Lesson 2. The Tenth. Biblical Foundational Principles for Financial Well-Being. Everyone who applies these principles will have financial provision for themselves and for serving others. This school was developed by Dmitriy Leo, senior pastor of Father’s Blessing Church.
The tenth is thanksgiving, honor, and obedience to God.
1. The Tenth Is Thanksgiving
Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils as an expression of gratitude even before the tithe appeared among the commandments of the Law.
Genesis 14:18–20: Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hands.” Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Abraham was the first of the biblical heroes to do this, and he also taught this principle to his son Isaac, who in turn taught it to his son Jacob. Later, this principle appeared in the Law as one of the commandments.
Jacob thanked God with a tenth of all his income for His protection, provision, blessing, and for being with him.
Gen. 28:20–22: Then Jacob made a vow, saying: “If God will be with me and watch over me on this journey, give me food to eat and clothes to wear, so that I return safely to my father’s household, and if the Lord will be my God, then this stone that I have set up as a memorial stone will be God’s house, and of everything You give me I will give You a tenth.”
Jacob promised to give God a tenth of everything He would provide for him. The Bible describes how abundantly God blessed Jacob and his descendants. There is no doubt that Jacob continued to keep his promise and give God a tenth.
2. The Tenth Is Honor and Obedience
The prophet wrote that by not bringing the tithe, people rob not the “storehouse,” but God Himself. The Lord said that the tenth belongs to Him. In return, He promised to open the windows of heaven and pour out material blessings in such abundance that there would not be room enough to receive them. God also promised to prevent pests from destroying the crops of those who honor Him with the tithe.
Mal. 3:8–11: “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob Me. But you ask, ‘How are we robbing You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing Me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,” says the Lord of Hosts, “and see if I will not throw open the windows of heaven and pour out so much blessing on you that there will not be room enough to receive it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the fruit on the vines in your fields will not fall,” says the Lord of Hosts.
God still controls the windows of heaven and rules over the devourers. For this reason, Christians return to God the tenth that belongs to Him (from all their income). As a result, they receive open windows of heaven and protection for the remaining 90 percent.
Conclusion
The tenth gives us the opportunity to thank God, honor Him, and demonstrate obedience to His Word. Numerous testimonies prove that the principle of the “tenth” works.
Testimonies:
“If all the church members bring their tithes, we will have our own building”
One pastor told this story:
When we did not yet have our own building, I received a prophecy from God and told the church: “If all the church members bring their tithe, we will have our own building.” We experienced great inconvenience because we constantly had to rent a facility. The prophecy was very timely! People received this word with reverence and began bringing their tithes. A few months later, by a MIRACLE, we were able to buy a building with a 1,050-seat auditorium for an amount equal to the price of a single apartment! Today, our building is valued at $1.5 million.
“His cow will not recover because he does not honor God”
A pastor’s son told how their neighbor’s cow once became ill. His father, being a pastor, told him that the cow would not recover because the neighbor did not honor God with tithes and offerings. A few days later, the neighbor’s cow actually died.
Then the pastor’s cow began showing symptoms of the same illness. The son asked what they should do now. His father opened the Bible and read the promise from Malachi that God would rebuke the devourer for those who honor Him with tithes and offerings. The cow recovered, and it was a good lesson about the benefits of tithing.
Source: Father’s Blessing Church
Teacher: Dmitriy Leo
