“ Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘ In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. 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. “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” says the LORD of hosts; and all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land,” says the LORD of hosts. Malachi 3: 8-12, NKJV.
Dear Sovereign God of the universe, You have invited us to “prove” You. We have accepted the invitation. May we be blessed as we worship You in obedience. This is our prayer in the holy name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Our Scripture for today is a well known text within the Christian community. In many congregations this text is repeated at the time of the collection of the tithes and offering. Many can even repeat this text from memory. And it is usually seen as a discussion between God and His people over their unfaithfulness in returning to Him the tithe that is rightfully His, and also bringing an offering. But what is really the underlying problem here? Has heaven’s storehouse suddenly become empty and the only way for it to be filled is for God’s people to faithfully bring Him, their tithes and offerings?
You and I know that this is not the case. The word need does not exist in heaven’s vocabulary, because everything in the universe belongs to God! He reminds us, that if, He ever had a need, He would not have to come to us (Psalm 50: 10-12)! From the beginning of the chapter, you will notice that there is an on-going problem of disobedience among the people of God, that they appear not to be aware of. You see my friends, we can become so comfortable with sin that it no longer seems wrong! Listen to portions of three conversations between God and His people:
” ‘ ” . . . Yet from the days of your fathers you have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” ‘ ” says the LORD of hosts. ‘ “But you said, ‘In what way shall we return’ ” ‘ ” (7)? Emphasis provided.
” ‘ “ Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings” (8). Emphasis provided.
” ‘ “ Your words have been harsh against Me,” ‘ Says the LORD, ‘ “ Yet you say, ” ‘ What have we spoken against You . . .” (13). Emphasis provided.
Do you see the pattern? What is wrong with what we are doing? If something is wrong, it has to be Your fault.”
And so it is with our unfaithfulness in returning our tithes and offering to God. “God, if I have a need, and I take Your tithe and offering, and provide for my need, what is wrong with that?” Now at first glance, it may seem that I am advocating a God that is selfish; whose only desire is that we do as He says, regardless of how we are affected by obeying Him. Let me respond to that: If I ever perceived of God in that way, I would not serve Him! He would not be the God of the Bible! The God of the Bible is LOVE (1 John 4: 8), and that is the God I love and serve!
I have said many times before, every time God asks us to do something, He does it is with our well-being in mind. Our obedience or disobedience, is never going to affect or change, who God is, but it will surely affect who we will become! Regarding our tithe and offering, He says, “try Me now in this . . . ‘ “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.” ‘ God does not need our tithe and offerings; but we do need His blessings, that come as a result of us daring to trust Him. We are blessed in so many ways – as we obey Him; as we have faith in Him; as we trust Him to do what He says He will do! How will we ever grow in faith, if we never prove Him?
Instead of arguing with God, why not take Him at His Word? We have nothing to lose, and everything to gain!