Just as most christians have no idea how the Ten Commandments are merely a physical foreshadow of the spiritual real substance of the Holy Spirit’s seal on the bride, which is the new covenant of marriage (“ketubah”), they often grapple in error over other matters of the law—sometimes trying to use those things either to benefit themselves, or to pump themselves up in self-righteousness.
One such issue is the matter of the tithe. Many christians conflate the law, which they do not understand, with “church” life, which is a counterfeit of the true faith. So, it is common for those in the “church” to claim that tithing is something they are to do.
The tithe was purely agricultural in nature, and it was collected three times a year at the temple (which is a foreshadow of Messiah’s bride, not the “church”). During three annual feasts, tied to three different harvests, Jewish men were required to make an appearance at the temple, and bring their tithes, which were the agricultural means of sustaining the priests, who had no other source of income but what the assembly (Hebrew “qahal”) gave them.
The Feast of Firstfruits = Barley, the Feast of Weeks = Wheat, and the Feast of Tabernacles = Grapes. Those three harvests brought the people of Yah into the house of Yah, and are physical foreshadows of prophecy, which are the friends of the Bridegroom and the bride (barley), the friends of the bride (wheat), and the wedding guests (grapes).
Just like with animal sacrifice, for one to give an actual tithe, he must appear at the temple, and there must be a priesthood there to sustain with it. The physical temple no longer stands, so there are no physical priests there to sustain. Thus, like animal sacrifice, there is no longer a tithe required under the law.
It is also common in christianity to pervert other scriptures to make them say things they don’t say—or even imply. In this vain, some will distort what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 16 to mean something about the “tradition of men” passing an offering plate at “church.” This error comes from not understanding the entire context of that passage.
There was a drought going on around Jerusalem, and Paul instructed the believers in Corinth and Galatia to set aside gifts AT THEIR HOMES on the first day of the week, which was a work day for them, as they all respected and honored Yah’s Sabbath as their day of rest and “holy convocation,” having fellowship with one another in their homes on the seventh day of the week.
Again, Paul told them to lay aside, from what they produced on the first day of the week, gifts that the representatives they appointed from within their local fellowship, would go to their homes and collect, and Paul would take those representatives with him to deliver those gifts to the believers who were suffering from the drought in Jerusalem.
Not only did this have nothing to do with passing any plates, it was to be done on the first day of the week, which was a work day. It was not a SUNday “church” meeting, and was not tithing, which was mandated under the law.
The physical is always a foreshadow of the spiritual, and the true spiritual instruction of the tithe under the law is helping to sustain others who are in need. It is not a function of building up the coffers of any “church,” as that organization isn’t even of Yah, but is a man-made counterfeit of the assembly of true believers (ekklesia).
As we have always suggested in our local fellowship—we’re not interested in anybody’s money. We suggest using what Yah has given you to help others directly. You are not instructed scripturally to give money to sit in the bank account of a “church,” but to seek those whom the Spirit would lead you to help with it.
For more information: Messiah’s Bride Is Not the “Church”