TITHE HOAX: ② a Church Building is NOT “the house of the LORD” ( Mal 3:10)

Dear in Christ,


This is the second article in this series, please ensure that you have read the first part.

Mal 3:10, the trump card of those who haven't learned the scriptures!

Our Pastor John Doe found an old Movie theater, that is no more in use, and got it completely renovated and dedicated it as his church. Now he demands the congregation to pay him tithe according to Mal 3:10. Unfortunately, for Pastor John Doe, unlike the days when his dad used to be a pastor, 21^st century Christians are not scriptural illiterates to swallow anything that is thrown to them. They have Bibles in their tablets and mobile phones that they carry with them and they study their Bibles to prove themselves approved.

Mal 3:10 Bring all the tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. And test Me now with this, says Jehovah of Hosts, whether I will not open the windows of the heavens for you and pour out a blessing until there is no sufficiency of room to store it.

Did Jehovah imply the movie theater turned church of Pr. John Doe by the term “My house”? In the Old Testament, the tabernacle in the wilderness as well as the temple that Solomon built were called the house of Jehovah (Exo 40:34, 35; 1Ki 8:10, 11). The tabernacle was constructed according to the pattern that was shown to Moses by Jehovah, while they were on Mount Sinai (Heb 8:5). The temple at Jerusalem was constructed according to the plan that Jehovah shown to David (1Ch 28:11-18). Stones for the temple were cut at a remote location so the clanking sounds of axes, hammers and chisels won't be heard at the site where the temple was built (1Ki 6:7).

Who knows as to who designed the old movie theater that Pr. John Doe purchased and converted into a church? Though there are no records of where the stones for the building were cut and polished, hammers, power drills and chainsaws were used while renovating the building; trucks were used in transporting building materials. The people in the neighborhood were so much annoyed with the noise pollution from the construction activities that they considered lodging a complaint with the competent authorities. Nonetheless, Pr. John Doe, wants to claim that his church is the house of God!

While the tabernacle and the temple built by Solomon were dedicated to Jehovah, there were undeniable signs of divine acceptance.

Lev 9:23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation. And they came out and blessed the people; and the glory of Jehovah appeared to all the people.
Lev 9:24 And fire came out from before Jehovah and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. And all the people saw, and cried aloud, and fell on their faces.
1Ki 8:10 And it happened as the priests went out from the Holy of Holies, that the cloud filled the house of Jehovah,
1Ki 8:11 and the priests were not able to stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of Jehovah had filled the house of Jehovah.

Let me ask you, Pr. John Doe, were there any visible signs of divine acceptance while you dedicated your church? If there were, are there any photographs or video clips to substantiate your claims? If there are none, you will have to admit that the building that you call as church is not the house of God!

Tithes for farmers to go on picnics and to have brandy and whisky!

In the previous post we have seen that the tithes were meant to feed the Levites, widows, orphans and strangers. (Deut 26:12).

Jehovah is not insensitive to require people living in far-flung corners of Israel, especially, the tribes which obtained inheritance on the eastern side of Jordan to carry their agricultural products as tithe to Jerusalem. Asking farmers who till the ground to transport their tithes across mountain terrains and Jordan river is simply untenable. There were provisions in the Law to handle such situations.

Deu 14:24 And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it (tithe - Deu 14:22); or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there (Jerusalem), when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:
Deu 14:25 Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: (it could be any place.)
Deu 14:26 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 the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,
Deu 14:27 And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.

If the place that Jehovah chooses to place his name - Jerusalem - is too far for the farmer, he has to sell his agricultural products and take the money and go on a family picnic to a destination, which Jehovah would suggest, and enjoy, eating, boozing (read Deu 14:26 again, “wine, or strong drink”) and engaging in everything that his soul desires. As long as he does this, he does it in the presence of Jehovah. (Some puritan or legalist out there would misuse this article to accuse me of promoting sinful lifestyle. I can only pity their scriptural illiteracy.)

Please note that the passage specifically mentions that Levites should not be forsaken. In fact, the chapter mentions that the tithe should be enjoyed by those who till the land, their families, and the poor widows, orphans, strangers and the Levites, who are not given inheritance with the rest of Israel. (Deu 14:22-29)

The passage doesn't say that tithes are to be brought to the temple or handed over to the priest. It is meant for the farmer and his family (and the poor in his neighborhood) to relax from the dreariness of their hard work! So, Pastor John Doe, you don't deserve a penny from the tithe that farmers are instructed to practice.

... to be continued in Part #3, Fake Testimonies.

In Christ,

Tomsan Kattackal.