Abraham brought the tithe to Melchizedek, priest of the Most High God:

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all. Genesis 14:18-20 NKJV

The word “tithe” literally means “a tenth”. Abraham brought his tithe to God through Melchizedek long before the Law was instituted. Through the ages, paying tithes is not a matter of Law, but a matter of FAITH and COVENANT!

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually. 4 Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. 5 And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; 6 but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. 8 Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives. 9 Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, 10 for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him. Hebrews 7:1-10 NKJV

Jesus is our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek:

Where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 6:20 NKJV

Abraham brought tithes to God through Melchizedek – a type and shadow of Jesus, our High Priest. When we bring our tithe in faith and obedience, we are bringing it – not to man – but to Jesus, Himself.

Jacob considered the tithe a just return for all of God’s blessings:

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, 21 so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God. 22 And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.” Genesis 28:20-22 NKJV

Before the Law was given, Jacob promised God that he would give Him a tenth of all that with which God would bless him. The order is this: first we receive the blessing of God, and then we give back to Him the tenth that is due Him of ALL He has given to us.

The Tithe belongs (is holy) to the Lord:

And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord. Leviticus 27:30 NKJV

And concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the Lord. Leviticus 27:32 NKJV

If the tithe belongs to God, then we have no business keeping it one day longer than we ought. If you have any respect for God and His word, then the moment your harvest (income) comes in, you will set it aside to bring to the Lord the very next time you go to church. When the Israelites brought the tithe to the temple, they were to speak a confession over it – that it was truly the tithe of their income and that it had been handled, according to God’s word, like a holy thing.

Tithe on ALL that God has given you:

You shall surely tithe all the yield of your seed produced by your field each year. Deuteronomy 14:22 AMP

Then there will be the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide. There you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, and all your choice offerings which you vow to the Lord. Deuteronomy 12:11 NKJV

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. Malachi 3:10 NKJV

Since tithe means tenth – we are to bring the whole tenth of our income to God. We don’t tithe off of our leftovers, but off of the top. God knows when we bring Him the tithe or if we bring Him less. He is the source of our blessing and the one to whom we are accountable. Why would we even want to cheat God, when we know that we will be the only ones cheated (of a blessing). We bring our whole tithe because we love and honor our Father God and because we are both grateful for all He has provided and expectant for all that He will do to provide for and bless us in the future.