The office of Lordship and the station of the throne were created for the one true God. It is impossible for anyone or anything to replace God as first. Because God is sovereign, He has the right to make certain claims to our lives with which we aren't always comfortable. Jeremiah 11:4 the terms I commanded your forefathers when I brought them out of Egypt, out of the iron-smelting furnace.' I said, 'Obey me and do everything I command you, and you will be my people, and I will be your God. The Law of First Things dictates that whatever is done with the first determines what happens to all the rest. The first offerings were given by Cain and Abel. Genesis 4:2-4...And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. Genesis 4:4...And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: Genesis 4:5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. Why didn’t God accept Cain’s offering? Abel brought an offering of the firstborn, but Cain brought an offering of some of his increase. Cain was clearly disobeying, for God said in Genesis 4:7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? When God made Covenant with Moses He established a system of sacrifice in which animals were to be burnt as an offering upon an altar. In Leviticus Chapter 1 God designated five animals as clean (acceptable) sacrifices, while declaring the rest unclean. There are two categories of first-born animals: clean & unclean. The clean sacrifices were oxen, goats, sheep, pigeons & turtledoves. Wealthy people sacrificed oxen while the turtledove was the poor man's sacrifice. But because most of the Israelites raised sheep, the most common sacrifice was a lamb. The order in which we give to God clearly defines His place in our lives. He does not need what we are giving. He is God! He had it before we earned it and He’ll have it after we are done with it. What God needs is the first because that is the position reserved for Him. When the first is given it redeems all that remains from the curse of destruction. If we disobey and keep what belongs to Him, the first things become a curse to us. Malichi 3:9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, If we obey God and put Him first in our lives He promises... Malichi 3:11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, It is not an issue of heaven or hell. It is an issue of success or failure. When we put the Lord first, He stops the power of the destroyer in our lives. It is in keeping what belongs to God and denying the provision and protection of Lordship that is the curse. Exodus 34:20… "No one is to appear before me empty-handed. Leviticus 27:30 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 unto the LORD. When the ecomomy went from a livestock & crops to a monetary system God made a way to continue giving the first things. Malichi 3:10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. When the tithe is given first it breaks the curse of destruction off the remaining 90%, releasing it to be used for it’s best purpose. Isn’t the concept on tithing an Old Testiment law that was not taught in the New Testiment scriptures? The Principle of tithing is actually older than the old covenant because Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek in Genesis 14:18-20 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. Jesus indorsed the paying of tithes in Matthew 23:23 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. Paul, the apostle said in 1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. The test of Lordship does not wait until you have all of your retirement arranged, your insurance current, your cars paid off, and a nest egg laid back. Tithe is given first in faith to guarantee God that He deserves first place because of who He is, not what He provides. It may be ten percent but if it is not the first fruits it doesn't count as tithe, it is just an offering. God will bless offerings, but the redemptive blessing is reserved for the first portion. Information obtained from the book "When God is First" by: Mike Hayes