Summary
God’s people in Malachi’s day viewed God as stingy with his blessings, and returned the favour with their worship and their giving. As we have repeatedly seen in our journey through Malachi, the problem was with God’s people, not God. God loved them, but they were unfaithful to him.
One way in which the faithlessness of God’s people was clear in Malachi’s day was in their giving to God, which God firmly rebukes in Malachi 3:6-12. These verses are hard to hear and have been sorely abused in the wider church, but still hold lessons for us in how we treat our time, money and possessions. They remind us of the unchanging mercy of God, the importance of giving, and the promise of blessing.
Our passage explained
v6-9
Despite God’s people’s faithlessness, God was still unchanging in his mercy. In the previous verses, God promised the arrival of Jesus would bring refinement and judgement. In verse 6, he reminds them of his unchanging mercy and forgiveness when he tells them “I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.”
The faithlessness of his people was nothing new to God, as “from the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them” (v.7). Yet instead of judgement, God offers mercy. The people are commanded to repent (v.7), but with repentance comes the promise of mercy and forgiveness from God.
God offered repentance, but God’s people disingenuously ask “How shall we return?” (v.7) which they could find out by reading the Scriptures! God responds by accusing God’s people of robbing him, by withholding tithes (v.8). As a result, God withheld his blessing on their crops (v.9).
The tithe was an important part of the Mosaic economy. God’s people were to give a tenth of the agricultural produce to God, their Great King, who was the ultimate owner of the Land they inhabited, given to them by him (Lev. 27:30-33). The tithe supported the priests and Levites in their service to God (Num. 18:21), charity for the poor and needy, and celebration of being part of God’s people (Deut. 14:22-29). When they withheld the tithe, they not only robbed God of his rightful due, but neglected the priests, Levites, the poor and needy, and themselves!
v10-12
As part of their repentance, God instructs his people to resume tithing (v.10) to him. Giving of their produce, even in their lack, is a sign of faithful trust in God to provide. It also demonstrates a true care for the rest of the covenant community, particularly the Levites and the poor who relied on the tithe for their own living.
While normally Scripture frowns at testing God, in these passages God himself dares his people to put him to the test (v.10). In those days the blessings of trusting God were expressed in blessings on the land, which pointed to greater spiritual blessings. We see God promise blessing from renewed faithful tithing.
If they tithe out of their lack, God promises to send rain and bless “until there is no more need” (v.10). He will also protect them from “the devourer”, the pests who destroy crops (v.11). All the world will see their blessings and describe them as blessed (v.12).
Our passage applied
So should we also tithe so that God will bless us with riches? There is considerable debate over whether the tithe is still binding on Christians, or like other ceremonial and civic laws of the Mosaic Covenant, expired except for its “general equity” (WCF 19.4).
My own view is that the tithe is no longer binding as such, but still of great value as a reminder of what God thinks generosity looks like. We see similar themes in New Testament teaching on giving. In particular, we see the promised blessings of giving of our possessions expressed, but blessings that are a harvest of righteousness (2 Cor 9:10); not bountiful crops or a personal jet. If we give sparingly, we can expect little as Malachi’s peers did. If we give generously, God will reap a great harvest in our lives.
We are also encouraged to give “according to what a person has, not… what he does not have” (2 Cor 8:12, cf. 1 Cor 16:2). What the poor pensioner may give is less in absolute and percentage terms than the business owner, but no less important.
What is important is that the giver does so cheerfully, sacrificially, and not out of compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor 9:7). This may well mean sacrificing luxuries for the work of the church, but what is of greater worth: Netflix or the Gospel?
God does not change; he has shown us mercy which we have freely received through Jesus Christ, and so we should freely give generously in response, supporting the work of the church and help for the poor. As we do, we will experience spiritual blessings in our lives.
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