New Interpretation of Malachi 3:10 I.E. Tithing

I tried this with Baptists' only and got no interest. See if this stirs up some Bible study here.

Question: Why would 100% of the tithe be brought to the Temple when 98% of the people it was designed to feed lived outside of Jerusalem in their Levitical cities?

7 Bible Reasons to Rethink the Tithe Text of Malachi 3:10 [as 2%, not 100%]

1. The first tithe (of three) was intended to replace property inheritance and to feed the Aaronic priests and their Levite servants. The Levite servants to the priests received the whole tithe and the Aaronic priests received one tenth of the whole tithe, plus many other offerings (Numbers 18; Deu 12:12; 14:27-29; 18:1-2; Josh 13:14, 33; 14:3; 18:7; Ezek 44:28)

2. The vast majority of the priests and Levites lived in their Levitical cities around Jerusalem. Jerusalem was not a Levitical city. (Joshua 20, 21; Numbers 35; First Chronicles 6:51-81; Second Chronicles 31:15-19; Nehemiah 10:37; 11:29; 13:10.) Naturally, most of the tithe was sent to where most of the Aaronic priests and their Levite servants lived with their families.

3. There were far too many priests and Levites than needed to serve in the Temple. Therefore, both the Aaronic priests and Levite servants were divided into twenty four (24) courses for one week terms of service in the Temple -- roughly two weeks per year, plus special holy days. Thus, only four to six percent (4-6%) of the families who required the tithe as food were ministering at the Temple at any one time. (1st Chronicles 28:13, 21; 2nd Chronicles 8:14; 23:8; 31:2, 15-19; 35:4, 5, 10; Neh. 11:30; 12:24).

4. Among this 4-6% of the families of priests and Levites ministering at the Temple, only male priests over thirty yeas of age and male Levites over the age of twenty went to the temple.
Therefore, even if these composed half of the family, the total percentage of priests and Levites at the Temple at any given time period would not exceed 2-3% of the total. (1st Chronicles 23:3; 2nd Chron.31:15-19).

5. Nehemiah 10: 35-39 and 2nd Chronicles 31:15-19 are very clear that the tithe went to the Levitical cities and was distributed to the 96-97% of the priests and Levites living in those cities as their food supply.

6. Therefore, common sense teaches us that the “portions” “as each day required” found in Nehemiah 12:44 and 47 and 2nd Chronicles 31:14 was only this 2-3% of the total tithe required to feed the 2-3% of the priests and Levites taking their turn ministering for one week. It is equally clear that the remainder of the tithe was given by “portion” to the families of the priests and Levites --not at the Temple-- but in their
Levitical cities, per 2nd Chronicles 31:15-19.

7. Conclusion: Unless the above biblical presentation can be proven to be wrong, then there is a fundamental error in the usual interpretation of Malachi 3:10. For much greater detail on the level of a Ph.D. dissertation, please read my book for FREE at
www.home.earthlink.net/~russkellyphd
Neh 10:35 firstfruits of land to temple storehouse for priests
Neh. 10:36 firstfruits of herds to temple storehouse for priests
Neh. 10:37a firstfruits of bread to temple storehouse for priests
Neh. 10 37b WHOLE TITHE to LEVITICAL CITIES for LEVITES
Neh 10:38 1/10th of tithe to temple storehouse for priests

2 Chron 31:14-19 most of both tithes stayed in the cities
Neh. 12:44, 47 those ministering had their portion of their tithe