What is the second tithe and what is its purpose? Is it scriptural, and if it is, are the people of YHWH still required to observe it?
In our search for an answer, let's first read words spoken by Yahushua the Messiah:
Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. (fulfil means to perform: Strong's greek 4137)
According to Yahushua, the Law of YHWH is still in effect. Yahushua kept the law, and if we are his followers, then we are expected to walk in his footsteps. Yahushua said...
John 8:29 - "And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him."
Yahushua always pleased his Father because he followed His commandments. That brings us to the topic of this study: "Has Father YHWH given us a commandment to keep a second tithe; and if so, is it still in effect?" The word tithe is an old English word that means tenth.
Let's now go back to the Torah and read the word of YHWH concerning His feast days:
Deuteronomy 16:16 - Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before YHWH thy Elohim in the place which he shall choose; in the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and in the Feast of Weeks, and in the Feast of Tabernacles: and they shall not appear before YHWH empty: 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of YHWH thy Elohim which he hath given thee.
According to the word of YHWH, all males are commanded to appear before YHWH three times a year, at the place where he has chosen. The place that YHWH chose, was where he placed his name (Deut. 14:23).
When the temple was still standing, the place was at Jerusalem. Now however, since the Temple is not standing, most keep the feasts at other places. However, whether we go to Jerusalem or to some other place for the feasts, there is a question that needs to be addressed: "Has our Heavenly Father provided a way for his people to be able to take off work and to go to his feasts without being financially burdened?" The answer is in His Word...
Deuteronomy 14:22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. 23 And thou shalt eat before YHWH thy Elohim, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear YHWH thy Elohim always. 24 And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which YHWH thy Elohim shall choose to set his name there, when YHWH thy Elohim hath blessed thee: 25 Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which YHWH thy Elohim shall choose: 26 And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before YHWH thy Elohim, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household.
This tithe is to be used by the people of YHWH to eat in His presence. How do we know that the preceding is not talking about the first tithe? The reason we know this is because the first tithe was exclusively for the priests, the sons of Levi...
Numbers 18:21 And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. 22 Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die. 23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance. 24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto YHWH, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.
YHWH speaks in Malachi about tithes and offerings.
Malachi 3:6 For I am YHWH, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. 7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith YHWH of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? 8 Will a man rob Elohim? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith YHWH of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith YHWH of hosts. 12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith YHWH of hosts.
Notice that the term "tithes" is plural, suggesting that there is more than one tithe (for commandments from YaHuWaH concerning the two tithes, see Numbers 18:21-24 and Deuteronomy 14:22-26).
In Haggai 1:5-6, YHWH speaks concerning the devourer...
Haggai 1:5 Now therefore thus saith YHWH of hosts, "Consider your ways. 6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes."
If one reads Deuteronomy 26:12 from the Septuagint, which is a Greek translation of the Old Testament, it says:
Deuteronomy 26:12 (Septuagint) And when thou hast completed all the tithings of the fruits in the third year, thou shalt give the second tenth to the Levite, and stranger, and fatherless, and widow; and they shall eat in thy cities and be merry.
In the book entitled, "Between the Lines of the Bible," which is a commentary on the 613 commandments found in the Torah, by Herbert Samuel Goldstein (1959), it lists the commandment concerning the second tithe as being commandment number 473 (see Deuteronomy 14:22-26).
The second tithe is truly a blessing from YHWH to His people. YHWH does provide! When the feast days come around, it is such a joy to be able to afford to buy the very best, and to have no concern about hurting our finances of day to day living.
YHWH speaks through Moses in Deuteronomy 4:5-8...
Deuteronomy 4:5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as YHWH my Elohim commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. 6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. 7 For what nation is there so great, who hath an Elohim so nigh unto them, as YHWH our Elohim is in all things that we call upon him for? 8 And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?"
I pray that there will be an awakening amongst YHWH's people who are not yet aware of who they are.
2Timothy 2:19 - Nevertheless the foundation of YHWH standeth sure, having this seal, YHWH knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of the Messiah depart from iniquity.
In conclusion, YHWH is to be praised...
2Samuel 7:22 Wherefore thou art great, O YHWH Elohim: for there is none like thee, neither is there any Elohim beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom Elohim went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their elohim?
Study by YermeYah