Dear Essie O.,


Your Question: How did God come up with 10% for tithes?

My Answer(s): Let me thank you for visiting my web site, and submitting your question. I ask that my God and Holy Father in heaven will grant you understanding in His holy word. Now, your question is curious indeed. For, I don’t believe I have ever been asked this question concerning the commandment of men, the doctrine of the evil one to gain financial gain over you to give them 10% of your money.

Now, in 1 Samuel 8, the children of Israel came to Samuel the prophet of God and demanded that they be given a king to rule over them like all the other nations (1 Samuel 8:1-5). And Samuel, the prophet of God who judged the people was not happy with these rebels request. But, God told Samuel to honor the elders of Israel request because they were not rejecting Samuel but God, Himself (1 Samuel 8:6-8). Then God tells Samuel to forewarn the children of Israel about how the kings of other nations and the one He will appoint over them will act when they rule over them. Saying, "This will be the behavior of the king who reign over you… He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants (1 Samuel 8:11, 15-17 NKJV). These rebellious children of Israel had been rejecting God from the time that He had brought them up out of Egypt. Now, in the end they outright reject God demanding that a human king be placed over them to rule and fight their battles for them (1 Samuel 8:18-20). The verses in 1 Samuel 8:15-17 tell us that the ideal of the king collecting a tenth of the people herds and grains was something common from the beginning of time. And the nations since the beginning of time probably from Genesis 4, and the offerings of Cain and Abel gave a tenth of their herd and grain to the ruler of the people, the king. This ten- percent was used to support the king and his government.

Yes, and the word tithe itself means a tenth, a tenth part, to give a tenth, to exact a tenth from someone in both the Greek and Hebrew, see Strong number 04643 and 06240 for the Hebrew and Strong number 586, 575 and 1183 for the Greek. You know this would probably be a good question to ask those kings so-called pastors and preachers who demand to be paid a tenth of from their fellow professing Christian’s money to support their congregation's government.

Therefore, since God’s ways and thoughts are beyond our on reasoning as it is written:

Let us seek to do God’s will and paying a tenth of your money to some self-appointed gospel peddler is not God’s will under the New Covenant. I hope this will help you in your question. I pray that in all that you humble yourself before God as a little child, may God grant you what you ask according to His will. Amen. Praise God.

In Christ love,

Ron Davis, servant of God