SYMBOLISM OF TITHES
Tithes are also an important element of Old/First Covenant commandments. It is easy for people who live in agricultural economies to apply the Biblical prescriptions for tithes because they deal with crops every day, but is harder for people who are not farmers.

Quite logically, non-farmers have adjusted the literal Biblical prescriptions regarding tithes to mean money instead of crops. This practice may be logical, but it does not come close to what God really has in mind for tithes.

To come to an understanding of what God means by tithes is hard — but possible. We begin, as usual, by looking at the variety of ways that tithes are described.

In some scriptures the tithe is only given every three years. In some scriptures the tithe is given to priests. In some scriptures the tithe is referred to as first fruits. Tithe is to be brought to the place where the Lord chooses to place his name (i.e. his character) Deut. 12:5-6; 14:23. Malachi 3: Turn equals repentance; storehouse is of spiritual goods — not material; food is spiritual; The practice of tithing existed before the law was given. (i.e. Abel, Abraham). Tithe is holy. See holiness. No requirement to tithe in the seventh year. In some scriptures, tithe is not of crops. spoils, land

 

Considering all of the many scriptures about tithing and sacrifices, it is no understatement to say that it is impossible to understand all Biblical prescriptions about tithes and integrate them into a practical, coherent doctrine. Knowing this, we are prompted to ask why God would give commandments about tithes that are impossible to obey. It seems that by making tithing complicated he has set his people up for failure, and that does not seem like a loving thing to do.

The answer to this question is that we do not understand the “first the natural and then the spiritual” principle. More to the point, we have taken our cues about the nature of tithing from the literal words of the Bible, and have not listened to God’s voice to explain the spiritual meaning. 

If we would listen to God’s voice, we would understand that tithes, along with all other tangible, physical objects and behaviors presented in the Bible, only symbolically represent spiritual truths. God never intended or wanted his people to do anything physical with their bodies. This includes the giving of material tithes. Anything that people do with their physical bodies or material goods is the stuff of religion — not the stuff of faith. 

Because we do not listen to God’s voice, we miss the point that his exclusive focus is on the heart where faith exists. That’s it. Period. End of story. The heart is the place where all spiritual activity happens.

The heart/spirit is the altar where spiritual sacrifices and offerings are made. The heart is the storehouse to which offerings and tithes are brought.

 

But what is it that we sacrifice? The sacrifices that God wants are these:

He wants us to stop being religious. He wants us to stop listening to false prophets. He wants us to sacrifice our pride in our religious identities and obedience to religious rules. He wants us to recognize that our hearts are evil and impure.  He wants us to stop trying to make ourselves righteous by practicing religion.

 

And if we will make these sacrifices, God will do the following:

He will allow us to hear his spoken voice. He will allow us to know him when he writes his spiritual laws on our hearts. He will change our hearts.

 

This is, of course,  only a short list of all the good things that God will do for people who make spiritual sacrifices and offerings to God in their hearts. But everything else that he does flows out of changed hearts.