Insights into the Proper Use of Tithing

I was surprised to read Numbers 18 gives some insights into what the Lord considers proper use of tithing. Consequently, I thought I'd share this with you.

I did not expect to find such clear counsel tucked away in the Old Testament. Yet, the whole chapter deals with the role Aaron and his sons have to minister in the priest’s office and how the Levites are to have no lands of inheritance. It lays out how they are to be supported instead: from the tithes of the people.

“And the Lord spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.” Numbers 18:20

Here the Lord tells Moses, the Tribe of Levi will be given no land for their lands of inheritance. In the Book of Mormon, lands of inheritance are linked to people’s liberty and represents their means of providing for their needs and wants. The Levites were to have none of this. Knowing they still had to feed, shelter and clothe their families like the rest of the tribes, the Lord had something different in mind for them.

“But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the Lord, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.” Numbers 18:24 

Their “inheritance” was to be the tithing of the offerings the rest of the children of Israel made to the Lord. There were a couple of conditions attached to the receipt of these offerings. One, is their receipt of the offerings was contingent upon their “cleanliness” before the Lord. Or to use today’s vernacular: it was dependent upon their adherence to the “Covenant Path” which the Lord had given to them through Moses.

“11 And this is thine; the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel: I have given them unto thee, and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it.

13 And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto the Lord, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine house shall eat of it.” Numbers 18:11, 13

The other condition is they were to tithe what they received back to the Lord too.

“Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the Lord, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it.” Numbers 18:29

There are the passages in the Doctrine and Covenants which lay out how tithes and offerings are to be used today, but that is beside the point I’m trying to make. That being, as far back as in Old Testament times, the Lord knew those who gave their full-time service to Him in the kingdom, still had the material needs of us all. They had to eat, care for their families and a place to live. This passage shows, the Lord saw nothing wrong with using the tithes of the people to support those who gave their full-time service to Him (and by corollary the people). 

We should therefore not take offense if the Lord sees fit to do the same thing today. Nor should we take offense at the amount they are given. As we read in Numbers 18:13-14, the Lord intended that the best of the offerings which the people gave, were to be for the Levite’s use.

“All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the first fruits of them which they shall offer unto the Lord, them have I given thee. And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto the Lord, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine house shall eat of it. Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine.” Numbers 18:12-14

So, if you read about how terrible it is that General Authorities, Mission Presidents and Temple Presidents, “live off” the efforts of the members of the church, ignore the complaint. Instead, keep in mind, it’s the Lord’s way of providing for those who work full-time ministering in His kingdom. It justifies using tithing funds to pay the wages and salaries of people who work full time for the church: a church that is also a multi-national organization.

Alma 29-30 - Other "true" churches and Korihor

There aren’t many greater contrasts in the Book of Mormon than Alma’s earnest prayer desiring to teach the Gospel to the world and the sordid tale of Korihor. On the one hand, Alma desires to be an angel (he knows what they can do!) to convincingly teach the Gospel to everyone. Then you have Korihor, an Anti-Christ, who teaches a message that in this life, it’s everyman for himself. Two men. Two messages: grace and charity on one hand, selfishness and pride on the other.

There’s an insightful gem into God’s efforts to teach His children tucked in Alma 29:8. There, Alma says the Lord grants to all nations in their own languages and cultural milieus all the wisdom He sees fit to give them. In Moroni is found the lesson that anything which points man to Christ is of God and good. Then in Jacob 5, we have God's effort to iteratively groom and prepare the olive vineyard for the last great harvest. They all show His' efforts to redeem and save His children are not confined to just this church.

I’ve been asked in the past how to explain the affirmations of other people in other religions who say their church is THE true church. How do I explain the witnesses they have had, I am asked. The key to the answer is in this verse. God gives to all people what their cultures prepare them to accept. As they master that and are ready for more, He'll find a way to give them more. I just happen to think the apex of His effort will always be found in the LDS church.

For the LDS church, there is more yet to come, even if it is nothing “more” than the sealed part of the Book of Mormon or the Law of Consecration. I look forward to the day those are revealed, but until then, I’ll do my best trying to live what has already been given. Even with that, I have a lot of work and growing to do.

Well, that took more space than I thought. On to Korihor. By reading and studying his messages, you will see all the arguments he hurled at Alma that are similarly hurled at the church today by its critics. See if these don’t sound familiar:

Church leaders’ motives are impure.

They glut themselves on the offerings of the members.

The church’s doctrines enslave people rather than free them.

There is no Christ.

There is a loving, all forgiving and friendly God who loves us as we are, so why work so hard being “good.”

The doctrines of the church are founded on the foolish traditions of long dead men.

What you see, feel or experience with your senses, is more important than what you learn through faith. (Atheists love this one, it’s the foundational axiom supporting the claim science is better than religion for teaching man about the world around him.)

Alma easily dismantles these arguments and exposes Korihor for the fraud he is. At the end of their debate, all Korihor does is demand, “I won’t believe until God shows me a sign.” So, God shows him one -- by striking him dumb and deaf. I like the judge’s observation, “who do you think God was going to manifest this sign on? Someone else?”

No longer useful to him, Satan abandons him. Like a used up candle, Korihor gutters out, trampled to death by the über self-righteous Zoramites.