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Eating the Tithe Under the Old Covenant
Deut. 12:6 There bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes, and special gifts,
what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings and the firstborn of your herds
and flocks. 7 There in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall
eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your
God has blessed you.
This is a strange concept for a Christian to consider: eating the tithe, and the other
offerings too. Haven't we all been taught that the tithe belongs to God? Yes, we have.
So, let us investigate together how to eat the tithe that you and your families shall eat
and shall rejoice. Sounds like a party doesn't it?
Deut. 12:12 And there rejoice before the Lord your God, you, your sons and daughters,
your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites from your towns, who have no
allotment or inheritance of their own.
Deut. 12:15 You may slaughter your animals in any of your towns and eat as much of
the meat as you want.
Deut. 12:17 You must not eat in your own towns the tithe of your grain and new wine
and oil or the firstborn of your herds and flocks or whatever you have vowed to give or
your freewill offerings or special gift. 18 Instead, you are to eat them in the presence of
the Lord your God at the place the Lord your God will choose. You, your sons and
daughters, your menservants and maidservants and the Levites from your towns and
you are to rejoice before the Lord your God in everything you put your hand to. Be
careful not to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.
Deut 12:21 If the place where the Lord your God has chosen to put his name is too far
away from you, you may slaughter animals from the herds and flocks the Lord has
given you... ...in your own towns you may eat as much as you want.
These verses surprised me completely. The implications were amazing, God was
wanting me to bring my family, and all my servants, and the local priests (Levites were
the local priests of the day) and rejoice and eat before him the tithe at the place he
chooses.
Wait a minute, isn't this His tithe, the Lord's tithe, yes it is, and he wants to commune
with you and your family and your spiritual guides. Of course, you will quickly
remember the sub-heading of this article: Eating the tithe Under the Old Covenant.
Then, it couldn't possibly have any meaning for us today, or could it?
Eating the Tithe Under the New Covenant, Part 1
Jude 12 These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the
slightest qualm. Shepherds who feed only themselves.
Sorry, but this says nothing about eating the tithe you might say. Correct, but look at
what this New Testament verse does say. Go to the beginning of Jude for a look at who
Jude was talking to about these men.
Jude 1 ...To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by
Jesus Christ, 2 Mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance.
So, the very called of God, have dining with them at their love feast, selfish shepherds
who feed only themselves and are blemishes. Come again? The love feasts have been
invaded by those who are selfish and corrupt shepherds feeding only themselves. Are
you shaking your heads as to how this could happen?
Okay, this is supposed to be about the tithe in the New Covenant. So let's listen to Paul
now.
1 Cor. 9:7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and
does not eat of it's grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk? 8 Do I
say this from a merely human point of view? Doesn't the Law say the same thing? 9
For it is written in the Law of Moses: Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the
grain. Is it about oxen that God is concerned?
10 Surely he says this for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher
threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11 If we have sown
spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12 If
others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we
did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the
gospel of Christ.
Wow what a contrast. Shepherds that are blemishes feeding only themselves in the
love feasts and Paul, preaching the gospel at his own expense. So, where is the tithe?
1 Cor. 9:13 Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the
temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what was offered on the altar? 14 In
the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should
receive their living from the gospel. 15 But I have not used any of these rights. And, I
am not writing this in the hope you will do such things for me.
Paul here is sure making it tough on televangelists of our time and pastors and
preachers of our churches. I have not used any of these rights, says Paul.
1 Cor. 9:18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may
offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it. 20 Though I
am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as
possible.
Well, what a novel idea, a preacher with full rights to the tithe or other support who
refuses to make use of those rights even enslaving himself to the lost in order to preach
to them the good news of Jesus Christ. How refreshing. Preach on Brother Paul.
1 Cor. 10:1 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our
forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. The were
all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. The all ate the same spiritual food
and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that
accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
It makes one wonder if Paul got into the communion wine and had a bit much to drink
as he writes this letter to the Corinthians? There was a rock with the Israelites in the
desert as they wandered for 40 years and..... that rock was Christ. Why did so many
die off as they did?
1 Cor. 10:6 .....they set their hearts on evil things 7 .....they sat down to eat and drink
and got up to indulge in pagan revelry 8 .... we should not commit sexual immorality as
some of them did and 23,000 of them died in one day 9 .... we should not test the Lord
as some of them did and were killed by snakes 10 .....and do not grumble as some of
them did and were killed by the destroying angel.
Not exactly what you'd expect Paul to be talking about in the New Testament. Is that
right 23,000 Israelites died in one day in the desert, wow, and this is for a warning and
example for us. Incredible. Surely Paul has this wrong, these were plagues of Egypt on
the Babylonians, not on God's people the Israelites? Okay, if you say so Paul, it must
be true.Eating the Tithe Under the New Covenant, Part 2
In Hebrews chapter 7 is a story about a priest named Melchizedek who received a
tenth or tithe of Abraham. As Abraham returned from the defeat of the kings. It says
that Melchizedek, who wasn't of the lineage of the Levitical priesthood, was king of
Salem, and priest of God most high. And here is a strange twist in verse 9, One might
even say that Levi paid the tenth to Melchizedek the priest through Abraham, because
when he met Melchizedek, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor Abraham.
Why is this important to the writer of Hebrews? He gets to it in verse 22, because
Jesus our high priest, after the order of Melchizedek, not the Levitical priesthood, has
become the guarantee of a better covenant. Verse 26, such a high priest meets our
need - one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the
heavens.
Then in Chapter 10 of Hebrews verse 7, Jesus says, I have come to do your will O God.
Then in verse 10, and by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the
body of Jesus Christ once for all. Verse 12 caps off the message, But when this priest
had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins he sat down at the right hand of God.
Now over in 1 Peter it says in verse 1, Peter an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God's elect,
strangers in the world, scattered...... And paraphrasing: scattered to the four winds. In
1st Peter 2:9, But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people
belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of
darkness into his wonderful light.
So, we expect to find teaching in the new testament on tithing don't we. It's just not
there. There is no tithe in the new testament. Jesus did speak once on the matter as
he addressed the Pharisees. Luke 11:42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint
and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these
ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. So Jesus was chiding them
for taking care of the little tithe from their herb garden, while neglecting judgment and
love. Notice the Pharisees were operating under the old covenant and Jesus had yet to
establish the new.
Based on what 1st Peter states, the church is a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation, a people belonging to God. So, if there were a tithe continued into the new
testament, it would be for the benefit of the priesthood, which is all born again
believers. Don't be upset, don't be let down, God in no way neglected to give us ways to
get involved by giving, it's just no longer a law, it's a opportunity, not legalistic, but
spiritual.
For us in the new covenant we have a high priest and his name is Jesus. Hebrews 7:17
For it is declared: You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. God swore an
oath regarding Jesus: Hebrews 7:21 ... The Lord has sworn and will not change his
mind: You are a priest forever. Because of this oath verse 22: Jesus has become the
guarantee of a better covenant. Basically, Jesus did away with the old covenant by
fulfilling it. He then becomes the permanent priest of the new, verse 24, and then he
becomes the sacrifice and the priest once for all when he offered himself, verse 27.
No Tithe in the NT, Then What?
If there is no tithe, then what replaces it in the new covenant? Tighten your seat belts
as I show you. Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you brothers in view of God's mercy, to
offer your bodies as a living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual
act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of the world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then, you will be able to test and approve
what God's will is - his good, pleasing, and perfect will.
So, earlier we have Peter telling us that we are the royal priesthood, like Jesus, not
after Levi, but after Melchizedek. We are to become living sacrifices, this is our
spiritual act of worship. I think what God is really telling us is that we are no longer our
own, we are bought with a price. We received warning that there are spots in our love
feasts, our potluck meals, our church services and there are shepherds there feeding
only themselves. Surely this isn't going on today, we've risen above all that.
Luke 14:13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the
blind: 14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be
recompensed at the resurrection of the just. [KJV]
You gotta be kidding, just like in the old testament we see scripture here in Luke and
God is concerned with the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind, sounds a lot like
eating the tithe in the old testament. God doesn't change does he? No he doesn't.
Acts 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the
Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. 34 Neither was there any among them
that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought
the prices of the things that were sold, 35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and
distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. 36 And Joses, who by
the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of
consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, 37 Having land, sold it, and
brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
Acts 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in
Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
Now here we are in the new covenant, the new testament in Acts of the Apostles,
chapter four and here is this guy Joses, which everyone called Barnabas, a Levite, who
sold land and laid the money at the apostle's feet. Now wait a minute, a Levite is giving
money to the Apostles, that's right. Then in Chapter six it says a great company of
priests were obedient to the faith. That means they became believers in Jesus,
Christians we'd call ‘em today. Wow, this has been a wild turn of events. One day the
disciples are paying tithes to the Levites and the priests, the next, well after the
resurrection of Jesus, the Christian apostles are collecting money from a Levite to
distribute among those Christian believers who had needs. You could knock me over
with a feather.
So, from all of this writing what do we learn? God's intention is for his will to be done.
The old covenant had a problem, it was impossible to do. God knew that and he let his
frustration with that system be known through all the centuries it was the law. Then
he sent Jesus, to abolish?, rather fulfill, the old covenant. He's the only one who could
and the only one who did, others got close. Close only matters in the game of
horseshoes, right? If you sin in one point, under the old, what does it say, you are
guilty of all, shucks.
Jesus fulfilled the old covenant, the vail of the temple which housed God on Earth was
torn from the top to the bottom. That put all the priests and Levites out of work,
immediate unemployment, the old covenant they attended was fulfilled. So needless to
say, a bunch of ‘em came over to the new covenant and became a part of the NEW and
IMPROVED priesthood of believers, the church.
Remember Paul, he had full right to live of the gospel, but chose to work at his own
expense, he paid his own way, preaching the gospel without charge, he made tents with
his own hands, and preached without compensation. Oh my, how we've gotten this all
backwards and wrong. How about a little parable to end this study?
John 10:6-18 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what
things they were which he spake unto them. 7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are
thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any
man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief
cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have
life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good
shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12 But he that is an hireling, and not the
shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep,
and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling
fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the
Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they
shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 17 Therefore doth
my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man
taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have
power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
I know that's a lot of scripture, but it demonstrates several things. First that the sheep
shepherds were hirelings. At the first sign of danger, they back off and split, well flee it
says here. The sorry no good dogs deserted the sheep. Then the wolf comes,
remember, this is a parable, this isn't talking about real wolves it's talking about people,
you'll have to look up in your bible John 10:1, those who try to climb in some other way
than they gate. It calls them thieves and robbers.
So now the wolf represents these thieves and robbers, and again in verse 8 Jesus says
all who ever came before me were what? thieves and robbers then in verse 10 he those
people wolves or thieves came to do what? steal, kill, and destroy. Oh my goodness, all
our born days we've been told that was the devil, but it's people. That's for another
lesson perhaps? (I've heard more than one sermon telling me that the thief and robber
was the devil, not so, it's people. I learned this the hard way, someone told me to my
face and then showed it to me in the scripture. Head hangs down..... ... and just last
year.)
Here in the new testament we have love feasts now with shepherds who feed only
themselves. Jude verse 12. And now in John 10, verse 12 it says the hired hand
shepherd is not the shepherd who owns the sheep, so he abandons the sheep when he
sees the wolf coming. Well, this is so sad, I hate to break the news to you this way, it's
just so impersonal, the internet and all, but it's true.
Now there will be those who email me and send me ugly comments, that's okay. They
might even say that Bruce Dickey is raving mad and demon-possessed, that's okay too.
Why is it okay? Read John 10:19 they said the same thing about Jesus. And Jesus told
his disciples in John 15:20 Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater
than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed
my teaching, they will obey yours also.
I'm not looking for persecution, not at all, it's a given, so be it, that's fine. What I am
looking to do is speak the truth in love. That is what Jesus wants. And Jesus isn't
worried if I don't have a new car to drive around in, my old Ford pickup does just fine.
He doesn't want someone preaching for him just so he can build up a nice retirement
fund either, he just makes no such promises, just the opposite. I've enjoyed sharing a
bit of the truth with you today. Thanks for looking these scriptures over and may God
bless you as he has me when these things were revealed to me too.
Sharing the truth in love, Bruce Dickey
Deut. 12:6 There bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes, and special gifts,
what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings and the firstborn of your herds
and flocks. 7 There in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall
eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your
God has blessed you.
This is a strange concept for a Christian to consider: eating the tithe, and the other
offerings too. Haven't we all been taught that the tithe belongs to God? Yes, we have.
So, let us investigate together how to eat the tithe that you and your families shall eat
and shall rejoice. Sounds like a party doesn't it?
Deut. 12:12 And there rejoice before the Lord your God, you, your sons and daughters,
your menservants and maidservants, and the Levites from your towns, who have no
allotment or inheritance of their own.
Deut. 12:15 You may slaughter your animals in any of your towns and eat as much of
the meat as you want.
Deut. 12:17 You must not eat in your own towns the tithe of your grain and new wine
and oil or the firstborn of your herds and flocks or whatever you have vowed to give or
your freewill offerings or special gift. 18 Instead, you are to eat them in the presence of
the Lord your God at the place the Lord your God will choose. You, your sons and
daughters, your menservants and maidservants and the Levites from your towns and
you are to rejoice before the Lord your God in everything you put your hand to. Be
careful not to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.
Deut 12:21 If the place where the Lord your God has chosen to put his name is too far
away from you, you may slaughter animals from the herds and flocks the Lord has
given you... ...in your own towns you may eat as much as you want.
These verses surprised me completely. The implications were amazing, God was
wanting me to bring my family, and all my servants, and the local priests (Levites were
the local priests of the day) and rejoice and eat before him the tithe at the place he
chooses.
Wait a minute, isn't this His tithe, the Lord's tithe, yes it is, and he wants to commune
with you and your family and your spiritual guides. Of course, you will quickly
remember the sub-heading of this article: Eating the tithe Under the Old Covenant.
Then, it couldn't possibly have any meaning for us today, or could it?
Eating the Tithe Under the New Covenant, Part 1
Jude 12 These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the
slightest qualm. Shepherds who feed only themselves.
Sorry, but this says nothing about eating the tithe you might say. Correct, but look at
what this New Testament verse does say. Go to the beginning of Jude for a look at who
Jude was talking to about these men.
Jude 1 ...To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by
Jesus Christ, 2 Mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance.
So, the very called of God, have dining with them at their love feast, selfish shepherds
who feed only themselves and are blemishes. Come again? The love feasts have been
invaded by those who are selfish and corrupt shepherds feeding only themselves. Are
you shaking your heads as to how this could happen?
Okay, this is supposed to be about the tithe in the New Covenant. So let's listen to Paul
now.
1 Cor. 9:7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and
does not eat of it's grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk? 8 Do I
say this from a merely human point of view? Doesn't the Law say the same thing? 9
For it is written in the Law of Moses: Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the
grain. Is it about oxen that God is concerned?
10 Surely he says this for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher
threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11 If we have sown
spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12 If
others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we
did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the
gospel of Christ.
Wow what a contrast. Shepherds that are blemishes feeding only themselves in the
love feasts and Paul, preaching the gospel at his own expense. So, where is the tithe?
1 Cor. 9:13 Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the
temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what was offered on the altar? 14 In
the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should
receive their living from the gospel. 15 But I have not used any of these rights. And, I
am not writing this in the hope you will do such things for me.
Paul here is sure making it tough on televangelists of our time and pastors and
preachers of our churches. I have not used any of these rights, says Paul.
1 Cor. 9:18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may
offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it. 20 Though I
am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as
possible.
Well, what a novel idea, a preacher with full rights to the tithe or other support who
refuses to make use of those rights even enslaving himself to the lost in order to preach
to them the good news of Jesus Christ. How refreshing. Preach on Brother Paul.
1 Cor. 10:1 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our
forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. The were
all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. The all ate the same spiritual food
and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that
accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
It makes one wonder if Paul got into the communion wine and had a bit much to drink
as he writes this letter to the Corinthians? There was a rock with the Israelites in the
desert as they wandered for 40 years and..... that rock was Christ. Why did so many
die off as they did?
1 Cor. 10:6 .....they set their hearts on evil things 7 .....they sat down to eat and drink
and got up to indulge in pagan revelry 8 .... we should not commit sexual immorality as
some of them did and 23,000 of them died in one day 9 .... we should not test the Lord
as some of them did and were killed by snakes 10 .....and do not grumble as some of
them did and were killed by the destroying angel.
Not exactly what you'd expect Paul to be talking about in the New Testament. Is that
right 23,000 Israelites died in one day in the desert, wow, and this is for a warning and
example for us. Incredible. Surely Paul has this wrong, these were plagues of Egypt on
the Babylonians, not on God's people the Israelites? Okay, if you say so Paul, it must
be true.Eating the Tithe Under the New Covenant, Part 2
In Hebrews chapter 7 is a story about a priest named Melchizedek who received a
tenth or tithe of Abraham. As Abraham returned from the defeat of the kings. It says
that Melchizedek, who wasn't of the lineage of the Levitical priesthood, was king of
Salem, and priest of God most high. And here is a strange twist in verse 9, One might
even say that Levi paid the tenth to Melchizedek the priest through Abraham, because
when he met Melchizedek, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor Abraham.
Why is this important to the writer of Hebrews? He gets to it in verse 22, because
Jesus our high priest, after the order of Melchizedek, not the Levitical priesthood, has
become the guarantee of a better covenant. Verse 26, such a high priest meets our
need - one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the
heavens.
Then in Chapter 10 of Hebrews verse 7, Jesus says, I have come to do your will O God.
Then in verse 10, and by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the
body of Jesus Christ once for all. Verse 12 caps off the message, But when this priest
had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins he sat down at the right hand of God.
Now over in 1 Peter it says in verse 1, Peter an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God's elect,
strangers in the world, scattered...... And paraphrasing: scattered to the four winds. In
1st Peter 2:9, But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people
belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of
darkness into his wonderful light.
So, we expect to find teaching in the new testament on tithing don't we. It's just not
there. There is no tithe in the new testament. Jesus did speak once on the matter as
he addressed the Pharisees. Luke 11:42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint
and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these
ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. So Jesus was chiding them
for taking care of the little tithe from their herb garden, while neglecting judgment and
love. Notice the Pharisees were operating under the old covenant and Jesus had yet to
establish the new.
Based on what 1st Peter states, the church is a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation, a people belonging to God. So, if there were a tithe continued into the new
testament, it would be for the benefit of the priesthood, which is all born again
believers. Don't be upset, don't be let down, God in no way neglected to give us ways to
get involved by giving, it's just no longer a law, it's a opportunity, not legalistic, but
spiritual.
For us in the new covenant we have a high priest and his name is Jesus. Hebrews 7:17
For it is declared: You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. God swore an
oath regarding Jesus: Hebrews 7:21 ... The Lord has sworn and will not change his
mind: You are a priest forever. Because of this oath verse 22: Jesus has become the
guarantee of a better covenant. Basically, Jesus did away with the old covenant by
fulfilling it. He then becomes the permanent priest of the new, verse 24, and then he
becomes the sacrifice and the priest once for all when he offered himself, verse 27.
No Tithe in the NT, Then What?
If there is no tithe, then what replaces it in the new covenant? Tighten your seat belts
as I show you. Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you brothers in view of God's mercy, to
offer your bodies as a living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual
act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of the world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then, you will be able to test and approve
what God's will is - his good, pleasing, and perfect will.
So, earlier we have Peter telling us that we are the royal priesthood, like Jesus, not
after Levi, but after Melchizedek. We are to become living sacrifices, this is our
spiritual act of worship. I think what God is really telling us is that we are no longer our
own, we are bought with a price. We received warning that there are spots in our love
feasts, our potluck meals, our church services and there are shepherds there feeding
only themselves. Surely this isn't going on today, we've risen above all that.
Luke 14:13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the
blind: 14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be
recompensed at the resurrection of the just. [KJV]
You gotta be kidding, just like in the old testament we see scripture here in Luke and
God is concerned with the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind, sounds a lot like
eating the tithe in the old testament. God doesn't change does he? No he doesn't.
Acts 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the
Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. 34 Neither was there any among them
that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought
the prices of the things that were sold, 35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and
distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. 36 And Joses, who by
the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of
consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, 37 Having land, sold it, and
brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
Acts 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in
Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
Now here we are in the new covenant, the new testament in Acts of the Apostles,
chapter four and here is this guy Joses, which everyone called Barnabas, a Levite, who
sold land and laid the money at the apostle's feet. Now wait a minute, a Levite is giving
money to the Apostles, that's right. Then in Chapter six it says a great company of
priests were obedient to the faith. That means they became believers in Jesus,
Christians we'd call ‘em today. Wow, this has been a wild turn of events. One day the
disciples are paying tithes to the Levites and the priests, the next, well after the
resurrection of Jesus, the Christian apostles are collecting money from a Levite to
distribute among those Christian believers who had needs. You could knock me over
with a feather.
So, from all of this writing what do we learn? God's intention is for his will to be done.
The old covenant had a problem, it was impossible to do. God knew that and he let his
frustration with that system be known through all the centuries it was the law. Then
he sent Jesus, to abolish?, rather fulfill, the old covenant. He's the only one who could
and the only one who did, others got close. Close only matters in the game of
horseshoes, right? If you sin in one point, under the old, what does it say, you are
guilty of all, shucks.
Jesus fulfilled the old covenant, the vail of the temple which housed God on Earth was
torn from the top to the bottom. That put all the priests and Levites out of work,
immediate unemployment, the old covenant they attended was fulfilled. So needless to
say, a bunch of ‘em came over to the new covenant and became a part of the NEW and
IMPROVED priesthood of believers, the church.
Remember Paul, he had full right to live of the gospel, but chose to work at his own
expense, he paid his own way, preaching the gospel without charge, he made tents with
his own hands, and preached without compensation. Oh my, how we've gotten this all
backwards and wrong. How about a little parable to end this study?
John 10:6-18 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what
things they were which he spake unto them. 7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are
thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any
man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief
cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have
life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good
shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12 But he that is an hireling, and not the
shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep,
and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling
fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the
Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they
shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 17 Therefore doth
my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man
taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have
power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
I know that's a lot of scripture, but it demonstrates several things. First that the sheep
shepherds were hirelings. At the first sign of danger, they back off and split, well flee it
says here. The sorry no good dogs deserted the sheep. Then the wolf comes,
remember, this is a parable, this isn't talking about real wolves it's talking about people,
you'll have to look up in your bible John 10:1, those who try to climb in some other way
than they gate. It calls them thieves and robbers.
So now the wolf represents these thieves and robbers, and again in verse 8 Jesus says
all who ever came before me were what? thieves and robbers then in verse 10 he those
people wolves or thieves came to do what? steal, kill, and destroy. Oh my goodness, all
our born days we've been told that was the devil, but it's people. That's for another
lesson perhaps? (I've heard more than one sermon telling me that the thief and robber
was the devil, not so, it's people. I learned this the hard way, someone told me to my
face and then showed it to me in the scripture. Head hangs down..... ... and just last
year.)
Here in the new testament we have love feasts now with shepherds who feed only
themselves. Jude verse 12. And now in John 10, verse 12 it says the hired hand
shepherd is not the shepherd who owns the sheep, so he abandons the sheep when he
sees the wolf coming. Well, this is so sad, I hate to break the news to you this way, it's
just so impersonal, the internet and all, but it's true.
Now there will be those who email me and send me ugly comments, that's okay. They
might even say that Bruce Dickey is raving mad and demon-possessed, that's okay too.
Why is it okay? Read John 10:19 they said the same thing about Jesus. And Jesus told
his disciples in John 15:20 Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater
than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed
my teaching, they will obey yours also.
I'm not looking for persecution, not at all, it's a given, so be it, that's fine. What I am
looking to do is speak the truth in love. That is what Jesus wants. And Jesus isn't
worried if I don't have a new car to drive around in, my old Ford pickup does just fine.
He doesn't want someone preaching for him just so he can build up a nice retirement
fund either, he just makes no such promises, just the opposite. I've enjoyed sharing a
bit of the truth with you today. Thanks for looking these scriptures over and may God
bless you as he has me when these things were revealed to me too.
Sharing the truth in love, Bruce Dickey
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