Let’s read Malachi 3:8-10: “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

As we know, the nation of Israel was under the Mosiac Law and in the Law God commanded them to offer tithes and offerings to Him as part of their worship and in order to support the priests who ministered in the temple. The word “tithe” means “ten” and thus ten per cent of one’s food and livestock was to be given to the Lord. Leviticus 27:30 and 32 says, “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the land, is the LORD’S: it is holy unto the LORD…And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.” If they obeyed God they would be BLESSED and if they disobeyed Him they would be CURSED. I would encourage you to read Deuteronomy chapter 28 to see this principle.

At the time that Malachi wrote this book the children of Israel were in a terrible spiritual state. They were indeed “robbing God” by refusing to pay tithes AND by their offerings. Malachi had already addressed the issue of their offerings in the first chapter. Consider these solemn words in Malachi 1:6-8, “A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the LORD of hosts to you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’ You offer defiled food on My altar, But say, ‘In what way have we defiled You?’ By saying, ‘The table of the LORD is contemptible.’ And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and the sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably? Says the LORD of hosts” (NKJV). This describes the root problem, for in their hearts the children of Israel had lost all respect for the Lord and this was reflected in the offerings they presented to Him. Instead of offering PERFECT sacrifices to God, which the Law had commanded them to offer; they offered DEFILED food and animals. Such offerings would never have been accepted by a human ruler, and yet they expected the Lord to accept them! So, Israel’s offerings were lacking in both quality AND in quantity.

In verse 10 the Lord appeals to them by saying, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith.” If they would repent of their sinful condition, which would be evidenced by paying tithes, He promised them, “I will…open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” This promise was a confirmation of the promised blessings in Deuteronomy 28:1-14 and it revealed to them that their God is a loving God Who desired to bless them above and beyond what they could ever imagine.

Let me close this short meditation by saying that although believers today are not under the Law, and thus are not commanded to pay tithes, we are told that God desires to bless those who give generously to those in need, and especially to those who labor in the Word. You can read of this in Acts 4:31-35; 1 Corinthians 9:1-14; and 2 Corinthians 9:1-11.  (190.1)  (DO)