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TITHE: A SIGN OF GOD’S 
LORDSHIP 
Aniel Barbe 
Stewardship Ministries and Trust Services 
SID 
Category: Mainstreaming of Stewardship
Plan 
I. The First Test 
I. Signs of Lordship 
II.Tithe Throughout the Bible
Part I 
The First Test
The First Test 
On which issue was our first 
parents tested ?
The First Test 
Genesis 3:4,5 
And the serpent said to the woman, You 
shall not surely die, 
for God knows that in the day you eat 
of it, then your eyes shall be opened, 
and you shall be as gods, knowing good 
and evil.
The First Test 
Genesis 3:4,5 
And the serpent said to the woman, You 
shall not surely die, 
for God knows that in the day you eat 
of it, then your eyes shall be opened, 
and you shall be as gods, knowing good 
and evil.
You Shall be as gods! 
Adam and Eve have chosen to play the 
owners/lords in place of the real 
Owner/Lord.
Part II 
Signs of Lordship
Tests For Today! 
Human existence takes place along two 
dimensions. 
Acts 17:28 
“From one man he made all the nations, 
that they should inhabit the whole earth; 
and he marked out their appointed times in 
history and the boundaries of their lands.” 
• Time 
• Space
Tests For Today! 
Who is the Owner/Lord of my time and 
my space? 
What are the signs given by God?
The Signs have to be More than 
Verbal Acknowledgement! 
Matthew 7:21 
Not everyone who says to 
me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter 
the kingdom of heaven, but 
only the one who does the 
will of my Father who is in 
heaven.
Tests For Today! 
How are we supposed to demonstrate our 
acknowledgement of God’s Lordship and 
Ownership? 
- Time: Sabbath 
- Space: Tithe
The Sign of the Sabbath 
Ezekiel 20:12 
“Also I gave them my Sabbaths as a 
sign between us, so they would know 
that I the LORD made them holy.”
The Sign of Tithe 
Genesis 28: 20-22 
“If God will be with me and will watch 
over me on this journey I am taking 
and will give me food to eat and 
clothes to wear21 so that I return 
safely to my father’s household, then 
the LORD will be my God 22 and this 
stone that I have set up as a pillar will 
be God’s house, and of all that you give 
me I will give you a tenth.”
The Sign of Tithe 
Genesis 28: 20-22 
v. 20: Material things that God 
provides: Food, Clothe & Protection. 
v. 22a: The Lord will be my God. 
v. 22b: As signs, I will build a pillar 
and return tithe.
Signs of Lordship and Ownership! 
When keeping the sabbath, we are 
reminding ourselves and acknowledging 
that not only the 7th Day belongs to 
Him but all the days of the week and all 
the days of my life. 
When returning tithe, we are reminding 
ourselves and acknowleging that not 
only 1/10th of my revenue belongs to 
Him but all my belongings and the 
material world.
Why Talk about Money? 
Should spiritual beings spend much time 
to speak about money?
Why Talk about Money! 
1. It is a very common theme in the 
Bible: 
a) Over two thirds of the 
parables deal with money or 
material possessions. 
b) Over 2,350 biblical references 
to money! 650 on love, 350 on 
faith, 275 on prayer.
Why Talk about Money! 
2. Money is life. 
Time + Talent + Energy = Life = Money 
3. Finances are a spiritual battleground: 
a. In the world. 
b. In the work place and business. 
c. In the home. 
d. In the church. 
4. God uses money. 
5. Money competes with God (Matt. 6:24).
Why Talk about Money! 
Money competes with God (Matt. 6:24). 
Matthew 6:24 
“No one can serve two masters (Lords). 
For either he will hate the one and love 
the other, or else he will hold to the one 
and despise the other. You cannot serve 
God and mammon.”
Part III 
Tithe Throughout the Bible
The Original Purpose of Tithing 
What is the purpose of returning tithe? 
- The common quick answer is: To support 
the Church. 
- For the 1st two occurrences, Genesis 14 
and Genesis 28, corporate worship was 
not yet in place!
1st Occurrence of Tithing 
Genesis 14 
- God granted Abram a great success. 
- On his way back he met Melchizedek, king 
of Salem. 
- His natural reaction was to offer a tithe 
in response to the blessing receive. 
- The sequence: Blessed he gave tithe, 
Tithing was a response to God goodness.
1st Occurrence of Tithing 
More Lessons: 
- Tithe is calculated on all revenues. 
Genesis 14: 20 
“Nathan” : to give back 
- Given to those who are instruments to bestow 
spiritual blessings (v.19) 
- Tithing is practiced by those who recognize God 
as their creator/owner and protector (vv. 
18,20,22)
2nd Occurrence of Tithing 
Genesis 28:10-22 
- Jacob cheated his elder brother and his 
father concerning birth right. 
- Following his mother advise he ran away 
from the house of his father to escape 
the anger of his brother. 
- He laid down and fall asleep with a stone 
as a pillow.
2nd Occurrence of Tithing 
- He had a vision angels ascending and 
descending on a ladder. 
- The God who was at the upper end of the 
ladder made promises to Jacob, vv 13-15 
“I will be with you…”
2nd Occurrence of Tithing 
Jacob’s Response: 
- Jacob wake us with comfort and assurance. 
- He calls the place Bethel: House of God 
- He pours oil on the stone. 
- And pronounced these words: “God, if you 
will be with me as you promised, if you bring 
me back and bless me with possessions … 
out of everything you give me, I will give 
out a tenth.” Genesis 28:22
2nd Occurrence of Tithing 
Lessons 
• The Sequence: Tithing is the response to 
the blessings received. 
• By tithing, one recognize and worship God 
as the Provider. 
• Not tithing is making oneself the owner.
2nd Occurrence of Tithing 
More Lessons 
 Before making the promise to tithe Jacob 
choose God as Lord. (v.16) 
 It was promised to God during a worship 
experience: Commitment to God, 
Worshipping God, Tithe.
Clear Instructions about Tithing 
- Leviticus 27: 30-33 
And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or 
of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord. 
If a man wants at all to redeem any of his tithes, he shall add 
one-fifth to it. 
And concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, of whatever 
passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the Lord. 
He shall not inquire whether it is good or bad, nor shall he 
exchange it; and if he exchanges it at all, then both it and the 
one exchanged for it shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.’”
Clear Instructions about Tithing 
3. Leviticus 27:30-33 
• Tithe belongs to God. 
• It is holy to the Lord. 
• God shares in the risk—no selection by 
quality.
Clear Instructions about Tithing 
Numbers 18: 21-28
Clear Instructions about Tithing 
4. Numbers 18:21-28 
• God gives the tithe to the Levites. 
• Even the Levites were to tithe. 
• Tithes are an offering to the Lord
Clear Instructions about Tithing 
“Tithe” in the book of Deuteronomy
Clear Instructions about Tithing 
5. Deuteronomy 12:6-17; 14:22-28; 26:12. 
• Second tithe (uniquely different). 
• Worship of God. 
• Sharing God's blessings to others 
• Given every third year to the Levites 
and the poor. 
• Brought to the place God chosen as 
a “dwelling place” for His name.
Clear Instructions about Tithing 
6. Tithe and Revival 
2 Chronicles 29-31 
• The temple is restored 
• The worship services are restored 
• Passover is celebrated once again 
• Levites are restored to ministry 
• A Call to return tithe
Clear Instructions about Tithing 
Tithe and Revival 
The response of the people 
2 Chronicles 31: 5-8 
As soon as the commandment was circulated, the 
children of Israel brought in abundance the 
firstfruits of grain and wine, oil and honey, and of 
all the produce of the field; and they brought in 
abundantly the tithe of everything. And the 
children of Israel and Judah, who dwelt in the 
cities of Judah, brought the tithe of oxen and 
sheep; also the tithe of holy things which were 
consecrated to the Lord their God they laid in 
heaps.
Clear Instructions about Tithing 
Revival and Tithe/Offerings 
7. Nehemiah 10:37-38; 12:44; 13:5, 12. 
• Time of revival when Ezra reads the law. 
• Corporate worship is restored. 
• A commitment to faithfulness to God in 
tithes and offerings. 
• Storerooms for the tithes and offerings 
are established.
Clear Instructions about Tithing 
Revival and Tithe/Offerings 
8. Amos 4:4 
• A challenge to their tithes while living a 
live of sin. 
• We cannot separate tithe from your 
heart relationship. 
• It has to be an external expression of 
what is inside.
Clear Instructions about Tithing 
Revival and Tithe/Offerings 
9. Malachi 3: 7-8 
Ever since the time of your ancestors you 
have turned away from my decrees and have 
not kept them. Return to me, and I will 
return to you,” says the LORD Almighty. “But 
you ask, ‘How are we to return?’ “Will a 
mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But 
you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In 
tithes and offerings…”
Clear Instructions about Tithing 
Revival and Tithe/Offerings 
Malachi 3:7-10 
• Extended dialogue over their apostasy. 
• Call to return to God. 
• Robbery—failure to recognize God's 
blessings. 
The act of accusation is reading: Robbery 
You are already blessed otherwise you cannot 
rob God.
Clear Instructions about Tithing 
Revival and Tithe/Offerings 
Malachi 3:7-10 
Tithe is both a response to God’s blessing 
and a gateway for more blessings.
Clear Instructions about Tithing 
Revival and Benevolence 
Quotation from E.G.White 
“When we have entire, wholehearted 
consecration to the service of Christ, God 
will recognize the fact by an outpouring of 
His Spirit without measure; but this will not 
be while the largest portion of the church 
are not laborers together with God. God 
cannot pour out His Spirit when selfishness 
and self-indulgence are so manifest.” 
Counsels on Stewardship, p.52
Clear Instructions about Tithing 
Jesus and Tithing 
10. Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42; 18:12. 
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and 
pharisees, you hypocrites. ! You give a tenth 
of you spices- mint, dill and cummin. But you 
rejected the more important matters of 
the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness. 
You should have practiced the latter , 
without neglecting the former.”
Clear Instructions about Tithing 
Jesus and Tithing 
10. Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42; 18:12 
• Tithe remains as an expected response. 
• Tithe is returned in the context of a 
consistent lifestyle.
Clear Instructions about Tithing 
Paul and Tithing 
11.Hebrews 7:1-10. 
• Review of Abram and Melchizedek 
• Tithing is presented as a Universal 
command.( Before the levitical system) 
• Tithe does not belong to the Levi. They 
also gave tithe to Melchizedek through 
Abram. V.10 
• Tithe belongs to the one who is king of 
righteousness, king of peace, without 
father or mother, without beginning of 
day and end of life.
Conclusion 
1. The tithe belongs to and is returned to God. 
2. Tithing is an act of worship to God. 
3. Tithe is returned in response to God’s blessings. 
4. Tithing is a test of loyalty for God’s people. 
5. Tithing is part of revival. 
4. God supports those who serve in corporate 
worship by giving the tithe He receives to them.
Appeal 
Who will recognize God as owner and 
Lord by returning a faithful tithe?
OUR VISION 
All of us in Full Partnership 
with Him, accomplishing the 
Final Mission
END