approach to tithing, they would not be tithing at all. Why not? Because the only House of God that God authorized His tithes to be stored in (Deuteronomy 12:10-11;2 Chronicles 6:5-6) was destroyed in AD 70.

Scripturally, the New Testament church is never named as a storehouse for God’s tithe.

 

Search Out the Truth

Search Out the Truth
by Ronald W Robey
(written April 10, 2020)

Argument: “God said in Malachi 3:10 that we are to bring all the tithes into the storehouse. If you do not obey Malachi 3:10, you are guilty of robbing God.”

Rebuttal: In the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, we read that the men of Berea were deemed to be “more noble” than the men of Thessalonika because they searched the Scriptures daily to see if doctrines they were being taught were true. Let’s search out the truth of what it is that Malachi was saying, shall we?

1. Malachi 3:7 says that God was calling for a return to His ordinances. God’s tithe ordinance said that His tithe was to be agricultural. (Leviticus 27:30,32) Therefore, Malachi must have been speaking of agricultural tithes.

2. Malachi 3:7 says that God was calling for a return to His ordinances. God’s tithe ordinance said that the congregation could not approach the House of God with their tithes. (Numbers 18:21-22; reaffirmed in Nehemiah 10:29,37-38) Therefore, Malachi must not have been telling the congregation to bring tithes to the House of God.

3. Malachi 3:7 says that God was calling for a return to His ordinances. God’s tithe ordinance said that the place the congregation is to take their tithes is Jerusalem. (Deuteronomy 12:10-11;2 Chronicles 6:5-6) Therefore, Malachi was saying to bring tithes to the House of God in Jerusalem.

4. Malachi 3:7 says that God was calling for a return to His ordinances. God’s tithe ordinance said that only the Levitic tribe could take tithes to the House of God. (Numbers 18:24-28;Nehemiah 10:29,37-38) Therefore, Malachi was telling the Levitic tribe to bring the tithe of the tithes they received from the congregation into the storehouse.

Conclusion: It is wrong to use Malachi 3:10 as “proof-text”
a) to teach a monetary tithe requirement
b) to teach that the congregation is to bring tithes to the House of God
c) to teach that the congregation is to tithe in religious institutions outside of Jerusalem.
d) to teach anyone that is not a member of the Levitic tribe to bring tithes to the House of God.

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2 Timothy 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

2 Corinthians 4:1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
2 Corinthians 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

 

It’s Impossible

It’s Impossible
by Ronald W Robey
(written March 13, 2020)

Malachi 3:10 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.

The “storehouse” referred to in Malachi 3:10 is not your local church building in Congo, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Kenya, or in any other African country. Nor is it referring to a church building in the United States of America. The “storehouse” Malachi was speaking of was a three-tiered structure attached to the outer walls of the Temple in Jerusalem. And that storehouse was destroyed in AD 70.

Your local church building did not exist in Malachi’s day, so he could not have been speaking of your local church building when he said to, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse.”

The “house ” referred to in Malachi 3:10 is not a local church building in Congo, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Kenya, or in any other African country. Nor is it referring to a church building in the United States of America. The “house” Malachi was speaking of was the Temple in Jerusalem. And that Temple was destroyed in AD 70.

Your local church building did not exist in Malachi’s day, so he could not have been speaking of your local church building when he said, “that there may be meat in mine house.”

Conclusion: Absolutely NO ONE obeys Malachi 3:10 today. If they think they do, they are deceived. They can’t and don’t. It’s impossible to take tithes to a building that no longer exists.

 

Promised Blessings of Malachi 3:10

Promised Blessings of Malachi 3:10
by Ronald W Robey
(written March 08, 2020)

Malachi 3:10 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 3:11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.
Malachi 3:12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.

The Book of Malachi was written to Israel. (Malachi 1:1) Specifically…the Priests of Israel. (Malachi 1:6-7;2:1) It was not written to the other eleven tribes in Israel. Just to the Levitic Priests. Obedience to God’s instruction in Malachi 3:10 promised collective Israel six (6) blessings.

1. God’s promised blessings for bringing agricultural tithes into the storehouse at the Temple of God in Jerusalem…

a) Rain to water the fields. (Mal. 3:10)
b) An over-abundance of agricultural crops. (Mal. 3:10)
c) Locust prevented from destroying agricultural crops. (Mal. 3:11)
d) Vinous plants will not drop their fruit prematurely. (Mal. 3:11)
e) All nations shall call Israel blessed. (Mal. 3:12)
f) Israel would be a delightsome land. (Mal. 3:12)

2. God’s promised blessings for bringing monetary tithes into the storehouse at the Temple in Jerusalem…

God never required that a monetary tithe be brought to the storehouse at the Temple in Jerusalem. Therefore, if one took a tenth of one’s money to the Temple at Jerusalem, it would have been recognized as a free will offering, not as God’s tithe.

3. God’s promised blessings for bringing monetary tithes to a church building…

God never required that a monetary tithe be brought to a church building. Therefore, even if one takes a tenth of one’s money to a church building without being manipulated through deceit, lies, or coercion, it is a free will voluntary contribution, not God’s tithe.

 

What You Would Do

What You Would Do
by Ronald W Robey
(written March 05, 2019)

For those who insist they are obeying God’s tithe ordinance. If you were obeying God’s tithe ordinance, here’s what you would do…

1. You would tithe agriculture, not money. Lev. 27:30-33

2. You would not be giving God’s tithe outside of the land of Canaan/Israel. Deut. 12:10-11

3. You would only be tithing from farms on inherited land in the land of Canaan. Deut. 12:10-11

4. You would give tithes to bloodline descendants of the biblical patriarch Levi every first, second, fourth, and fifth year in a seven year cycle in the land of Canaan/Israel. Num. 18:21-26; Deut. 14:27; Lev. 25:1-6

5. You would not be tithing to the House of God. (unless you yourself are a bloodline descendant of the biblical patriarch Levi) Num. 18:21-22; Neh. 10:29,37-38

6. You would not give tithes to the Ministers of the House of God without an Aaronic Priest in attendance to lift a tithe of the tithe before the Lord as a heave offering. Num. 18:21-28; Neh. 10:29,37-38

7. You and your family would take a tithe to Jerusalem the first, second, fourth, and fifth years in a seven year cycle to eat in the streets of Jerusalem. Deut. 14:22-26

8. You would give a tithe to the descendants of the biblical patriarch Levi, to widows, to orphans, and to foreigners in farming communities in Canaan every third and sixth year in a seven year cycle. Deut. 14:28-29; 26:12

If you are not practicing points 1-8 above, then you are not obeying God’s tithe ordinance. You are actually doing things your own way and not Gods…which is rebellion.

 

They Ignore God

They Ignore God
by Ronald W Robey
(written February 28, 2020)

It is sad to see that so many in mainstream religion claim to love God, but do not allow God to speak His mind in the matter of tithing anymore. When it comes to God’s word on tithing, God’s word is meaningless to them.

1. God said His tithe is to be agricultural. They insist it is to be money.

2. God said tithes are to be observed only after moving into the land of Canaan to live there. They insist it is to be observed in their own town that is not in the land of Canaan.

3. God said tithes are to be taken to Jerusalem and given to Levites. They insist tithes only belong in the local church, which is not in Jerusalem.

4. God said to take tithes to Jerusalem and eat it with your family. They insist that you are not to eat tithes.

5. God said to give tithes to Levites, widows, orphans, and foreigners every third year. They insist that the tithe belongs in their local church.

6. God said the congregation is not to approach the House of God with their tithes. They insist that the congregation is to bring their tithes to the House of God.

If they claim to love God so much, why do they reject His word?