Thursday: The Tithe of Melchizedek
Read Genesis 14:18-24 and Hebrews 7:1-10. Who was Melchizedek? Why did Abram give his tithe to this priest who seems to appear out of nowhere?
The sudden appearance of the mysterious Melchizedek is not out of place. After Abram has been thanked by the Canaanite kings, he now thanks this priest, a thankfulness revealed by his paying his tithe to him.
Image © Kim Justinen from GoodSalt.com
Melchizedek comes from the city of Salem, which means “peace,” an appropriate message after the turmoil of war. The component tsedek, “justice,” in the name of Melchizedek, appears in contrast to the name of the king of Sodom, Bera (“in evil”), and Gomorrah, Birsha (“in wickedness”), probably surnames for what they represent (Genesis 14:2).
Melchizedek appears after the reversal of the violence and evil represented by the other Canaanite kings. This passage also contains the first biblical reference to the word “priest” (Genesis 14:18). The association of Melchizedek with “God Most High” (Genesis 14:18, NKJV), whom Abram calls his own God (Genesis 14:22), clearly indicates that Abram saw him as priest of the God Abram served. Melchizedek is, however, not to be identified with Christ. He was God’s representative among the people of that time (see Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 1, Pages 1092, 1093).
Melchizedek officiates, indeed, as a priest. He serves “bread and wine,” an association that often implies the use of fresh-pressed grape juice (Deuteronomy 7:13, 2 Chronicles 31:5), which reappears in the context of the giving of the tithes (Deuteronomy 14:23). In addition, he extends blessing to Abram (Genesis 14:19).
Abram, meanwhile, “gave him a tithe of all” (Genesis 14:20, NKJV) as a response to God the Creator, the “Possessor of heaven and earth” (Genesis 14:19, NKJV). This title alludes to the introduction of the Creation story (Genesis 1:1, NKJV), where the phrase “heavens and earth” means totality or “all.” As such, the tithe is understood as an expression of gratitude to the Creator, who owns everything (Hebrews 7:2-6; compare with Genesis 28:22). Paradoxically, the tithe is understood by the worshiper not as a gift to God, but as a gift from God, because God gives us everything to begin with.
| Why is the act of returning tithe a powerful indicator of faith, as well as a great faith-building act? |
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I know that the story of Abram's meeting with Melchizedek (bit of a struggle to get the spelling right!) is used to support the practice of tithing, and it was also used in the book of Hebrews to justify the priesthood of Jesus. That is fair enough but there are a couple of other points that we sometimes overlook.
Abram's tithe: perhaps the overlooked point of this encounter was that nobody said to Abram, "Make sure you pay your tithe!" It was a voluntary gift, given with a glad heart. I hear some pretty awful justifications of tithe paying at times - to the extent that to a listener could be excused for thinking that the tithe system is a lay-by payment system for heavenly real estate. Tithing is something that is a heart decision, and not an institutional tax to see how good your accountancy skills are.
The sudden appearance of Melchizedek on history's pages is indicative that monotheism was not limited to the Abramic line. There were others who believed in one God outside of Abram and his family. Abram recognised a fellow believer and trusted him enough to pay his tithe of thanksgiving to him.
Perhaps the lesson modern Seventh-day Adventists need to take away from this short historical interlude is that there are others outside the church who deserve to be recognised for their faith and love of Jesus. We can afford to be less egocentric in our attitude and language towards others.
As you clearly point out, tithing is an act of worship, not a fee for service.
To me, the every-mysterious figure of Melchizedek hints at many more God worshipers throughout the ages who are not recorded in the Bible which follows only the family line through which the promised Savior will come. I think of Balaam, the prophet of God who sold is soul for expected fame and fortune. I think of the wise men who came to worship the newly incarnate Son of God when the religious leaders went on with their rote religion, unaware that the Desire of the Ages had been born.
I wonder how many faithful God worshipers there are today who are not recognized by any church or perhaps scattered throughout various religions. John said the Christ was the light who enlightens everyone who comes into the world. (John 1:9) Some follow the light, others don't. We are each responsible for the light God makes available to us.
It humbles me to think of all those who follow the Light amidst darkness, all alone, for all they know, yet faithful to the heavenly enlightenment. Some day they will stand with the innumerable multitude to greet the King of Glory coming in the clouds.
May God help each of us to be faithful to the Light He has given us.
Although the question relies about tithing, tithing regards about practical faith! And although here we may all belong to an "institutional" religion, as you say, God has His people every where! I met this lady, which knew about the 7th Day Adventist doctrines, but decided that her religion should be the same of her mom's... I told her that the most important thing is that one day we will all have to decide whether we stay on the TRUE or on the ERROR's side. All human beings are given free will to choose between GOOD or EVIL. And all will be judged by the Light God has given to each one!
There is a beautiful Bible story involving King David in 2 Samuel 23:13-17. David grew up in the hills surrounding Bethlehem. The Philistines captured Bethlehem and David and his army were trying to take it back, lying wait in a cave. David mentioned to 3 of his closest friends in the cave that he longed for some of the delicious water he grew up with from a well near the gate of Bethlehem. David was most likely only reminiscing wishfully, but his 3 soldier friends in a bold and unselfish moment decided to make his desire come true and fought their way through the Philistine ranks to get David some of that precious water. When they handed it to him, he did the most amazing and unusual thing. He poured the water on the ground!
David was a poet, and a man of God's own heart, and his actions show that he understood that the symbolic meaning of that water mattered very much. The men's lives were more valuable than his own comfort and pleasure. David poured it out to the Lord because God is the source of all life and the protection that enabled the three men to get the water and bring it back.
This story reminds me of a Northwest Coast Native American ceremonial feast I learned of in anthropology class in college. It was called a "potlatch". Community members would give away beautiful objects of wealth - blankets, cooking ware, carved cedar boxes, firearms, intricately embellished clothing, large hand-crafted canoes, jewelry, coppers. The wealthiest people were not only those who received the most, but those who gave away the most.
What stunned me as I watched film of these ceremonies, was that often piles of these beautiful, costly goods were burned up completely! Given away and then destroyed. Valuable items that took time and care to create or acquire, not kept and "hoarded", but in fact destroyed with great joy and celebration, to demonstrate a leader's wealth and power and superior generosity. These ceremonies reaffirmed connections with the supernatural world too, faith that the community would always have all it needed and more.
The Canadian Encyclopedia says, "As part of a policy of assimilation, the federal government banned the potlatch from 1884 to 1951 in an amendment to the Indian Act. The government and its supporters saw the ceremony as anti-Christian, reckless and wasteful of personal property. They failed to understand the potlatch’s symbolic importance as well as its communal economic exchange value." Just wow!
To me, the potlatch closely resembles what King David did, and what Abram did, and what all people of faith do....with our actions we show that relationships with each other matter more than "stuff" and that we owe back to God everything, recklessly so, sometimes being asked to give it ALL back Him (Gen. 22:2; Matt. 19:21-23). Or maybe we're ALWAYS being asked to give it ALL back (Luke 14:33; Rom 12:1-2). The potlatch could be the most "Christian" ceremony ever!
Where did the tithe come from? From the booty he rescued but Abraham said that he wasn’t going to take any?
Abram was very wealthy before this war. So his tithe would have come from that.
This part of Abram’s life really impresses me. Abram did not go to the rescue of Lot by himself. Mamre, Eshcol and Aner and all their fighting men supported Abram and took his direction in the rescue mission. These chieftains had a treaty of defense with Abram, not with Lot, but they were ready to put their lives on the line at Abram’s request. Why? They knew the heart of Abram. They knew that if they were under similar circumstances, Abram would not hesitate to support them. This is a remarkable testimony to Abram’s influence in the lives of these men.
Secondly, that their small force was able to rout the much superior force of the kings of the north must have seemed a miracle—because it was—and with no recorded loss of life. What a witness to the glory of God! Do you think that this might have made an impression on these chieftain friends of Abram? I do.
Thirdly, Abram takes no profit from the war. He swears an oath by ‘the Lord, the Most High God, Creator of heaven and earth” that he “will take nothing belonging to” the King of Sodom. This kind of action must have made a significant impression, not just on the King of Sodom, but on Mamre, Eshcol and Aner and their men. I wonder if they made similar relinquishments of their share of the booty.
The motivation for tithing is the last thing that impresses me. It is Abram’s thank offering to God for deliverance in the situation. As Maurice points out, he is not giving to get, he is giving in recognition of God supplying all his needs abundantly beyond what he could think or ask—for delivering not just Lot and his family, but all the captives.
Have you ever wondered why Abram spent half his life in Canaan? Was he just wandering around with no purpose? In what way was he claiming the promise of God to possess the land? I suggest the following:
Do you think that maybe God sent Abram to be a missionary to sin-sick Canaan, just as he has done with us?
Sonia raised an interesting question, which also came to my mind – ‘Who did the items belong to originally from which Abram ‘gave’ a ‘tithe’ to Melchizedek?
The city Salem and its king are not mentioned being part of the warfare at all. Could it be that Abram lived in the ‘general vicinity’ of the king of Salem and might have wanted to give him a ‘tribute’ from that which was obtained during the rescue mission in addition to what was recovered from that which belonged to Lot, his family. He obviously did not want to keep anything for himself!
Sodom’s king offered Abram the keep the ‘goods for himself’, but he refused. Who did the goods belong to in the first place? Abram refused these very same ‘goods’ with the comment to the king ‘lest you should say, “I have made Abram rich’; going on to stipulate to hold back the portions due to his men. Why would he take from that which he refuses for himself and give a ‘tithe’ to Melchizedek? It does not make sense.
The questions remains: from which goods did Abram offer the priest Melchizedek a portion?’
Could Abraham have given a tithe from his family's goods that were recovered?
Shirley - that is the question - but why call it a 'tithe'! Why would he have offered from the goods that belonged to Lot? Are other's property for us to give away to whom or for what we chose to do so?
Abram did not go out to bring back anything that was taken when the cities were destroyed through warfar, except Lot and his family and that which belonged to them.
I understand this to be his obligation to defend his family, but can he take it upon himself to give of that which belongs to his nephew without their consent?
I also find it telling about his integrity that he requested to hold back a portion to give to his men who engaged in the effort to rescue Lot.
It was just a suggestion, if that is not the answer, what do suggest?
I note that the enemy took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and possibly the people.
Abraham and his men (and possibly his allies/ neighbours) defeated the four kings (v17) and rescued Sodom's goods and people as well as what belonged to Lot.
I think as the head/priest of the family (who built the altars?) and with Lot's consent and thankfulness he gave a thank offering from Lot's rescued goods.
The young men of his army were given items from Sodom's rescued goods.
I believe the main point is that Abraham did not go to war to gain land or goods but to rescue people, he gave thanks to the LORD for the victory, only with the LORD's power could the enemies of the dwellers in Canaan be defeated.
By focusing on details the Bible has not clearly revealed, we are in danger of missing the lesson the story seeks to teach us.
The record mentions Abraham returning tithe *before* telling the king of Sodom that he would take nothing for himself. Thus the simplest reading would indicate that Abraham gave a tithe of all goods he had recovered in battle to God through Melchizedek in gratitude for the Lord's leading and giving him victory. But he would take nothing for himself. (By the rules of battle, all the goods would have belonged to Abraham.)
The bigger lesson here is that, even though there is no record of a tithe being required before this, tithing seems to have been practiced as a way of expressing gratitude to God. That's still a good reason to return tithe.
Good point. The simplest reading is the best. Thanks for catching this.
I agree that returning a faithful tithe remains a solid expression of one's gratitude to and dependence on Creator Provider, for continued sustenance.
Praise God for seasons of challenge! Like Abraham, it has been in times like these - diminishing of self - that the most lasting "goods" of my life have surfaced. It has been in times like these - acknowledging/stepping in the direction of His vision for my life - that blessings-in-disguise are revealed.
Like Melchizedek, Abraham and Jacob my tithe is but a simple demonstration of gratitude for God's miraculous leading - on-time spiritual and physiological provision - in my life.
I am reminded of a third-grader's memorized quote:
"Our Heavenly Father has a thousand ways to provide for us, of which we know nothing." E. G. White, MYP
"And we know that ALL things work together for good to them that are called according to His promise." Romans 8:28
'So glad God still reigns supreme!
The tithe issue is a little bit complex subject amongst adventists today. Who should we pay our tithes to? Who are the people who supposed to be supported with tithes? Where is the storehouse in our context today? And a few more but in the meantime, I'll stop here.
Simeon, I believe the answer lies between you and God. You could easily argue with any "answer" anyone else gives you. But if you truly want to express gratitude to God by returning a tithe of your increase to Him, you'll find that it's really not that complex. He will direct you.
I suggest taking a lesson from the time of Christ. Remember the two widow whom Christ observed giving her last three coins - all she possessed? Why did she give those coins at the temple? Did she believe that was God's storehouse? Why? Were the priests good servants of God who would not misuse the money? Or were they dishonest and greedy?
Last question: How did Christ view the offering of the poor widow? He said she gave more than all the others combined. In which way is this true?