Every Sunday in every denomination, pastors encourage their congregation to tithe. When questioned why they believe in tithing when they at the same time tell us we are not under the law, but under grace, most would say they believe tithing came before the Torah. They believe because Abraham gave 10% to Melchizedek, we should tithe today. But when questioned why we do not celebrate the 7th day Shabbat, most pastors would usually say, “we are under grace and not law. The law was given to Moses, but tithing came first.”
What if they are wrong when it comes to tithing and the Shabbat?
If they are wrong about tithing and the Shabbat, and you choose to follow what they say, you will share in their collective guilt. And if we can prove, from the Bible, the importance of the Shabbat we know and understand, it would be hazardous to ignore it.
The Bible says, in Ex. 31:13, the 7th day Shabbat is an eternal sign between Yehovah and all generations to come. When He sees someone remembering the 7th day Shabbat, He sees an individual who loves Him. Yehovah says in Ex 31:13 and Isaiah 56:2, those who keep the 7th day Shabbat will be blessed by Him. When He sees someone remembering the 7th day Shabbat, it moves Him to bless them.
So we can all see the Shabbat is essential to Yehovah. But the question is, what came first? Tithing or the Shabbat? And the second question is this, was the Shabbat given only to the Jews?
In Gen 2:2-3, we see Yehovah blessing the 7th day and sanctified it. So we know, from the Bible, the Shabbat was given to all humans when Yehovah created the earth. This answers our questions, Shabbat came before tithing, and the Shabbat was given to humanity.
When Yehovah gives the Torah to Moses, He says, “remember the Shabbat.” (Ex 20:8-11) Because Yehovah says, remember we know He is referring to something already in existence. So what Yehovah is saying to Moses is this, remember to keep the 7th day Shabbat that was given as a special day to all humanity when I made the earth.
Now let me ask you this question, are you grafted into the tree of Israel by faith? Some of you dont know what I am talking about, and some of you do. We Christians believe our faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior unite us with Israel. (Rom 11)
When Paul the Apostle, in Rom 11, speaks of the grafting in of Gentiles, he is referring to Isaiah 56. In Isaiah 56:6-7, we read, “And the foreigners who join themselves to Yehovah, to minister to Him, to love the name of Yehovah, and to be His servants-all who keep the Shabbat without profaning it and who hold fast to My Torah. I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
If you believe you are grafted into Israel, Isaiah 56:6-7 explains what that looks like. You have to keep Torah (John 14, 1.John 2, James 2, John 3), love the name of Yehovah (1.Cor 11), serve Him (John 14) and especially keep the 7th day Shabbat (John 14.)
Paul says in Rom 11 if you are not grafted into Israel by faith in the Messiah, you are not saved. Because he is quoting Isaiah 56:6-7 what he is saying is this, if your faith in Jesus does not show itself in a love for the Torah, a love for Yehovah, a love for the 7th day Shabbat you are not saved (James 2:10-26, 1.John 2, 1.Cor 11:1)
Most Christians in 2020 believe Jesus came to free us from the Torah. They believe the Shabbat is a burden, only for the Jews, something that robs us of our salvation. But they do think we are to tithe 10% of our income. According to Paul, if this is you, you are not saved.
So what does it look like to obey the Torah and keep the 7th day Shabbat? Is it something similar to what we see in Israel where we can not even turn on a light switch because it is work?
The Bible says, on the 7th day, we are to rest from all chores and paid labor. This means we can’t work for money on the Shabbat, but we can’t make other people work for money. So shopping is forbidden to do on the Shabbat.
There are, of course, exceptions to this. Yeshua says in Luke 14, we are permitted to save life on the Shabbat. So if you need medication, medical attention, or need to buy food for your health on the Shabbat that is allowed.
So the Bible says we are allowed to turn on a light switch and live normal lives, resting after a hard work week.
But how do we know the Shabbat is on Friday? And how do we know when it starts?
We know the Bible is a Jewish book written into a Hebrew culture. In Hebraic culture, in Israel, the day begins at sundown. Throughout Jewish history, day 1 of the week has always been Sunday and day 7 Friday. So if we are faithful to historical facts, we know the Shabbat begins at sundown on Friday and ends at sunset on Saturday.
And what about tithing?
The Torah says we are to tithe 10% of our crops in the temple in Jerusalem. The Torah also says we are to tithe by giving money to the Levite priests so they can distribute it to the poor and needy. 10% of our crops can only be done in the temple in Jerusalem, and the rest can only be given to a Levite. The temple is gone, and there are no Levite priests, so we cant tithe anything in the year 2020.
By now, it is obvious your pastor who tells you to tithe and a the same time tells you not to keep Torah and not keep Shabbat is very wrong. Paul, the Apostle, would even go as far as to say he or she is not saved because they are not grafted into the tree of Israel by faith. Why? Because according to Paul, if they were grafted in, they would tell you to keep Torah, love Yehovah, and keep Shabbat. The same things as Yeshua told us in John 14, if we love Him, we will keep Shabbat, keep Torah, and love His Father Yehovah.
It is very dangerous for your spiritual health to follow what your pastor tells you if he or she is not grafted into Israel.
Tomorrow it will be Friday, and the Shabbat will begin at sundown. Tell Yehovah you love Him and want Him to be your God by keeping Shabbat tomorrow.
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The only exception to 1.Cor 9:13-14 is this; if you have to choose between meeting your needs and giving to this ministry, you should not give. Your needs (not your wants, your needs, there is a big difference between the two) have priority. But if you dont have to make that choice, give today on PayPal.
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