“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. However, 2 Corinthians 9 instructs us on the importance of giving to others, that in our giving, God will bless us with a replenishment. The New Testament does not clearly indicate it. Because of the new covenant of grace established by Jesus by His crucifixion and resurrection, some scholars debate if God still holds believers to the 10 percent rule. Under the old covenant God made with Moses, every person must tithe 10 percent, the first part of one’s income. “Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase.” Proverbs 3:9 And you shall eat before the LORD your God in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.” Deuteronomy 14:22-23 “You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year. “And concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the LORD.” Leviticus 27:32 As written, it is very close to the word osher, which means “wealth.” The connection is why some people believe 10 is the number for tithing in such Scriptures as these: The Hebrew word for the number 10 is eser. Remember, too, the Garden of Eden, a holy place God created as a place for Adam to interact with Him physically-a place of “union.” Tithing 10% God’s divine authority over creation and the holiness He placed on it is clearly indicated in this portion of Scripture. “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” Genesis 1:26Īlso, in Genesis 1, God created 10 things on the first day of creation and 10 things on the sixth and final day of creation, and He declared it all “good.” We see evidence of this in Genesis 1, which recounts the creation story and the phrase “God said” 10 times. Put together, 10 indicates God’s authority over mankind and the divine completion He made. Four is the number of physical creation, and 6 is the number of man, as mentioned. With this thought in mind, we find two factors of the number 10 are 4 and 6. This belief is why rabbis regard 10 as meaning holiness, something holy enough as a whole that whatever God creates becomes a resting place for His presence (Shekinah Glory). In its original meaning, some believe 10 indicates “union” or “collection.” In Judaism, the rabbis regard the number 10 as a cohesive system of smaller parts that combine to create something whole. The number 10, mentioned 242 times in the Bible, also has a special meaning-authority, completeness of order, and responsibility. For example, the number 6 is the number of man, the number 3 means divine perfection and permanence, and the numbers 7 and 12 mean completion and spiritual perfection, i.e., holiness. “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12Īny time we see a number in the Bible, it is meant to convey a specific meaning.
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