We have suggested a reading of Deut. 26:1-15 as necessary
background on our reading from Malachi. God
had promised material blessings to Israel, as a nation, if they were obedient
to Him (Deut. 7:12-26). Both Lev. 26 and
Deut. 28 are lengthy chapters detailing how God would bless their obedience and
curse their disobedience. This issue of
robbing God and of God’s promise to bless Israel’s land in response to her
obedience was based in God’s special relationship with Israel. Deut. 26 is clear …
·
The basis for bringing the firstfruits of the
crops as well as the tithes was as a thanksgiving to God for His goodness
(26:1-11).
·
The tithe of the third year was for the purpose
of supporting the temple service as well as providing for the needy (26:12). It was to be brought, and the worshiper was
to declare that he had not eaten any of it himself, or used any of it for his
personal use, under any circumstances (26:13-14).
·
THEN the worshiper could ask God to look on him
from heaven and bless him, the nation and the land (26:15).
We mention this for
two reasons. First, it is exactly what
was not happening in Malachi’s day.
Second, because many in the Church today have taken this passage and
inappropriately applied it to the Church and to giving of offerings toward
their ministries. God has not promised
to abundantly bless the crops of Christians above those of non-Christians. He has, in fact, said the opposite, as Jesus
told the people: He makes His sun rise on
the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust (Matt.
5:45; cf. Acts 14:17; 17;24-25). God has
promised to meet our needs on the basis of faith (Mt. 6:19-34; Phil.
4:19). Certainly our giving of offerings
should be an exercise of faith. But what
God was promising through Malachi was the whole nature of the Mosaic Covenant
and its blessings and curses. To promise
people in the Church that if they will give generously they will become wealthy
is a lie.
Having said this let
us not miss the universal principles that are in this passage.
·
God is capable of blessing abundantly and rebuking the devourer (3:11; diminishing the
things that destroy wealth: moths, rust, thieves; Mt. 6:19-21).
·
The point of God’s dealings with Israel and with
us is that we might be a testimony to the nations (3:12). In Phil. 4:10-20 when Paul says God will
provide the needs of the Philippians, it is in the context of their involvement
in the preaching of the gospel. The same
is true in Matt. 28:19-20 when Jesus promises to be with us always as we make
disciples of all nations. This is the
point of Mal. 3:13-15: it is never useless to serve God. To think this way is to tempt God, to try to
put Him in a position where He is obligated to bless us financially when we are
not living faithfully before Him.
Let us walk by faith,
serving Him gladly; let us not worry or fear for our needs.
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