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Posted by Pope Reverend I, BV on 12/7/2007, 12:21 pm, in reply to "Pope you're a good"
...this aging "Hippie" never was a big fan of "War".
I'm much more comfortable singing along with that old gospel tune...
-- "Down by the Riverside".
Gonna lay down my sword and shield, (Where?)
Down by the riverside,
Down by the riverside,
Down by the riverside.
I'm gonna lay down my sword and shield, (A-ha)
Down by the riverside
I'm gonna study war no more
I ain't a gonna study war no more
I ain't a gonna study war no more
I ain't a gonna study war no more
I ain't a gonna study war no more
I ain't a gonna study war no more
I ain't a gonna study war no more
Oh, if only more people would sing that tune!
-- (Someone really ought to teach it to George!)
Anyway...
I'm not really sure what you're looking for...
Maybe... something like this...?
SHOULD THE CHURCH TEACH TITHING?
1. The Origin and Definition of Tithing
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[scroll down a bit]
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. Westminster Dictionary of the Bible -- “A 10th part of one’s income consecrated to God. The separation of a certain proportion of the products of one’s industry or of the spoils of war as tribute to their gods was practiced by various nations of antiquity. The Lydians offered a tithe of their booty (Herod. I, 89). The Phoenicians and Carthaginians sent a tithe annually to the Tyrian Hercules. These tithes might be regular or occasional, voluntary or prescribed by law.”[3]
This general tithe is of pagan origin and precedes the Mosaic Law’s tithe by many centuries. In Genesis 41:34 Joseph encouraged the Egyptians to double their tithe in order to cover the lean years. In Genesis 14 Abraham was obligated to pay a tithe from the spoils of war in obedience to the Arab war custom. In New Testament times the Roman Empire received the first tithe of ten percent of grains and twenty percent of fruit trees from its conquered subjects, including Judah.
Although an additional full ten percent “spoils of war” tithe was not incorporated into the Mosaic Law, an additional one percent is mentioned in Numbers 31:25-47. Almost every theological commentator discusses this ancient custom in Genesis 14:21, which links it to the tithe in verse 20.
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[3] John D. Davis, ed., Westminster Dictionary of the Bible (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1964), s.v. “tithe.”
Or, are you looking for a "specific" reference to the practice (prior to Abraham)...
That you can quote from some sort of "History" book...?
And...
For (whatever) your purposes...
Are you keeping in mind that...
New Bible Commentary --
The attitudes of Melchizedek and the king of Sodom are deliberately contrasted. They exemplify the two kinds of reaction to Abram predicted in [Gen] 12:3. Melchizedek is one of those who bless Abram, whereas the king of Sodom clearly disdains (the NIV's "curse" is too strong) him. Consequently, Melchizedek could expect to be blessed by God, whereas the king of Sodom could look for a curse. Already (cf. 13:13) the fate of the city of Sodom (ch. 19) is being hinted at.
Hmmmmm...?
Well, at any rate, does this help?
-PRev1-
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