Sunday, December 6, 2015

*Laws #261-269 ~ BOOK SEVEN: THE BOOK OF SEEDS (Laws of the Second Tithe and Fourth Year Produce)


*Omitted (should not have been added to the Laws)
**Changed (a misinterpretation of the Law or based on the wrong scripture)
***No Longer Kept (No longer applicable today)


***Law #261 To set aside the second tithe (Festival Tithe)

Deut. 14:22 “Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field brings for the year by year.”

The command refers to the Festival Tithe (Ma’aser Sheni).  Here we see a command to tithe.  In vs. 23 we see which tithe this passage refers to: “And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place His name there”…vs. 25 explains that if that place be too far, exchange the tithe into coin and upon arrival, purchase whatever you desire.  So, the Israelites consumed this tithe during their festival travels. 

***Law #262 Not to spend its redemption money on anything but food, drink, or ointment

Deut. 26:14 “I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away aught thereof for any unclean use, nor given aught thereof for the dead: but I have hearkened to the voice of the Lord my God, and have done according to all that thou has commanded me.”

Read in full context, the command here is not to spend the Festival tithe on anything but food, drink or ointment (see vs. 12-14)

Consuming Festival Tithes while Impure

*** Law #263 Not to eat Ma’aser Sheni (Festival Tithe) while impure

Deut. 26:14 “I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away aught thereof for any unclean use, nor given aught thereof for the dead: but I have hearkened to the voice of the Lord my God, and have done according to all that thou has commanded me.”

This same scripture also includes the commandment not to consume the Festival tithe while impure.

Consuming Festival Tithes while in Mourning

*** Law #264 A mourner on the first day after death must not eat Ma’aser Sheni (Festival Tithe)

Deut. 26:14 “I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away aught thereof for any unclean use, nor given aught thereof for the dead: but I have hearkened to the voice of the Lord my God, and have done according to all that thou has commanded me.”

This command reiterates the previous in that not only was the tithe not to be spent on anything but food, drink and ointment but it must not be consumed on the first day after death (in mourning).

***Law #265 Not to eat Ma’aser Sheni grains outside of Jerusalem

Deut. 12:17 “Thou may not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, wine and oil or the Firstlings of thy herds…vs. 18 but thou must eat them before the Lord thy God in the place which [He] shall choose.” 

This place is the holy place in Jerusalem.  This is why the Festival Tithe is no longer kept.  Scattered Israel no longer travels to Jerusalem for the Feasts.  Therefore, no Law which pertains to the Festival Tithe can be observed any longer.

***Law #266 Not to eat Ma’aser Sheni wine products outside of Jerusalem

Deut. 12:17 The command in the same scripture above is not to consume wine outside of Jerusalem (Festival Tithe)

***Law #267 Not to eat Ma’aser Sheni oil outside Jerusalem

Deut. 12:17 The command in the same scripture above is not to consume oil outside of Jerusalem (Festival Tithe)

***Law #268 The fourth year crops must be totally for holy purposes like Ma’aser Sheni

Lev. 19:24 “But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to praise the Lord with.”

The command is that the Festival tithe to be used totally for holy purposes in the fourth year. 

***Law #269 To read the confession of tithes every fourth and seventh year

Deut. 26:13-15 “Then thou shalt say before the Lord thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mind house and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them. Vs. 14 I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away aught thereof for any unclean use, nor given aught thereof for the dead: but I have hearkened to the voice of the Lord my God, and have done according to all that thou hast commanded. Vs. 15 Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swore unto our fathers, a land that flows with milk and honey.”

This is the confession of tithes the Israelites were commanded to confess in the third year and seventh year of tithing in obedience. 

 None of these Commandments can be kept today, as the Festival Tithe was meant to be consumed in the land, at the Temple. 

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