Kingdom Economy

Then Joseph said to the people, “Look, today I have bought you and your land for Pharaoh. I will provide you with seed so you can plant the fields. Then when you harvest it, one-fifth of your crop will belong to Pharaoh. You may keep the remaining four-fifths as seed for your fields and as food for you, your households, and your little ones.” [Genesis 47.23-24]

I believe this is the first historical instance of taxation in the world as we know it. It seems to have been a flat tax at the rate of 20%. The interesting thing though is that the land all belonged to Pharaoh - the people sold their land and themselves to Pharaoh in exchange for food. 

The priests however retained ownership of their land as they were already on a 'government program' and received their food from the Egyptian government already.

While there really is no comparison or picture here of government today (US Government in particular), there IS a picture of the Kingdom of God! 

When we become part of the Kingdom of God, it is with the understanding that all we have is God's! True Christ followers believe that all they possess becomes the property of the LORD and that they then are merely stewards of those possessions. Many of the parables Jesus told indicate as much. A percentage of all increase from those possessions is rightfully due the 'owner' and the remaining portion is for the tenant steward to live, function, and prosper as he may.

Perhaps much of the confusion about the tithe today is born of the fact that the tithe was originally a support system for the Temple and the Priesthood. Christ followers today have been relieved from Temple worship but, in order for the Church to function, they are compelled to operate in some sort of support program and have retained the 'tithe' in order to do so.

It would seem right to me that Joseph's program of taxation is a more appropriate model for New Testament believers than the tithe because the ownership factor (more appropriately, the lack-of-ownership factor) more accurately depicts the mindset of a true Christian who considers himself the property of Almighty God and merely a steward of all he possesses here on earth.

Now, factor what is stated above about Kingdom taxation in with government taxation and I now have no clue as to what to make of it! Perhaps we all need a little more understanding of the economy of the Kingdom of God!

Father, help me to process these thoughts today and become clearer in my own understanding of Kingdom economy!