Gospel Principles
Unit 7: Perfecting Our Lives
Chapter 32: Tithes and Offerings
Concept 5: We Are Blessed When We Give Tithes and Offerings
"The Lord promises to bless us as we faithfully pay our tithes and offerings. He said, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith ... if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. " (Malachi 3:10).
Latter-day revelation tells of another blessing for those who tithe: "Verily it is a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming." (D&C 64:23).
The blessings we have been promised are both material and spiritual. If we give willingly, Heavenly Father will provided our daily needs for food, clothes, and shelter. He will also help us grow "in a knowledge of God, in a testimony, in the power to live the gospel and to inspire our families to do the same" (Heber J. Grant, Gospel Standards, p. 58).
Those who pay their tithes and offerings are greatly blessed. They have a good feeling that they are helping to build the kingdom of God on earth.
Discussion
Name three blessings we receive from being obedient to the law of tithing.
Additional Scriptures
dc/119/1-4#1">D&C 119:1-4 (the law of tithing)
"1 Verily, thus saith the Lord, I require all their surplus property to be put into the hands of the bishop of my church in Zion,
2 For the building of mine house, and for the laying of the foundation of Zion and for the priesthood, and for the debts of the Presidency of my Church.
3 And this shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people.
4 And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my holy priesthood, saith the Lord."
Genesis 14:19-20; Alma 13:13-16 (Abraham paid tithes)
>Genesis 14: 19-20
"19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all."
Alma 13:13-16
"13 And now, my brethren, I would that ye should humble yourselves before God, and bring forth >fruit meet for repentance, that ye may also enter into that rest.
14 Yea, humble yourselves even as the people in the days of Melchizedek, who was also a high priest after this same order which I have spoken, who also took upon him the high priesthood forever.
15 And it was this same Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid tithes; yea, even our father Abraham paid tithes of one-tenth part of all he possessed.
16 Now these ordinances were given after this manner, that thereby the people might look forward on the Son of God, it being a type of his order, or it being his order, and this that they might look forward to him for a remission of their sins, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord."
2 Chronicles 31:5-6, 12; Nehemiah 10:37-38 (children of Israel paid tithing)
2 Chronicles 31:5-6, 12
"5 ¶ And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly.
6 And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the Lord their God, and laid them by heaps.
" " "
12 And brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully: over which Cononiah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next."
Nehemiah 10:37-38
"37 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.
38 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."
3 Nephi 24:8-10 (will a man rob God?)
"8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say: Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house; and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the >windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it."