Malaquias 3
Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
Malaquias 3
Wiersbe- Malachi was the last prophet Judah heard until John the Baptist came and the prophecy of Mal 3:1 was fulfilled. His messages against “the sins of the saints” needs to be heeded today. Walter Kaiser - Leveling the road and straightening out the path are metaphors for the necessary preparatory spiritual work of repentance and faith. The Hebrew idiom for “clearing up” the ground was also used in Psalm 80:9 and Genesis 24:31. John
Malaquias 3
Wiersbe adds that "Twice Moses used this truth about God (His immutability) as his argument when he interceded for the nation (Ex. 33:12–23; Num. 14:11–21). The same principle applies to believers today, for 1John 1:9 states that God is “faithful and just to forgive our sins.” God is faithful to His promises and just toward His Son who died for our sins that we might be forgiven. (See also Num. 23:19; Deut. 4:31; and James 1:17.) (Be amazed) You O sons of Jacob are not consumed: The implication is that because of their stubbornness and rebelliousness against God and His covenant, Israel should have been completely consumed, wiped out, annihilated as a distinct ethnic group! And yet they were not consumed because God had cut an unconditional covenant with their fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel). As everyone knows from personal experience (both good and bad!), a promise is only as good as the person who makes it. The immutable God will keep His promise to the nation of Israel. His promise will not change, because His Word, like Himself, will not change. This truth is the basis for Israel’s hope (not "hope so" but an absolute assurance that God will do them good in the future! See discussion of The Messianic Hope of Israel). And so we see that Moses records… Deut 4:31 “For (Term of explanation [Always pause to ponder the "for's" - your efforts will be rewarded by your Teacher the Spirit!] - What is Moses explaining? See Dt 4:29, 30 predicting Israel's future return to Jehovah in the last days. Why? That is what the rest of this verse explains.) the LORD your God is a compassionate God; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them (See Abrahamic versus Mosaic Covenants). (Deut 4:31, see parallel promise regarding Israel's sure future in Ezekiel 36:22-32-note) Comment: To reiterate, God is a covenant keeping God which is every believer's assurance that He will keep the everlasting [Heb 13:20-note, Jer 32:40, Ezek 37:26-note] New Covenant [See Abrahamic vs Old vs New Covenants] which we as believers have entered into! See Ro 11:29-note). Paul George - The Lord immutability asserted by Himself, no word that He has spoken shall fall to the ground. He is a just revenger of those that rebel against him. He is the rewarder of those that diligently seek him. In both these He is unchangeable. Though the sentence passed against evil works (v. 5) is not executed speedily, yet it will be executed, for He is “the Lord” and He does not change. He is an enemy to sin and impenitent sinners will find him so. His judgment is never antiquated, or out of date, but against those that go on still in their trespasses the curse of his law still remains in full force, power, and virtue. The Israel had reason to say that the Lord is unchangeable because of His faithfulness. If the Lord had not be faithful His covenant with them and their fathers they would have been consumed long ago and cut off from being a people. They had been unfaithful and the Lord would have been just if He abandoned them, and then they would have been consumed and ruined, but because the Lord remembered His covenant and would not violate His covenant or alter it they were preserved from ruin. It was purely because he would be as good as his word (Deuteronomy 7:8; Leviticus 26:46). Malachi 3:6 C H Spurgeon Morning and Evening “I am the Lord, I change not” — Malachi 3:6 It is well for us that, amidst all the variableness of life, there is One whom change cannot affect; One whose heart can never alter, and on whose brow mutability can make no furrows. All things else have changed—all things are changing. The sun itself grows dim with age; the world is waxing old; the folding up of the worn-out vesture has commenced; the heavens and earth must soon pass away; they shall perish, they shall wax old as doth a garment; but there is One who only hath immortality, of whose years there is no end, and in whose person there is no change. The delight which the mariner feels, when, after having been tossed about for many a day, he steps again upon the solid shore, is the satisfaction of a Christian when, amidst all the changes of this troublous life, he rests the foot of his faith upon this truth—“I am the Lord, I change not.” The stability which the anchor gives the ship when it has at last obtained a hold-fast, is like that which the Christian’s hope affords him when it fixes itself upon this glorious truth. With God “is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” What ever his attributes were of old, they are now; his power, his wisdom, his justice, his truth, are alike unchanged. He has ever been the refuge of his people, their stronghold in the day of trouble, and he is their sure Helper still. He is unchanged in his love. He has loved his people with “an everlasting love”; he loves them now as much as ever he did, and when all earthly things shall have melted in the last conflagration, his love will still wear the dew of its youth. Precious is the assurance that he changes not! The wheel of providence revolves, but its axle is eternal love. “Death and change are busy ever, Man decays, and ages move; But his mercy waneth never; God is wisdom, God is love.” Malachi 3:6 A God Of Absolutes READ: Malachi 3:6-12 I am the Lord, I do not change. —Malachi 3:6 I am dubious about the accuracy of our bathroom scale. So I've learned to manipulate it in a self-satisfying manner. The little adjustment knob serves to vary the register, and if that becomes too much bother, I just lean a certain way. The idea is to get a favorable reading—hopefully one that is a few pounds less. We live in an age when many people believe there are no absolutes. Self-serving behavior is rampant and tramples the moral law given for the protection of society. Our culture prides itself on "freedom" that is actually slavery to sin (Romans 6:16-17). But there is a God of absolutes whose scales never lose their adjustment. With Him, a pound is a pound, right is right, and wrong is wrong. He says, "I am the Lord, I do not change" (Malachi 3:6). For us as believers, this puts steel into our spiritual backbone. We gain confidence in the face of difficulty and are assured of the fulfillment of every divine promise. Unchanging God who reigns above, His truth remains forever; And from this faithful God of love No earthly trial can sever. —D. De Haan Earth changes, but God and His Word stand sure! —Browning Malachi 3:6. Octavius Winslow. Daily Walking with God It is no small attainment to be built up in the faithfulness of God. This forms a stable foundation of comfort for the believing soul. Mutability marks everything outside of God. Look into the Church, into the world, into our families, ourselves, what innumerable changes do we see on every hand! A week, one short day, what alterations does it produce! Yet, in the midst of it all, to repose calmly on the unchangeableness, the faithfulness of God. To know that no alterations of time, no earthly changes, affect His faithfulness to His people. And more than this- no changes in them- no unfaithfulness of theirs, causes the slightest change in God. Once a Father, ever a Father; once a Friend, ever a Friend. His providences may change, His heart cannot. He is a God of unchangeable love. The promise He has given, He will fulfil; the covenant He has made, He will observe; the word that has gone out of His mouth, He will not alter. "He cannot deny Himself." Peace then, tried believer! Are you passing now through the deep waters? Who kept you from sinking when wading through the last? Who brought you through the last fire? Who supported you under the last cross? Who delivered you out of the last temptation? Was it not God, your covenant God- your faithful, unchangeable God? This God, then, is your God now, and your God forever and ever, and He will be your guide even unto death. Malachi 3:6 Our Changing World READ: Psalm 102:25-27 I am the Lord, I do not change. —Malachi 3:6 Change is one thing we can be sure of in this life. Our relationships change as we move to new places, experience illness, and ultimately face death. Even the cells in our bodies are always in the process of change. When cells wear out, most are replaced by new ones. This is especially noticeable with our skin—we shed and regrow outer skin cells about every 27 days. Yes, change is the one certainty in our world. Henry Lyte's melancholy line in his hymn "Abide With Me" is true: "Change and decay in all around I see." But the hymn immediately adds, "O Thou who changest not, abide with me!" By faith in Jesus Christ we can have a relationship with the unchanging God, who says of Himself in Malachi 3:6, "I am the Lord, I do not change." We can depend on God to be the same forever, as the psalmist says (Psalm 102:27). Hebrews 13:8 adds this reassuring testimony: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." He is our firm foundation, who can give us confidence and security in this changing world. Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day, Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away; Change and decay in all around I see— O Thou who changest not, abide with me! —Lyte To face life's changes, look to the unchanging God. Malachi 3:7 "From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts. "But you say, 'How shall we return?': from the: Dt 9:7-21 31:20,27-29 Ne 9:16,17,26,28-30 Ps 78:8-10 Eze 20:8,13,21,28 Lk 11:48-51 Ac 7:51,52 Return to me: Lev 26:40-42 Dt 4:29-31 30:1-4 1Ki 8:47-49 Ne 1:8,9 Isa 55:6,7 Jer 3:12-14,22 Eze 18:30-32 Ho 14:1 Zec 1:3 Jas 4:8)(but you say: Mal 3:13 1:6 Isa 65:2 Mt 23:27 Lk 15:16 Ro 7:9 10:3,21 Malachi 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE RIGHTEOUS ONE REACHES OUT TO THE UNRIGHTEOUS I. A general charge of disobedience and degeneracy, and a call to reformation, (Mal 3:7.) II. The specific sin of neglecting tithes and offerings adduced in answer to the challenge of the people, (Mal 3:8.) III. A call to reformation in this particular, and a promise of blessings in that event, (Mal 3:9–12.) From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them - This indictment sweeps back to the beginning, to the very birth of the nation of Israel. They were repeatedly and persistently disobedient. Ezra declares "Since the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt, and on account of our iniquities we, our kings and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to plunder and to open shame, as it is this day." (Ezra 9:7) Turned aside (cf Mal 2:8) (05493) (sur) means to depart from the way, something Israel had been clearly instructed not to do (cf depart = Dt 4:9, turn aside = Dt 5:32). The verb sur is used to describe how Israel "quickly turned aside quickly form the way which" the LORD had commanded them by making a golden calf (Dt 9:12, 16). Israel had been clear warning "Beware that your hearts are not deceived, and that you do not turn away (sur) and serve other gods and worship them." (Dt 11:16, cf Dt 11:28) (Note the inevitable, unavoidable downward spiral from turning away from the truth, to become a slave to a lie (idols) and to worship them!" And again Moses instructed them "You shall not turn aside from the word which they (Levitical priests) declare to you, to the right or the left." (Dt 17:11) Brown-Driver-Briggs' Definition of sur - to turn aside, depart. (1) (Qal) - (a) to turn aside, turn in unto (b) to depart, depart from way, avoid (c) to be removed (d) to come to an end. (2) (Polel) to turn aside (3) (Hiphil) to cause to turn aside, cause to depart, remove, take away, put away, depose In Mal 3:7 the Lxx uses ekklino here from ek = out, out from + klíno = incline, bend, turn aside or away) which means to lean in the wrong direction, to bend out of the regular line, to bend away, to turn aside or deviate from the right way or course (exemplified by the use in the Septuagint of Malachi 2:8, Deut 5:32) In Malachi 2:6 this same Hebrew verb (sub) is used with the opposite sense speaking of Levi who "turned many back from iniquity." Here in Mal 3:7 they are turning aside from God's statutes! Sur is used with a positive sense in Mal 3:18 ("will again… ") and Mal 4:6 ("restore the hearts of the fathers to their children.") They had turned aside but God had not changed (Mal 3:6) gracious call to sinners in need, calling them to return. As Walter Kaiser says "The message of all the previous prophets could be summarized in the single word “return” (Zech. 1:3–4), the Old Testament word for repentance. The word invites the listeners to turn 180 degrees, reversing their direction. Instead of heading off toward sin, self, and contemporary idols, Israel is urged to turn around and look in faith to the Man of Promise." How tragic that she rebuffs such a gracious invitation from "the LORD who rules over all" (NET), replying "How shall we return?" The implication is that they sensed no need to return! Kaiser adds that "Israel fails to acknowledge her problem; she gives instead a whimper of innocence by saying, in effect, “Who? Us? We need to repent? Why do we need to turn back to God? We never went away from Him, did we?” Return to Me - We see the same divine accusation and offer echoed in another post-exilic book, Zechariah recording The LORD was very angry with your fathers. Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Return to Me,” declares the LORD of hosts, “that I may return to you,” says the LORD of hosts. (Zech 1:2-3) Return (07725) (shub/sub) is is a common verb (over 1000x) meaning to turn, to return, to go back, to do again, to change, to withdraw, to bring back, to reestablish, to be returned, to bring back, to take, to restore, to recompense, to answer, to hinder. See the NAS usage list below for the many ways shub/sub is translated in the OT and this will give you a good sense of the various nuances of meaning (the most common uses are highlighted in bold font). Another way to get a good "feel" for this very common Hebrew word is to read the Scriptures in which it is used. Here is a relatively quick and easy way to do this = Click Here. Then scroll to "Frequency/Word. Select translation preferred and then select the book of the Bible you want to examine. Pray for the Spirit to "unfold" His Word (Ps 119:130) and then begin your journey of exploration! Notice that the Hebrew word translated in English is highlighted for easy identification. I can guarantee that you will be quite pleasantly amazed at how much insight the Spirit will give you as you carry out this simple exercise as you rely on His teaching. A few of the passages are discussed below to give you a sense of how rewarding this exercise can be. Some contexts mean to turn from God and so to apostatize. In other contexts such as this passage in Mal 3:7 we see the opposite sense which is to turn back (return) to God, in effect to repent. As an aside, these "opposite" meanings emphasize the vital importance of carefully examining the context of the many uses of shub/sur in order to derive the correct sense of the word. In Isa 55:11 God says His Word "will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it." In Mal 3:7 the Lxx translates shub/sub (for both uses of return) with epistrepho which means to revert, to turn about, to turn around, to turn toward, to return and figuratively to convert. The idea is a definite turn to God in conduct as well as in one's mind (cf a command to "return" [epistrepho] in Acts 3:19, but notice the reward for returning! This truth can be applied to believers who wander from God [all of us!], for each time we wander away, we must repent and return to Him. Praise God for the gift of the Spirit's giving us the desire and the power to repent and return! And for the times of refreshing [Luke uses anapsuxis {only use in Bible} which is derived from anapsucho] we then experience. See Ro 2:4-note, Php 2:13-note). The first use of shub/sub is Ge 3:19 - "By the sweat of your face You shall eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.” The books with the greatest number of uses of shub/sub are Genesis (60), Psalms (65) and Jeremiah (92), but almost every book has some usage. In Ge 8:3 the water "receded" (or returned) and the dove returned to the ark because she found no resting place (Ge 8:9). In a prophecy to be fulfilled at the end of this present age we read that "Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the LORD and to His goodness in the last days." (Hosea 3:5) Hosea in fact has 21 uses of shub/sub in only 14 chapters, so has one of the more "concentrated" uses in Scripture. Hosea 6:1 invites the readers "Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us." In Hosea 6:11 God says " I restore the fortunes of My people." We see another invitation in Hosea 12:6 - "Therefore, return to your God, Observe kindness and justice, And wait for your God continually." and Hosea 14:1-2 "Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, For you have stumbled because of your iniquity… Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to Him, "Take away all iniquity And receive us graciously, That we may present the fruit of our lips." And for those who return we read God's promise in Hosea 14:4 - "I will heal their apostasy, I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from them." Hallelujah! Brown-Driver-Briggs' Definition of shub/sub- to return, turn back. (1) (Qal) (a) to turn back, return, (b) to turn back; (c) to return, come or go back (d) to return unto, go back, come back (e) of dying (f) of human relations (fig) (g) OF SPIRITUAL RELATIONS (figuratively) = to turn back (from God), apostatize; to turn away (of God); to turn back (to God), repent; turn back (from evil). (h) of inanimate things (i) in repetition (2) (Polel) - (a) to bring back (b) to restore, refresh, repair (fig) (c) to lead away (enticingly) (d) to show turning, apostatize (3)(Pual) restored (participle) (4) (Hiphil) to cause to return, bring back (a) to bring back, allow to return, put back, draw back, give back, restore, relinquish, give in payment (b) to bring back, refresh, restore (c) to bring back, report to, answer (d) to bring back, make requital, pay (as recompense) (e) to turn back or backward, repel, defeat, repulse, hinder, reject, refuse (f) to turn away (face), turn toward (g) to turn against (h) to bring back to mind (i) to show a turning away to reverse, revoke (2) (Hophal) to be returned, be restored, be brought back (2) (Pulal) brought back In his discussion of shub/sub, Victor Hamilton writes that "The Bible is rich in idioms describing man’s responsibility in the process of repentance (Ed: The examples Hamilton gives do not however use sub/shub). Such phrases would include the following: “incline your heart unto the Lord your God” (Josh 24:23): “circumcise yourselves to the Lord” (Jer 4:4); “wash your heart from wickedness” (Jer 4:14); “break up your fallow ground” (Hos 10:12) and so forth. All these expressions of man’s penitential activity, however, are subsumed and summarized by this one verb sub. For better than any other verb it combines in itself the two requisites of repentance: to turn from evil and to turn to the good." In the Qal stem it has been suggested that there are ten different meanings for šûb with subdivisions within each, plus a few uses difficult to pinpoint (Holladay, p. 59ff.). Of these two or three merit special observance. To begin with, the basic meaning of šûb “to (re)turn” implying physical motion or movement appears over 270 times. A few times God is the subject, “At the appointed time I will return to you (Sarah),” (Ge 18:14). Most often the subject is a person: “I (Abraham) and the lad (Isaac) will go yonder and worship, and return to you” (Gen 22:5). In the Hiphil there are eighty-seven occurrences of šûb in the sense of “bring back, carry back.” Second, often (over 120 times) šûb acts as a sort of an auxiliary verb whose function is to repeat the action of the second verb: “and ‘again’ Isaac dug the wells (wayyāšōb yiāq wayyapōr,” Ge 26:18). The third important use of šûb in the Qal, and theologically the most crucial, is in passages dealing with the covenant community’s return to God (in the sense of repentance), or turning away from evil (in the sense of renouncing and disowning sin), or turning away from God (in the sense of becoming apostate). In such contexts šûb in the Qal is used 129 times. By contrast, in the Hiphil šûb is used only eleven times when discussing the divine-human relationship. “turn back (Qal imperative) and ‘let yourself be turned from your idols’ (Hiphil) from your idols” (Ezek 14:6). Taking all stems into consideration, Holladay (p. 117) concludes that there are a total of 164 uses of šûb in a covenantal context. The majority of them, as one might expect, are to be found in the classical/literary prophets 113 times, with Jeremiah leading the way (forty-eight times). By way of contrast with Jeremiah, the covenantal usage of šûb is found only six times in the first thirty-nine chapters of Isaiah (maybe only five if we read Jer 30:15 not, “in returning (to God) and rest shall you be saved,” but “in sitting still yāšab, i.e. abstention from foreign alliances, resting shall you be saved”). In the remaining twenty-seven chapters it is found only four times: Jer 44:22; 55:7; 57:17; 59:20. Thus, we encounter the interesting phenomenon of two prophets back to back in the canon, the first virtually silent on the subject and the second quite vocal. Perhaps the paucity of references in Isaiah is the prophet’s way of saying the die has already been cast. Quite poignantly God says to Isaiah, “Make the heart of this people fat … lest they be converted (šûb) and healed.” A point of no return has been reached. God has foreseen the stubbornness of his people and has incorporated it into his plan. The prophet, therefore, is not to be frustrated (Mt 13:13ff.). It should be noted that in a number of places šûb means “to return from exile.” In the Qal: naturally in Ezra and Neh (Ezra 2:1; Neh 7:6); also Isa 10:22; Jer 22:10; Zech 10:9, inter alia; in the Hiphil: 1Ki 8:34; Jer 12:15, inter alia. The association between the ideas of a return from exile and a return to the covenant should be obvious. A return from exile was reclamation as much as a return from any form of sin. That God should permit either return is corroborative of his covenantal faithfulness. To be sure, there is no systematic spelling out of the doctrine of repentance in the OT. It is illustrated (Psalm 51 - see also sub in Ps 51:13) more than anything else. Yet the fact that people are called “to turn” either “to” or “away from” implies that sin is not an ineradicable stain, but by turning, a God-given power, a sinner can redirect his destiny. There are two sides in understanding conversion, the free sovereign act of God’s mercy and man’s going beyond contrition and sorrow to a conscious decision of turning to God. The latter includes repudiation of all sin and affirmation of God’s total will for one’s life. (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament- R Laird Harris, Gleason L Archer Jr., Bruce K Waltke) Return (a command) to Me, and I will return to you - What a gracious invitation! But how do recalcitrant rebels return to the Righteous One? God foresaw Israel's disobedience and provided a "way of escape" even before they had disobeyed… Lev 26:40-42 - If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their forefathers, in their unfaithfulness which they committed against Me, and also in their acting with hostility against Me–41 I also was acting with hostility against them, to bring them into the land of their enemies–or if their uncircumcised heart becomes humbled so that they then make amends for their iniquity, 42 then I will remember My covenant with Jacob (unconditional, albeit it did call for exercise of personal faith in the promises of God - cf Ge 15:5-6), and I will remember also My covenant with Isaac, and My covenant with Abraham as well, and I will remember the land. Comment: Clearly their uncircumcised (prideful) heart was a figurative description of an unrepentant, rebellious, faithless heart (See excursus on Uncircumcised Heart versus Circumcised Heart). Beloved, don't miss the last part of this promise "I will remember the land." - God will indeed remember the land, the land which was promised to Jacob, Isaac and Abraham, not to the church. If one reads the Scripture literally, Israel remains national "Israel" and has not been "replaced" by the Church (See discussion of Israel of God)! In Leviticus Moses clearly documents that God promises to keep this aspect of His unconditional covenant cut with their fathers. The righteous remnant will be restored to the promised land when the Messiah returns. GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH ISRAEL or the prophetic promise in Lev 26:42b is "null and void," but God is not a man that He should lie! Dt 4:29-31 - But (this term of contrast forces us to examine the preceding context - Dt 4:23-25, 26-28) from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him IF you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. 30 When (A very important - expression of time. To what time does Moses refer?) you are in distress (so it is specifically a time of tribulation - Lxx translates Hebrew word for distress with thlipsis, the same word in the phrase "Great Tribulation" in Mt 24:31, Rev 7:14) and all these things have come upon you (the "curses" in Dt 4:23-28), in the latter days (Another important expression of time - I believe this "distress" is at the time of the Great Tribulation, when Satan's wrath "channeled" through the Antichrist will be directed with full force against the Jews, bringing about a veritable "global holocaust"), you will return to the LORD your God and listen (Hebrew verb conveys not just the hearing, but hearing with attention and giving obedient assent) to His voice (Recall that this answers to God's invitation in Mal 3:7 = "Return to Me and I will return to you!"). 31 For (term of explanation - What is Moses explaining?) the LORD your God is a compassionate God; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) which He swore to them. The writer of Hebrews alludes to Israel's lack of genuine faith "from the days of (their) fathers," writing For indeed we (first century Jews) have had good news (the Gospel) preached to us (cp Gal 3:8), just as they (Israel in the OT) also; but the Word they heard did not profit them (Why not? What key ingredient was missing?), because it was not united by faith (it is not enough to hear the Gospel - it is necessary to believe it = John 5:24; Jas 1:22-note) in those who heard. (Heb 4:2) Henry
Malaquias 3
Wiersbe - The annual tithe was given to the Levites (Nu 18:21–24), who in turn gave a tithe of that income to the priests (Nu 18:25–32). When a worshiper brought his tithe to the temple, he could use part of it to enjoy a special meal with his family and the Levites (Dt. 12:6–7, 17–19). Every third year a tithe was to be brought to the leaders locally to be used for the poor (Dt 14:28–29). Related Resources: American Tract Society Tithe Bridgeway Bible Dictionary Tithes Baker Evangelical Dictionary Tithe, Tithing Easton's Bible Dictionary Tithe Fausset Bible Dictionary Tithes Holman Bible Dictionary Tithe Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible Tithes Hastings' Dictionary of the NT Tithe Tithes King James Dictionary Tithe Tithing People's Dictionary of the Bible Tithes Smith Bible Dictionary Tithe Vines' Expository Dictionary Tithes Tithe Watson's Theological Dictionary Tithes International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Tithe Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Tithe McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia Tithes Tithe The Jewish Encyclopedia Tithe Maaser - 27 verses - Ge 14:20; Lev 27:30, 31, 32; Num 18:21, 24, 26, 28; Dt 12:6, 11, 17; 14:23, 28; 26:12; 2Chr 31:5, 6, 12; Neh 10:37, 38; 12:44; 13:5, 12; Ezek 45:11, 14; Amos 4:4; Mal 3:8, 10. Here are some representative uses of maaser… (Abraham declared) "And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tenth of all." (Ge 14:20) Thus all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’S; it is holy to the LORD. (Lev 27:30) - Comment: The law decreed that a tenth of all produce (and flocks - see below) was ‘holy to the Lord’ And for every tenth part of herd or flock, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the LORD." (Lev 27:32) And to the sons of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they perform, the service of the tent of meeting. (Nu 18:21) Comment: The Levites received the tithe from the people who themselves gave a tenth to the priest (Nu 18:28). For the tithe of the sons of Israel, which they offer as an offering to the LORD, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance; therefore I have said concerning them, ‘They shall have no inheritance among the sons of Israel.’ (Nu 18:24) So you shall also present an offering to the LORD from your tithes, which you receive from the sons of Israel; and from it you shall give the LORD’S offering to Aaron the priest. (Nu 18:28) Offerings - Baldwin explains "Offerings were the portions of sacrifices set apart for the priests (Ex. 29:27, 28; Lev. 7:32; Nu 5:9) and the voluntary gifts for a special purpose (Ex. 25:2–7). One of Nehemiah’s tasks was to ensure that the supplies intended for support of the temple ministry did not fail as they had done during his absence (Neh. 13:10–13). When no gifts were brought the Levites had no option but to give up their ministry and earn their own living by farming." Walter Kaiser - Christians are not governed by any law that commands us to give a tenth of our earnings to God; however, it must be noted that the practice of tithing antedates any provision of the Law of Moses (see Abram's response in Ge 14:20, cf Jacob's vow at Bethel Ge 28:22). Another argument often made in favor of Christians tithing is: “If it was appropriate under the law to give a tenth, Christians will want to give no less than a tenth insofar as we have received and known so much more!” How could it be put any more succinctly? No one robs God without robbing himself at the same time! Steven Cole on the spiritual importance of giving - Giving is one of the most fail-proof litmus tests of your relationship to God. On more than one occasion, Jesus linked a person’s giving to eternal life. When Zaccheus, the wealthy tax collector, got right with God, his first recorded words were, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much” (Luke 19:8). His salvation immediately touched his pocketbook. Jesus confirmed this formerly greedy man’s conversion by saying, “Today salvation has come to this house” (Luke 19:9). Contrast that with the tragic account of the rich young ruler. He seemed like such an eager potential convert. He came running (not walking) to Jesus and asked, “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” What a witnessing opportunity! So Jesus said, “That’s easy. Just invite Me into your heart by faith.” No, that’s not what Jesus said. He knew that the man had an idol. So He said, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But the man went away grieved, unwilling to obey Jesus’ words. Jesus didn’t run after him and say, “How about ten percent?” Rather, He said to the disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:17-23). In Luke 16:10-11, Jesus states that our stewardship of money is a test of how we will do with more important responsibilities: “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you?” In the context, the “very little thing” is the money that God has entrusted to us! The “much” or “true riches” are the souls of people. Our use of money is God’s test of whether He can entrust souls to our care! You can impress other Christians by your extensive Bible knowledge, your fervent prayers, or your many years of service in the church. But God does not look at any of those things to test your faithfulness. Rather, He looks at how you manage the money that He has entrusted to you. Are you greedy or generous? (Malachi 3:7-12 Robbing God) Cole goes on to address the concept of tithing - It may shock you to learn that ten percent is not the biblical standard for giving (for a longer treatment, see John MacArthur, Whose Money Is It, Anyway? [Word], pp. 97-113). Abraham once gave Melchizedek ten percent of his spoils from a single battle, but there is no indication that he regularly gave ten percent. Jacob promised to give God ten percent if God would do what Jacob wanted Him to do, but that is hardly a biblical model for giving! The Law of Moses actually prescribed several tithes that would have amounted to somewhere between 20-25 percent (Lev. 27:30-33; Num. 18:20 21; Deut. 12:17-18; 14:22, 28, 29). But in Israel, the tithe functioned more like an involuntary tax than as a freewill offering. Many preachers (especially Baptists!) use Malachi 3:10 to teach “storehouse tithing.” One Baptist commentator says, “So-called storehouse tithing does have a sound basis in this verse.” The idea is that the church is the storehouse where you are supposed to give ten percent of your income. Anything that you give to other Christian organizations should be over and above that ten percent that goes to the local church. I wish that I could promote that idea, because I’m sure that our church income would go up substantially if everyone did that! Frankly, we could use the money, both for ongoing budget expenses and to meet our need for more property and facilities. But that application stretches this text beyond credulity. The storehouse refers to the storage rooms at the temple, where the people brought the first fruits of their harvest. The priests who served at the temple used this produce for their needs. I’m sad to say that the storehouse was not the local church and the tithe is not the New Testament standard for giving! It is significant that tithing is never mentioned in any instructions to the church, although much is said about giving. If the church is supposed to give ten percent, it seems strange that Paul did not mention this when he wrote to predominately Gentile churches, which would not be familiar with the Law of Moses. People get nervous when you take away that ten percent figure. Somehow, it’s comfortable and simple to give ten percent. But the problem with tithing is that people get the notion that once they’ve paid God ten percent, they’re free to squander the rest on themselves. But I think that God would charge such people, however sincere they may be, with robbing Him. You may wonder, “If I don’t tithe, then how do I determine how much I’m supposed to give?” The New Testament principle is that God owns it all. We just manage it for Him. The New Testament standard is, give generously and cheerfully “as God has prospered you,” out of gratitude for His indescribable gift of salvation (1 Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 8 & 9; Acts 11:29). For those who are very poor, ten percent may represent generous, sacrificial giving. For those who have ample salaries, ten percent may be robbing God. I think that John Piper’s teaching is sound, that Christians ought to live with a wartime mentality, gladly making personal sacrifices in order to advance Christ’s cause. If we expect missionaries to live sacrificially for the sake of the gospel, shouldn’t we hold ourselves to the same standard? If we live in relative luxury while people perish because there aren’t enough funds to get the gospel to them, are we not guilty of robbing God? (Ibid) Wiersbe - While 1 Corinthians 16:1–2 suggests proportionate giving (“as God has prospered him”), there is no express command to tithe given to the church in the New Testament. Paul teaches “grace giving” in 2 Corinthians 8–9, which is certainly beyond 10 percent. Many Christians feel that if believers under the Old Covenant brought their tithes, how could Christians under the New Covenant begin with anything less? T V Moore - We may try to defraud God, but in the end will only defraud ourselves. The eagle who robbed the altar set fire to her nest from the burning coal that adhered to the stolen flesh. So men who retain God’s money in their treasuries will find it a losing possession. No man ever yet lost anything by serving God with a whole heart, or gained anything by serving him with half a one. We may compromise with conscience for half the price, but God will not endorse the compromise, and like Ananias and Sapphira, we will lose not only what we thought we had purchased so cheaply, but also the price we paid for it. Malachi 3:9 "You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you!: Mal 2:2 Dt 28:15-19 Jos 7:12,13 22:20 Isa 43:28 Hag 1:6-11 2:14-17 Malachi 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries You are cursed with a curse - Why? "For" introduces the explanation for the curse. Solomon wrote "There is one who scatters, yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, but it results only in want." (Pr 11:24) The last part of this verse would in effect be the "outworking" of this curse… Stingy givers are destined to be Scanty receivers! For (term of explanation) - Always pause to ponder this conjunction when it used as a term of explanation (which is often the case when for is found at the beginning of a verse). This simple discipline will force your to examine the context, to re-read the text and in essence to meditate on the passage. In this case God explains why Israel would be cursed. Answer - Not "highway robbery" but "holy robbery!" In other words, to withhold the tithe from God and in effect from His servants the Levites who were totally dependent on this gift, was tantamount to withholding from God Himself! And in Mal 3:11 we see they were reaping what they had sown, for insects had invaded the land and the crops were being destroyed! Wiersbe - Whenever we rob God, we always rob ourselves. To begin with, we rob ourselves of the spiritual blessings that always accompany obedience and faithful giving (2 Cor. 9:6–15). But even more, the money that rightfully belongs to God that we keep for ourselves never stays with us. It ends up going to the doctor, the auto body shop, or the tax collector. “You have sown much, and bring in little … and he who earns wages, earns wages to put into a bag with holes” (Hag. 1:6, nkjv). If we don’t trust God to care for us, whatever we do trust will prove futile. People who lovingly give tithes and offerings to God find that whatever is left over goes much farther and brings much greater blessing. Malachi 3:10 "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test 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 a blessing until it overflows.: whole: 2 Ch 31:4-10 Ne 10:33-39 Pr 3:9,10 storehouse: 1Ch 26:20 2Ch 31:11-19 Ne 10:38 12:44,47 13:5,10-13 prove: 1Ki 17:13-16 Ps 37:3 Hag 2:19 Mt 6:33 2Co 9:6-8 open: Ge 7:11 Dt 28:12 2Ki 7:2,19 pour out: Eccl 11:3 for you: Lev 26:10 2Ch 31:10 Lk 5:6,7 12:16,17 Jn 21:6-11 Related Resource: Malachi 3:8 Will a Man Rob God-Study of Tithing in Old and New Testaments Malachi 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries TEST JEHOVAH WITH YOUR OFFERINGS! Bring (command) the whole tithe into the storehouse - Walter Kaiser explains that "The emphasis on wholeness must have involved the firstfruits of the crop, the earliest interest off the shekel, and, since God always inspects the giver before He inspects the gift, the entirety of the person (cf. Gen. 4:3–4)—his time, talents, and self." Storehouse (0214)(otsar) can mean a treasure, store, a treasury (a place in which stores of wealth are kept). Otsar is a storage vault which holds valuables, a building or part of a larger building (Jos 6:19). Otsar is the place where treasure is kept or the treasure itself (as in (1Ki 14:26; Pr 10:2; 15:16; 21:6; Jer 48:7; 49:4). Job uses otsar twice in somewhat of a figurative sense to describe God's storehouse of His elements such as snow and hail (Job 38:22). Otsar is used figuratively in Dt 28:12 to describe blessing and prosperity the Lord will give Israel if they are obedient. "Various items were stored up, such as supplies (Neh. 12:44) or treasures of a palace or temple (1Ki. 7:51; Jer. 15:13). The Lord also has treasures in the heavens (Deut. 28:12) and in the winds (Jer. 10:13). The word refers to storehouses themselves (Neh. 13:12, 13)." In Isa 45:3 the phrase "treasures of darkness" is a figurative description of the wealth of Babylon. Lxx translates otsar here with thesauros (cf English "treasure, treasury") which is a place for storing valuables (a treasury, treasure chest, Mt 2:11, a storehouse) Walter Kaiser explains "The “storehouse” is either the “treasury of the temple of the LORD” (1Ki 7:51) or, in a more figurative sense, the place from which all of God’s blessings proceed. The word “treasury” appears eighty times in the Old Testament, but only in a few does it clearly connote a divine storehouse (e.g., Ps 33:7; 135:7; Job 38:22). Dt 28:12 and, obliquely, Jer 50:25, do speak of God’s treasury-house as in the heavens. Accordingly, we must be careful not to use this verse to insist on the practice known as “storehouse tithing,” by which all giving to God’s work is channeled through the local church. We must “bring” the tithes to the storehouse, but, in fairness to the text, the “storehouse” does not have to be the local church—good as that practice is as a general principle." Wiersbe - There were special storage rooms in the temple for keeping the grain, produce, and money that the people brought to the Lord in obedience to His Law. If people didn’t want to carry heavy produce all the way to the temple, they could convert it into cash, but they had to add 20 percent to it just to make sure they weren’t making a profit and robbing God (Lev. 27:31). Otsar - 70 verses - Usage: armory(1), cellars(1), gains(1), storehouse(3), storehouses(13), storeroom(1), stores(3), treasure(3), treasures(26), treasuries(19), treasury(7), treasury*(1). Dt 28:12; 32:34; Josh 6:19, 24; 1Ki 7:51; 14:26; 15:18; 2Ki 12:18; 14:14; 16:8; 18:15; 20:13, 15; 24:13; 1Chr 9:26; 26:20, 22, 24, 26; 27:25, 27f; 28:12; 29:8; 2Chr 5:1; 8:15; 11:11; 12:9; 16:2; 25:24; 32:27; 36:18; Ezra 2:69; Neh 7:70f; 10:38; 12:44; 13:12f; Job 38:22; Ps 33:7; 135:7; Pr 8:21; 10:2; 15:16; 21:6, 20; Isa 2:7; 30:6; 33:6; 39:2, 4; 45:3; Jer 10:13; 15:13; 17:3; 20:5; 38:11; 48:7; 49:4; 50:25, 37; 51:13, 16; Ezek 28:4; Dan 1:2; Hos 13:15; Joel 1:17; Mic 6:10; Mal 3:10 So that - Expresses purpose. The purpose is that there might be food in God's house. The truth is that since God owns everything, He does not actually need anything we can give Him (Acts 17:25). However what does please Him is we first bring our hearts (in obedience), so to speak, doing so as an act of worship. Test (0974)(bachan/bahan) means to examine, to try, to prove, to scrutinize. Bachan is a primary (or root) word which depicts examination to determine (and bring out) the essential qualities of something, and in the moral realm speaks particularly of a person's integrity (think of integer = indivisible - undivided ~ think undivided heart or single minded focus/purpose). In Scripture bachan is used almost exclusively in this moral/spiritual sense meaning to try, search out, examine or prove one's spiritual heart or character. Bachan/bahan is used almost exclusively in a spiritual sense (unlike the words above - smelt and refine). To try gold, persons, the hearts (1Chr 29:17, Ps 7:9, 17:3), sons of men (both righteous and wicked = Ps 11:4-5) or man of God. The Septuagint (Lxx) often translates bachan with dokimazo which means to assay, to test, to prove, to put to the test, to make a trial of, to verify, to discern to approve. Dokimazo involves not only testing but determining the genuineness or value of an event or object. That which has been tested is demonstrated to be genuine and trustworthy. Bachan - 27v - NASB Usage: assay(2), examine(2), proved(1), test(7), tested(3), tests(3), tried(5), tries(2), try(3). KJV translates bachan as try 19, prove 7, examine 1, tempt 1, trial 1 Genesis 42:15 by this you will be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here! 16 "Send one of you that he may get your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. But if not, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies." 1 Chronicles 29:17 "Since I know, O my God, that You try the heart and delight in uprightness, I, in the integrity of my heart, have willingly offered all these things; so now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here, make their offerings willingly to You. Job 7:18 That You examine him every morning And try him every moment? Job 12:11 "Does not the ear test words, As the palate tastes its food? Job 23:10-note "But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold. Job 34:3 "For the ear tests words As the palate tastes food. 36 'Job ought to be tried to the limit, Because he answers like wicked men. Ps 7:9-note O let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous; For the righteous God tries the hearts and minds. Ps 11:4-note The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD'S throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. Ps 11:5-note;The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked, And the one who loves violence His soul hates. Ps 17:3-note You have tried (Lxx = dokimazo) my heart; You have visited me by night; You have tested (tsaraph) me and You find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress. Ps 26:2-note Examine (Lxx = dokimazo) me, O LORD, and try (nasah) me; Test (tsaraph) my mind and my heart. (Red = imperatives!) Ps 66:10-note For You have tried (Lxx = dokimazo) us, O God; You have refined us as silver is refined. Ps 81:7-note "You called in trouble and I rescued you; I answered you in the hiding place of thunder; I proved (Lxx = dokimazo) you at the waters of Meribah. Selah. Ps 95:9-note "When your fathers tested (nasah) Me, They tried (Lxx = dokimazo) Me, though they had seen My work. Ps 139:23-note Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try (bachan; Lxx = dokimazo) me and know my anxious thoughts; (Red = imperatives! Four bold requests of the all seeing God! Oh my!) Proverbs 17:3 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the LORD tests hearts. Jeremiah 6:27 "I have made you an assayer and a tester among My people, That you may know and assay (Lxx = dokimazo) their way." Jeremiah 9:7 Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, "Behold, I will refine (tsaraph) them and assay (Lxx = dokimazo) them; For what else can I do, because of the daughter of My people? Jeremiah 11:20 But, O LORD of hosts, who judges righteously, Who tries (Lxx = dokimazo) the feelings and the heart, Let me see Your vengeance on them, For to You have I committed my cause. Jeremiah 12:3 But You know me, O LORD; You see me; And You examine (Lxx = dokimazo) my heart's attitude toward You. Drag them off like sheep for the slaughter And set them apart for a day of carnage! Jeremiah 17:10 "I, the LORD, search the heart, I test (Lxx = dokimazo) the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds. Jeremiah 20:12 Yet, O LORD of hosts (this is Jesus), You who test (Lxx = dokimazo) the righteous, Who see the mind and the heart; Let me see Your vengeance on them; For to You I have set forth my cause. Zechariah 13:9-commentary "And I will bring the third part through the fire, Refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested (Lxx = dokimazo). They will call on My name, And I will answer them; I will say, 'They are My people,' And they will say, 'The LORD is my God.'" Malachi 3:10-commentary "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test 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 a blessing until it overflows. 15 'So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up but they also test God and escape.'" Will… open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows - Obedience opens the windows of heaven to pour out God’s blessings. "If men will take up the challenge, God will release “the windows “ or “floodgates” of heaven and send an abundance of rains (cf. Dt. 28:12; 2Ki 7:2, 19)." According to George Barna, "Fewer than one out of every ten churched Christians donates at least 10 percent of their income to churches and other nonprofit organizations. (More than one-third claim to do so.)" Wiersbe - Yes, giving is an act of faith, but God rewards that faith in every way. That isn’t the reason we give, because that kind of motivation would be selfish. “If you give because it pays, it won’t pay!” said industrialist R. G. LeTourneau, and he was right. We give because we love God and want to obey Him, and because He’s very generous to us. When we lay up treasures in heaven, they pay rich dividends for all eternity. Adrian Rogers - Oh, I wish I could tell you this! I wish I could get this in your heart, dear friend: God wants to bless you. God wants to open the windows of Heaven upon you. Here it is—listen—recognize your failure; restore your fellowship; release your finances; receive your fruitfulness. God—God—will open the windows of Heaven and bless you. Stewardship - Maybe there are more reasons than we know to bring rather than send our offering to church. In Lake Mary, Florida the bomb squad detonated a suspicious cardboard box found outside a church. They discovered it had $2,500 cash, apparently a donation to the church. The Lord wants more than our money; he wants our lives along with it. When we bring it, we avoid it being blown to bits. The article says that the local authorities said they would replace the money. (The Week, May 21, 2010, p. 6. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell) Opened Windows - One of the statements most commonly made is that tithing was intended for the Jew only and does not apply to the Christian living under grace. If this were true, then our Lord would not have said of tithing: "These ought ye to have done" (Matt. 23:23; Luke 11:42). Our heavenly Father does not promise wealth to every one who tithes, but He does promise to "open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Take Him at His word today. Dr. S. D. Gordon wrote he could never forget his mother's paraphrase of Malachi 3:10. The verse begins: "Bring ye the whole tithe in" and ends, "I will pour" the blessing out till you'll be embarrassed for space. Her paraphrase was this: "Give all He asks: take all He promises." Tithing pays rich dividends in the home, at school, in business, in the pulpit, on the mission field; in fact, in every walk of life.—Tither OPENING THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN Malachi 3:10+ “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test 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 a blessing until it overflows. While these words in Malachi were clearly addressed to Israel and thus apply directly to them, as with all Scripture, while there is one accurate interpretation, there can be many applications. Such is the case with this beautiful promise. Note that it is a conditional promise calling for one to bring the whole tithe to God, which in context refers to money and/or sacrificial animals. But the principle of offering up sacrifices to the Lord also applies to our prayers. As someone wrote "Prayer is the offering of our sincere desires to God. It involves a sense of our unworthiness and necessities." And so are not our prayers an offering from our heart to God even as are our gifts of money, etc? Indeed, our prayers are a spiritual offering. If God calls us to honor Him by bringing the "tithe into the storehouse," it begs the question "What about the "tithe" so to speak of my prayers?" "Am I bringing my prayers into the storehouse (cf the "storehouse" in Rev 8:3-4+ = "the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne.")? In Hebrews 13:15+ we see the exhortation "Through Him (Christ our Mediator) then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name." And Peter writes "you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1 Pe 2:5) James Rosscup elaborates on the spiritual sacrifices believers are now to offer up to God... To offer up is in the aorist tense, describing the entire process of the ongoing worship as comprising one composite unit, even with its many parts. The sacrifices are spiritual, in contrast to OT material sacrifices of bulls, goats, lambs, birds, and meal (Lev. 1–5). Even in the OT times God discerned when worship was with sacrifices coming spiritually from the heart (Ps. 51:17). Of this nature, the present aspects of worship are the many spiritual ministrations believers present to God, many in prayers...When these take the form of prayers, they are committed to the God Who delights in these as in the sweet incense and the morning sacrifice when these were pure in OT days (Ps 141:2). A part of them are what the writer to the Hebrews describes as “the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name” (Heb 13:15). (An Exposition on Prayer in the Bible) And so surely our prayers are an offering of spiritual sacrifices to the Almighty God. What would be the efficacy of prayers ("large petitions") like Colossians 1:9-14+ if we offered them up to God as our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving? Would not our Almighty God Whose ways are great and marvelous (Rev 15:3+) be pleased to open up "the windows of heaven and pour out for (us) a blessing until it overflows."? And how can we be confident God will answer according to this promise in His Word? Because of His faithfulness to His own word which says "This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will (which is seen in His Word, like Col 1:9-14), He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him." (1 John 5:14-15+) Beloved, may God be pleased to open the windows of Heaven and pour out upon us the spiritual blessings including the blessing of personal, corporate and national revival in Jesus' Name. Amen Worship Him today by singing this hymn from John Newton Come My Soul, Thy Suit Prepare Thou art coming to a King, Large petitions with thee bring; For His grace and power are such, None can ever ask too much; None can ever ask too much. Addendum - Jesus said ""If therefore you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous mammon, who will entrust the true riches to you?" (Lk 16:11+) So clearly there are "riches" far more valuable than mammon. So bring your offering of prayer into the storehouse and God will open the windows of heaven and pour out blessing until it overflows! Here is an example of God opening the windows of heaven and pouring out blessing until it overflows - The efficacy of prayer - “Then you have not been modified in any way as to the efficacy of prayer?” asked his visitor. Mr. Spurgeon laughed. “Only in my faith growing far stronger and firmer than ever. It is not a matter of faith with me, but of knowledge, and everyday experience. I am constantly witnessing the most unmistakable instances of answers to prayer. My whole life is made up of them. To me they are so familiar as to cease to excite my surprise; but to many they would seem marvellous, no doubt. Why, I could no more doubt the efficacy of prayer than I could disbelieve in the law of gravitation. The one is as much a fact as the other, constantly verified every day of my life. Elijah, by the brook Cherith, as he received his daily rations from the ravens, could hardly be a more likely subject for scepticism than look at my Orphanage. To keep it going entails an annual expenditure of about £10,000. Only £1400 is provided for by endowment. The remaining £8000 comes to me regularly in answer to prayer. I do not know where I shall get it from day to day. I ask God for it, and He sends it. Mr. Muller, of Bristol, does the same on a far larger scale, and his experience is the same as mine.” Beloved, if God does this with money, would He not also do spiritual blessings? That is a rhetorical question! COMMENT - The language of Malachi 3:10 is often used in prayer by those who are not aware that it is rather a challenge than a promise—"Prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts." We naturally ask whether God does "open the windows of heaven and pour down blessing" upon the faithful givers of tithes. Instances are not wanting among ourselves to supply the answer. No workers in our day have enjoyed larger blessing than George Müller and Charles Spurgeon, both of whom have, from the beginning of their work, put the sacred rule into practice with believing and humble hearts. Years ago Mr. Spurgeon said: "I knew a lad in Christ once who adopted the principle of giving a tenth to God. When he won a money prize for an essay on a religious subject, he felt that he could not give less than one-fifth of it. He has never since been able to deny himself the pleasure of having a fifth to give. God has wonderfully blessed that lad, and increased his means and his enjoyment of that luxury of luxuries—the luxury of doing good." I Must Give Before I Can Pray" "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."—Mal. 3:10 The venerable Dr. Sewall, of Maine, once entered a meeting in behalf of foreign missions just as the collectors of the contributions were resuming their seats. The chairman of the meeting requested him to lead in prayer. The old gentleman stood hesitatingly, as if he had not heard the request It was repeated in a louder voice, but there was no response. It was observed, however, that Dr. Sewall was fumbling in his pockets, and presently he produced a piece of money, which he deposited in the contribution box. The chairman, thinking he had not been understood, said loudly, "I didn't ask you to give, Dr. Sewall, I asked you to pray." "Oh yes," he replied, "I heard you, but I can't pray till I have given something." Malachi 3:10 C H
Malaquias 3
Wiersbe - One of the sins of the priests was that they failed to make the distinction between the way of holiness and the way of sin. To them, one sacrifice was just as good as another, yet they were supposed to teach the people “the difference between the holy and the common, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean” (Ezek. 44:23). Between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him - This theme of distinction between the godly and ungodly is presented at the very beginning of the psalms… For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish. Psalm 1:6-note Malachi 3:17 - C H