Some days ago, I watched an interview with one of Nigeria’s most prominent prosperity preachers. He is one of the proponents of tithing, which he says if you pay, you must always prosper. He has said this on camera. His name is Matthew Ashimolowo. Instead of arguing with me, Google his video and watch it.
So, imagine my surprise when this fellow complained bitterly during the interview about losing large sums of money he invested in various Nigerian bank stocks. Please, instead of attacking me, watch the interview. It is recent.
Then this man went on to complain about how he borrowed money from a bank and the bank sent people to the church he leads during service to intimidate him and get their money back.
By Matthew Ashimolowo’s own confession in that interview, his personal life experiences contradict what he has been teaching about prosperity.
If tithing is the way to wealth and this prosperity Gospel is effective, someone like him ought to be a lender, not a borrower.
I do not pay or demand tithes, yet I make serious money on the stock market. By the grace of God, I have the largest paid subscribers of any African on X, formerly Twitter, because I help my followers invest their money profitably.
I am successful at this because I read voraciously, and then pray to God to open my eyes, and subsequently act in faith by applying the knowledge I have acquired.
Knowledge, when applied, will make you wealthy. This is why Scripture says:
“My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.”-Hosea 4:6.
If I tithe but do not acquire knowledge, I would also lose money in the stock market.
It is God Who gives me the power to make wealth, because of the principle of true knowledge. Which is why Yeshua said:
“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”-John 8:32.
Tithing can never make you wealthy, and Matthew Ashimolowo’s experience in the stock market is a testament to that fact.
Read Scripture in the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Koine Greek languages. The word “devourer” in the King James Version of Malachi 3:11 is an agricultural term. It is common in agriculture. The devourer there just means an agricultural pest. It will be clear if you read that verse in the original Hebrew or a modern-day English version. Let me give you some versions:
“I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the LORD Almighty.”-New International Version.
“I will rebuke the locust for you, so that it will not destroy the produce of your soil; and your vine in the field shall not be barren, says the LORD of hosts..”-New Revised Standard Version.
The King James Bible was written in 1611. Many words used in the KJV have different meanings today.
In 1611, agricultural pests were called devourers. That is why Malachi 3:11 in the King James Version says:
“And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.”
It does not mean that God will kill you if you do not pay your tithes. Or that you won’t proper.
Even Yeshua, who we follow (not worship), did not collect tithes.
Yeshua (Jesus Christ) only mentioned tithes when He mentioned them strictly in agricultural terms and only to the Pharisees who were under the law. We see this 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 cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law–justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practised the latter, without neglecting the former.”
Now, let me pronounce a blessing on you. You and your household will not die if you do not pay tithes. My God shall bless you, and you are likely to live as long as a Japanese, as long as you are hardworking, avoid red meat, be family conscious, and maintain personal hygiene.