This is how, and when, I believe tithes started:
Initially, God delivered wealth into the hands of Abram from a war with the local kings. Actually, it wasn't a war because the book of Hebrews terms it as being a "slaughter of the kings." In other words, they didn't stand a chance at winning!
Then God sent His Priest, Melchizedek, to meet with Abram for the purpose of serving him the Covenant meal, to remind him that it was God who delivered the kings into his hand, and gave him wealth!
"And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine..." Genesis 14:18
It is obvious that Abram gave the gift of his own free will, because of what is said in the book of Hebrews 7:4. "Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils." It did not say that God commanded him to give a tenth. The statement in Hebrews concurs with the statement made in Genesis 14:20, "Abram gave him tithes of all."
Also, we already know that Abram had high regards toward Melchizedek prior to meeting him on the day that he gave him the tithe, and the scripture calls Melchizedek a "great man" during the time that Abram lived. Therefore, Abram probably had a natural desire to bless Melchizedek, as well as a spiritual desire to bless him too.
Both of the following scriptures help to solidify the fact that Abram made an independent decision to give ten percent, which is a tithe, from the wealth that God had already delivered into his hands.
If you will read the entire story of Abram prior to him becoming Abraham, you will notice that God never commanded him to give a specific amount of the spoils anywhere. The Bible tells us that after Melchizedek bless both God and Abram, then Abram gave Melchizedek tithes of all.
You see, it was the words that Melchizedek preached, that prompted Abram to give the tithe. It was out of his appreciation to God for blessing him with the power to rescue his family, that he gave it. In other words, the tithe was Abram's "By-choice gift" or "Freewill gift" as a result of the goodness that God had just demonstrated, and because He sent His main man Melchizedek to remind him of it!
God revealed to me that the king of Sodom spoke up out-of-fear, because he was about to lose his entire kingdom, when he saw Abram give a portion of spoils from the slaughter of the kings to Melchizedek. Also, the king of Sodom recognized that Abram was a very generous man, because of the gift that he had given to Melchizedek, so the king of Sodom recommended unto Abram, to give the people from the kingdom of Sodom back to him, and for Abram to take the rest of the goods for himself.
Abram responded to the king of Sodom by saying, "...I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich." Genesis 14:22 & 23
Abram had made a promise to God that he would not personally take anything that belonged to the king of Sodom, but I believe God intended for Abram to give 100% of the Sodomite kingdom to Melchizedek, not just 10%. Mainly because the king of Sodom allowed all forms of evil doings within the kingdom of Sodom while he held the authority over it, and Melchizedek, the king of Salem, was the perfect person to bring about the righteous change that was needed in that kingdom.
I also believe that if Abram would have given the entire kingdom to Melchizedek, the city of Sodom would not have been destroyed by fire at a later date.
Abram gave Melchizedek, who was God's man and the king of peace [king of Salem], only 10% of the spoils, and he gave the king of Sodom [king of evil], 90% of the spoils. Does that transaction seem to be totally out of whack to you? It does to me!
I believe all Christians should reexamine the history behind giving tithes [10%], which is what Abram did. We should equally reexamine who Abram gave 90% to. I don't believe we should be following Abram's example in giving. However, Abraham's example of giving is the best example for us to follow, he gave his best gift to God, which was his son [Isaac}!
Be Blessed, and enjoy all future articles from Robert J. Parker, Sr.
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