USING YOUR TITHE FOR STRONG DRINK?

By HERB EVANS, Ltt.D.

157 PATTIES PLACE

PORTERSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA 16051

E-Mail: herbevans@juno.com

Thou shalt truly TITHE all the increase OF THY SEED, that the FIELD bringeth forth year by year. And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, IN THE PLACE which he shall CHOOSE to place HIS NAME THERE, the tithe of thy CORN [raw grain], of thy WINE [fresh grapes], and of thine OIL [ripe olives], and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always. And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be TOO FAR from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee: 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: 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 . . . -- Deut. 14:22-26

This passage is quoted to prove that the Bible permits an O.T saint to use his tithe to buy and drink alcoholic wine and strong drink, if he was too far from the God’s house. It also is used to prove that the Bible permits the social drinking of intoxicants. Of course, the verse is quoted out of its context without the benefit of any comparison to its related passages. So, we need to hear the rest of the story.

The first thing (in this passage) that needs to be pointed out is that we are dealing with the tithe that the field brings forth, the corn (raw grain), the wine (fresh grapes), the oil (ripe olives), and the flocks and herds. If the tither could not get to the temple, with his tithe of goods, due to distance or encumbrance, he was given the option to exchange the tithe of the fruit of the field and herds for money.

He was then instructed to go to the temple location and convert the money back into goods (sheep, grapes, olives, grain, and yes, even strong drink) and tithe it. Second, the word "lusteth" is not used in the perverted sense but in the sense of the word that follows it, that which one "desireth" to buy. The tither was to partake of his reconstituted goods, eating it (not drinking it) before the Lord, with his servants, while at the temple location.

Not To Eat At Home

Thou mayest NOT EAT WITHIN THY GATES the TITHE of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock . . . But thou must eat them BEFORE THE LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates . . . Only the HOLY THINGS which thou hast, and thy vows, thou shalt take, and go unto the place which the LORD shall choose. -- Deut. 12:17,18, 26

And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and OUR OFFERINGS, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the TITHES of OUR GROUND unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities OF OUR TILLAGE . . . and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house. For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, of the NEW wine, and the oil, unto the chambers . . . -- Neh. 10:37-39 (13:5, 12 - new wine)

The tithe, the firstfruits, and the offerings were not to be eaten at home. They were to be eaten at the temple before the Lord. The tither's servants and the Levites and priests were to be provided with provisions as well as the means for the sacrifices. Note that they were to be given NEW WINE.

The priests were specifically prohibited from the DRINKING of STRONG DRINK, while engaged in temple duties. Notice also that they were to bring the HOLY THINGS that they needed “FOR OUR OFFERINGS,” i.e., STRONG DRINK, not for their consumption.

The Destination Of The Tithes And Sacrifices

But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: And thither ye shall bring your burnt OFFERINGS, and your SACRIFICES, and your TITHES . . . And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God . . . Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes. -- Deut. 12:5-8

Take heed to thyself that thou OFFER NOT your burnt offerings in EVERY PLACE that thou seest: But in the place which the LORD shall choose in one of thy tribes, THERE thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings . . . -- Deut. 12:13, 14

A saint was not to do what was right in his own eyes. Sacrifices and the tithes and the offerings were not to be offered anywhere or everywhere nor were they to be offered at a whim.

They were to be offered and eaten at the Lord’s specified place, where He chose unto His habitation, where His name was (a good example/object lesson for tithing and working in and through one's own local church). Note the "strong drink" and "burnt" offerings as follows:

Strong Drink And The

Burnt Offering

It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in mount Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD. And the DRINK OFFERING thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou cause the STRONG WINE to BE POURED unto the LORD for a drink offering. And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even: as the meat offering of the morning, and as the drink offering thereof, thou shalt offer it, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD. -- Num. 28:6-8 (Exo. 29:38-41)

And thou shalt bring for a DRINK OFFERING half an hin of WINE [STRONG], for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD. -- Num. 15:10

DO NOT DRINK WINE NOR STRONG DRINK, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go INTO the TABERNACLE of the congregation, lest ye die . . . -- Lev. 10:9

The burnt offering consisted of two lambs, one offered by fire in the morning and one offered at even in the holy place. The drink offering accompanied the burnt offering and consisted of strong wine/drink being poured out unto the LORD. Here we find the PURPOSE for strong wine/drink. It was not for per- sonal consumption but for pouring out in the holy place.

The burnt offering and the drink offering were typical of the wrath of God, which was poured out on His Son (Rev. 14:8, 10, 19; 16:19; 18:3). Strong drink, a product of leaven, was not to be drunk by even the priests that entered the tabernacle.

Some of the offerings were leavened some were not. The meat, sin, trespass, peace, and thanksgiving offerings were baked without leaven (Lev. 6:15-17; 7:12; 10:12; Num. 6:17). The new meat offering with its drink offerings and peace offering (Lev. 7:13) and wave offerings (Lev. 23:15-18) were baked with leaven AND BURNT on the altar (Lev. 23:15-18).

It seems that if holiness and sinlessness were to be portrayed, leaven was not employed. Still, when sin or judgment of sin were being portrayed, leaven and fire were employed. Still, blood was not to be offered with leaven (Exo. 34:25), which typified the Saviour’s blood.

The First, The Best, And The Freshest

The FIRSTFRUIT also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the FIRST of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him. -- Deut. 18:4

And whatsoever is first RIPE in the land, which they shall bring unto the LORD, shall be thine; every one that is CLEAN in thine house shall eat of it. -- Num. 18:13

As for the oblation of the FIRSTFRUITS, ye shall offer them [NEW wine not OLD wine] unto the LORD: but they shall NOT BE BURNT on the altar for a sweet savour. -- Lev. 2:12

And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage. And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house. For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, of the NEW WINE, and the oil, unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God. -- Neh. 10:37-39

The best and the freshest is the rule of the tithe. It was to be eaten by the tither, the priest, and the Levite. NEW wine was to be drunk, OLD wine (STRONG DRINK) was to be a poured out drink offering.

Strong drink is not suited form human consumption (un- less you are dying). If you want to use your tithe for strong drink, have the decency to POUR it out as a DRINK OFFERING, as a Christian living sacrifice . . . down the sink or TOILET or dump it on your barbecue charcoal. 