Whence the Tithe?

It’s not hard to figure this out.
In primordial times, humans knew instinctively there was at least one higher being with some measure of control over how well they survived. Western Civilization attempts to smother that instinct, but it’s standard equipment. Thus, it’s no surprise humans have always had an impulse to make some sort of offering to the deity or deities they could surmise. The Genesis narratives assume this common knowledge. Thus, you cannot read Scripture without grasping this underlying concept. If your efforts to feed yourself succeed in some measure, you try to share some of that success with God.
Not that He needs to eat, but you acknowledge Him by your willingness to share. What you do with that share is symbolism. In ancient times the symbolism was burning it or something like that. Since Christ, we easily understand the better symbolism is giving it to someone else. In particular, we are taught to look for someone who might actually need it.
Very early humans recognized that working together in groups would enhance the results of trying to feed, clothe and shelter ourselves. Families tended to stay as physically close as possible and keep working to create a system that made the most of everyone’s capabilities to contribute to the collective welfare. There was no question that those less capable still got a share. By extension, someone more capable of doing something equally important also got a share. So if you had a talented guard who spent time guarding instead of making food, you still fed him.
The fundamental concept of the king is actually warlord. This is no mystery. You feed this big brute while he spends his time improving defenses for the community. If there’s no immediate threat, he spends his time getting ready for the inevitable time they will come. So it goes all the way back to ancient times that you would pay some sort of tax for your safety. By extension, lots of people do important things that don’t produce food. Those who do produce food are able to produce more and live a better life because of what those who don’t produce contribute to that life. If you want to be selfish, try producing food without all those other folks. You may be lucky to survive.
The Ancient Near East built a cultural assumption that included all this. Somehow they arrived at the idea a tenth was about right for basic community maintenance, plus up to another tenth for community contingencies. This only ever applied to those who produced what was needed. In the Covenant of Moses, it was all about food. That is, eating was something you had to do every day. All the other stuff people produced that wasn’t food could wait until it was needed. So the ritual system of sacrifice meant food sacrifices on a regular basis commensurate with shared prosperity. If God allowed a good harvest, you shared more, but it was still a tenth of what you produced. You could offer anything you liked for other purposes; in that culture it was pretty common for people to feel like sharing, if for no other reason than generosity was a sign of greatness. The local bigshot always made sure he was the most generous; it was downright competitive at times.
We have a slender, dirtier version of that buried in the depths of Western Civilization. Our version is about showing off, while the ANE version was all about community welfare. They were looking at keeping everything stable and predictable as possible, since life is inherently unpredictable at best. The fundamental promise of the rainbow is all about God amplifying our efforts to conform to His expectations. If we genuinely seek stability according to what He reveals as the best way to achieve it, He feeds His power back into the natural system to make it easier. He’s already done as much as He’s going to, and the ball is in our court. The Western version tries to make man the deity, intensely selfish and arrogant, yet fearful and suspicious, by contrast.
The modern Western Christian notion of tithing is entirely a product of Western mythology preying upon the confused and ill-informed conscience of the people. The words about tithing do appear in Scripture, but what is taught and practiced is a blasphemous perversion compared to what Scripture says from within its own culture. People who don’t cultivate food plants or animals never had to tithe. Simply gathering wild produce, including fishing, was not covered under tithing, nor any other productive economic activity. All that other stuff was a matter of various offerings other than tithes. Pulling up all these mentions of giving to God as the psychological leverage to compel the conscience of Christians to tithe and then some from their income is criminal in God’s eyes.
It seems a deep illness infecting Western Christian leaders. They love to hammer “the little people” with abusive perversions of Scripture. I’m sure you are acquainted with how Romans 13 is twisted that way, trying to convince you God demands you love and support whatever evil government you happen to be born under. Nothing of the sort; Paul ends the chapter by pointing out how the sacrificial love of Christ is all the law we need. If you care and give according to the Spirit, reading it from the Mind of Christ, you realize God is pleased with your dismissal of human demands that conflict with His calling on your life. Sure, there will be consequences and you don’t go out of your way to provoke trouble. That’s simply the context in which you obey the Lord in this fallen world. You can disobey those alleged Christian leaders, too.
Here in our house church, we assume God can lead you to dispose of your resources according to His own plans. Sure, I have a donation page linked at the top of this blog, but that’s just because some have asked for it. I don’t pass the hat and you should feel not the slightest tinge of guilt when you ignore the hat or plate or basket or bucket passed in front of you.