You Can Transform Your Financial Future

One of the first acts of obedience that Yehovah requires of His people is to gather—to harvest and set apart—the firstfruits of the land, as well as the first produce from their livestock. These offerings helped cover the expenses of the House of Yehovah (the Temple), provided for those in need, and supported the Levites, who devoted themselves full-time to the service of His House.

This raises a natural question: Since most of us today are not farmers or livestock owners, does this commandment still apply? And if so, how can we obey it?

In today’s world, it is nearly impossible to live without some form of regular income, whether through wages, rent, donations, or some other means of support. We might therefore ask whether this income can be compared to the benefits once obtained from the land and livestock—benefits that were recognized as blessings from Yehovah upon His faithful and hardworking people.

Everything we do today—speaking, of course, of honest and lawful activities—is possible because of the abilities, talents, skills, and relationships Yehovah has allowed us to develop. Shouldn’t the income or benefits that result from using those gifts also be considered blessings from Him? And if we conclude that they are, don’t we also have a responsibility to fulfill this commandment as faithfully as we can? By doing so, we acknowledge Yehovah as their ultimate source.

Once the people of Israel entered the Promised Land and gathered their firstfruits, they were required to come before Yehovah and declare before the priest:

I declare today to Yehovah your God that I have entered the land Yehovah swore to our fathers to give us… Then the priest shall take the basket from your hand and place it before the altar of Yehovah your God… And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land that You, Yehovah, have given me. And you shall place it before Yehovah your God and bow down before Yehovah your God.

Deuteronomy 26:3–4, 10

But this was not the only portion the people of Israel were commanded to set apart as an expression of gratitude to Yehovah. They were also required to provide for those in need among them:

I have removed the sacred portion from my house and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow, according to everything You commanded me. I have not transgressed Your commandments, nor have I forgotten them.

Deuteronomy 26:13

Wait! This passage is not only talking about setting apart what was consecrated to Yehovah—the firstfruits given to the priests—but also about providing for the stranger, the orphan, and the widow. This is profoundly significant! It is a call to generosity in general and to loosen our attachment to material possessions.

If we refuse to obey these instructions, we have very little Scriptural basis for expecting Yehovah’s blessing upon our finances.

Let’s Talk About the Controversial “Tithe”

Yehovah promised that if we obey Him by setting apart a tenth of what we receive through the abilities and talents He has given us, He will restrain the devourer for our sake:

‘Bring the entire tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My House. Test Me in this,’ says Yehovah of Hosts, ‘and see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour out a blessing until it overflows. I will rebuke the devourer for your sake, so that it will not destroy the fruit of your land, nor will your vine fail to bear fruit in the field,’ says Yehovah of Hosts.

Malachi 3:10–11

Therefore, disregarding or ignoring these instructions has consequences. If we fail to set apart the portion that belongs to Yehovah—the tithe—and the portion intended for those in need, we are breaking our covenant responsibilities toward Him. As a result, not only is the work of ministries affected, but those who serve through them suffer as well, along with widows, orphans, and strangers.

This is not because Yehovah has neglected them, but because those of us who should be channels of provision close our hearts and withhold what does not belong to us. In doing so, we come under a curse and give the devourer legal grounds to damage our finances.

Although Yeshua freed us from the righteous verdict of guilt that stood against us because we had broken the Torah, He did not free us from the responsibility of following His example and living lives set apart from the patterns of this world. When we recognize that we are sinning in any area of our lives, it is our responsibility to repent and return to obedience.

This principle applies to our finances as well. When we set apart our tithe—the portion of our income that belongs to Yehovah—we are turning back to Him, and He turns back to us:

Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says Yehovah of Hosts. “But you ask, ‘How shall we return?’ Will a man rob Elohim? Yet you are robbing Me. But you ask, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse, for you are robbing Me—the entire nation.

Malachi 3:7–9

A grateful heart shares with those who are in need.

What Do Our Brothers in Y’hudah Do?

Within Judaism, we find profound wisdom in the practice of tzedakah. This term, commonly translated as charity, actually carries the meaning of righteousness or justice. It is not merely a voluntary donation, but an obligatory commandment (mitzvah) intended to restore justice and balance within the community.

It is considered such a fundamental principle that, according to Jewish tradition, a person who refuses to practice it demonstrates such a serious disconnection from the essential values of the Jewish people that even the authenticity of that person’s faith and heritage may be questioned. Some sages taught that tzedakah is equivalent to all the commandments combined, and that one who refuses to practice it can be compared to an idolater, because he places his trust in wealth rather than in God.

No wonder Yeshua said:

…where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

This principle is reinforced in the New Testament (Brit Hadashah), where we are told that if we possess material resources, see a brother in need, and refuse to help him, we have reason to question whether the love of Yehovah truly dwells within us:

Whoever has the goods of this world and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him—how can the love of Elohim remain in him?

1 John 3:17

Of course, Yehovah rewards compassion and generosity. He promises that when we give to the poor and needy, to widows and orphans, He will repay us:

Whoever is gracious to the poor lends to Yehovah, and He will repay him for what he has done.

Proverbs 19:17

So, What Can We Do With Our Tithes?

First of all, we need to understand that the practice of tithing is, above all, a testimony on the part of the person who gives. By doing so, we acknowledge that our abilities come from Yehovah.

Originally, the tithe was brought to the House of Yehovah (the Temple) for its maintenance and to support the Levites and priests. Over time, however, many priests became corrupt, and what they received was no longer enough to satisfy their greed. By the time of Yeshua, the priestly establishment had allowed businesses involving money exchange and the sale of animals to operate within the Temple courts. This prompted Yeshua to drive them out, accusing them of turning His Father’s House into a den of thieves:

Then Yeshua entered the Temple and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves. And He said to them, ‘Is it not written, “My House shall be called a house of prayer for all nations”? But you have made it a den of thieves.’

Mark 11:15–17

After the destruction of Herod’s Temple, there was no longer a place to bring the tithes. Should we therefore conclude that we have been “freed” from this responsibility?

If our answer is yes, then perhaps we have failed to understand the purpose of the instruction. Remember what that purpose is: to acknowledge that everything comes from Yehovah and to demonstrate our gratitude and honor toward Him.

The question therefore remains: What should we do with the portion we set apart for Yehovah?

Personally, I see two options:

• In light of what Yeshua told His disciples when He sent them out—“The worker is worthy of his wages” (Luke 10:7)—it is entirely appropriate to use it to provide financial support for those who guide us and provide spiritual support.

• It may also be used to help those in genuine need: the widow, the orphan, the stranger—in other words, people who truly need assistance.

There will certainly be situations in which setting aside the full tithe may be difficult. In such cases, we should do what we can within our limitations. The important thing is that we do not use our circumstances as an excuse to avoid sharing the burdens of those who serve Yehovah, or to turn away from those in need.

Even if we ourselves are experiencing financial hardship, we should be willing to say, as Peter said to the lame man:

Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you.

Acts 3:6

So, finally, I invite you to reflect and ask yourself: What can I give? How can I help? How can I demonstrate my gratitude to Yehovah and Yeshua?

Pray and allow Yehovah to guide you in this matter.

The truth is that in the times in which we are living, we cannot afford to harden our hearts or place our trust in money. Scripture foretells a time when we will not be able to use it—when buying and selling will be restricted. Then it will be time to reap what we have sown:

Blessed is the one who considers the poor; Yehovah will deliver him in the day of trouble.

Psalm 41:1

Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and to bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him…? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly spring forth…

Isaiah 58:7–8

Whatever you did for one of the least of these My brothers, you did for Me.

Yeshua – Matthew 25:40 

Shalom!