“Then Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, ‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.’”

So Melchizedek, the priest of the Most High God, God’s representative in the earth at particular time in the life of Abraham, blessed him. And now, how did Abraham respond? It says then Abraham gave Him, Melchizedek, a tenth of everything. He tithed everything that he had gained in victory to the priest of God, Melchizedek.

Now it’s important to see that Abraham is presented in the New Testament as a father and a pattern to all subsequent believers. This is what Paul says in Romans 4:11–12:

“So then, he [that’s Abraham] is the father of all who believe [and then he goes on to say in the next verse:] ...he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised [which is at the time Melchizedek met him].”

So, in order to be children of Abraham, we have to walk in the steps of Abraham’s faith and that includes handling our money the way Abraham handled his. And then it goes on in the next passage in Romans 4:16:

“Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.”

So, Abraham is our father when we walk in the footsteps of his faith and when we have the same faith that he had and that includes his faith in the area of finance and material possessions.

And then we move on to the example of Jacob, Abraham’s grandson. Genesis 28:20–22. Jacob, because of the way he had tricked Isaac, his father, and also Esau, his brother, became a refugee. He had to leave the land of inheritance and he went off to seek his fortune in Mesopotamia. And when he set out all he had in his hand was one staff. And this is what Jacob says:

“Then Jacob made a vow, saying, ‘If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s house, then the Lord will be my God. This stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.’”

That’s tithing again. And Jacob said, “That’s the basis of my relationship with God. He provides my needs and I, in return, give Him back a tenth of all that He provides for me.”

And then we read Jacob’s testimony twenty years later in Genesis 32:9–10.

“Then Jacob prayed, ‘O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O Lord, who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’ [Notice that key word ‘prosper.’ Then Jacob continues:] ...I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups [two bands].’”

God’s Plan For Your Money

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