This relates to those who believe paying tithe is God's will for Christians today. I'm addressing the way tithe was paid in the OT, which I believe is very different from what most of us have understood. And if the tithing principle is carried over to today, it is important to understand how tithe was paid (used) in the OT. This is a continuation from a previous post. Again, whether or not paying tithe today is God's will for his children is not the issue here, I'm speaking to those who believe it is.
This passage (Duet.14:22-29) is considered a second and third tithe by the great majority of tithers today. In my first post I gave the main reason why I think this passage refers to the (one and only) tithe and there is no second or third tithe. This passage is simply describing how the tithe was to be used.
22 Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. 23 Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always. 24 But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the Lord your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the Lord will choose to put his Name is so far away), 25 then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the Lord your God will choose. 26 Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice. 27 And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own.
28 At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns, 29 so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
Another reason (besides what was stated in my first post) to believe that there is no second or third tithe can be found in the following texts:
Duet. 26:12
12 When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied.
Amos 4:4
“Go to Bethel and sin;
go to Gilgal and sin yet more.
Bring your sacrifices every morning,
your tithes every three years.[a]
These texts clearly show that the Israelites brought their tithes every third year - just like the passage in Duet. 14 describes. Duet. 14 is referring to the tithe, not a second or third tithe. The above texts would not make sense if there was a second or third tithe in addition to a first tithe.
In Numbers 18 God tells Aaron he is giving the Levites the tithe because they have no inheritance (land). I believe God is simply describing how that is to take place in Duet. 14.
I think it is pretty easy to see why this is not preached from the pulpit - it would certainly change the way we gave our tithe if we followed the principles described in Duet 14.
Thank you for your time and I would appreciate your comments.