When it comes to tithing perhaps no scripture is more referenced than Malachi 3:8-12 which states: 8 “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse-your whole nation-because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty. 12 “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty. At face value, this passage would seem to imply that God is playing the role of either a mob boss or a slot machine - or both if one translates this passage in terms of monetary value. Who but a ruthless dictator would curse another for not carrying out this alleged indictment to regularly pay a percentage of your income - or else! Does this idea really pass the “love test”? Isn’t choice a primary component of love? And if tithing is compulsory as stated under Mosaic law, how can it really be considered a choice or any sort of act of faith? Another possible translation of this passage would suggest this is not the case. Some of the reasons why could be as follows: 1. In the first few verses of the book of Malachi the “children of Israel” are addressed in a generic sense. However, since the Levitical Priests were technically also “children of Israel” it’s possible that the passage could have been directed to them exclusively. In Malachi 1:6 the indictments are clearly and specifically directed towards the Priests. From that point forward there is no clear change in the direction of focus for whom those indictments are made. The “Priests” are again specifically addressed in Malachi 2:1. As such, it would seem that the indictment to “bring the whole tithe into the storehouse” was actually directed towards the priests. We see no clear change in focus from the Priests for the indictment of “robbing God” so it is reasonable to assume that the indictment could very well have been directed toward the Priests, rather than the entire nation of Israel. 2. There are reasons to believe that the Levitical Priesthood were the only ones actually allowed in the temple storehouse. Non-Jews were permitted the 'ezrat ha-nashim (the forecourt of the Temple); most Jews were permitted in the 'azarah (inner courtyard); only the priests and Levites were permitted in the heychal (inner court or sanctum); and only the High Priest could enter the kodesh kodashim (Holy of Holies). If only a select people were allowed in the storehouse, then Malachi 3:10 cannot be universally applied. It was the Levites, not all of Israel, who were to “bring up the tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers of the storehouse” (Nehemiah 10:38). Therefore, it would seem that Malachi 3:10 was not directed at any others besides the Priests at the time which would further weaken the argument that tithing is to be universally applied today. 3. Since the biblical tithe had nothing to do with paying money from monetary earnings there is no biblical reason to think that if anyone gives money to the church they will be monetarily blessed in return or otherwise cursed. 4. It’s possible that what was happening at the time was that the Priests weren’t bringing the proper quantity and/or quality of tithe items (produce and livestock) to the temple as directed, perhaps keeping the best elements of their portion of the tithe for themselves. God could be indicting the Priests, through the prophet Malachi, to properly execute their part of the system, which included bringing proper sacrifices (quality livestock) and food (produce) for the other temple Priests and temple workers. Only the Priests were allowed to conduct sacrifices. 5. The “floodgates of heaven” has nothing to do with monetary blessing. We first find this same term used by God back in Genesis 7:11 where the windows of heaven were open and rain contributed to the flood, as the fountains of the deep were broken open. In Genesis 8:2 it says the windows of heaven were stopped and the rain from heaven was restrained. Isaiah 24:18 also mentions the windows from on high; this phrase is consistently used for rainwater. In Genesis, it was a judgment. In Malachi 3 it was to be a blessing - rain on their crops. The nation lived in large part by their agriculture (Husbandry) and depended upon the rain. God's blessing had to do with the provision of water; no rain and they couldn’t produce adequate crops or sustain livestock. Perhaps this passage is emphasizing that if the Priests mishandled their tithes, which was part of the blessing in the Mosaic covenant, a curse would be put on them. The ground would not yield food because God would not allow it to rain which of course would be a detriment to all of Israel. 6. There is no specific indictment for the entire nation of Israel to tithe as only the products of farmers and herdsmen were accepted as tithes. There is no mention of merchants, tradesmen, carpenters, etc… ever bartering their crafts or services as a form of tithing or giving a tenth of their earned monetary wages. Therefore, it is unreasonable to conclude that Malachi 3:8-12 applies to the entire nation of Israel. As such, it’s also unreasonable to conclude that it applies to us today either. 7. The book of Malachi was written at the time of Mosaic law in Israel. These laws supported a system of atonement that is now obsolete in the Christian faith as we (Christians) are now under grace, provided by the blood of Jesus.
Thank you! This word explained it best for my understanding & I appreciate it,God Bless🙏🏾
When it comes to tithing perhaps no scripture is more referenced than Malachi 3:8-12 which states: 8 “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’ “In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse-your whole nation-because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty. 12 “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty.
At face value, this passage would seem to imply that God is playing the role of either a mob boss or a slot machine - or both if one translates this passage in terms of monetary value. Who but a ruthless dictator would curse another for not carrying out this alleged indictment to regularly pay a percentage of your income - or else! Does this idea really pass the “love test”? Isn’t choice a primary component of love? And if tithing is compulsory as stated under Mosaic law, how can it really be considered a choice or any sort of act of faith? Another possible translation of this passage would suggest this is not the case. Some of the reasons why could be as follows:
1. In the first few verses of the book of Malachi the “children of Israel” are addressed in a generic sense. However, since the Levitical Priests were technically also “children of Israel” it’s possible that the passage could have been directed to them exclusively. In Malachi 1:6 the indictments are clearly and specifically directed towards the Priests. From that point forward there is no clear change in the direction of focus for whom those indictments are made. The “Priests” are again specifically addressed in Malachi 2:1. As such, it would seem that the indictment to “bring the whole tithe into the storehouse” was actually directed towards the priests. We see no clear change in focus from the Priests for the indictment of “robbing God” so it is reasonable to assume that the indictment could very well have been directed toward the Priests, rather than the entire nation of Israel.
2. There are reasons to believe that the Levitical Priesthood were the only ones actually allowed in the temple storehouse. Non-Jews were permitted the 'ezrat ha-nashim (the forecourt of the Temple); most Jews were permitted in the 'azarah (inner courtyard); only the priests and Levites were permitted in the heychal (inner court or sanctum); and only the High Priest could enter the kodesh kodashim (Holy of Holies). If only a select people were allowed in the storehouse, then Malachi 3:10 cannot be universally applied. It was the Levites, not all of Israel, who were to “bring up the tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers of the storehouse” (Nehemiah 10:38). Therefore, it would seem that Malachi 3:10 was not directed at any others besides the Priests at the time which would further weaken the argument that tithing is to be universally applied today.
3. Since the biblical tithe had nothing to do with paying money from monetary earnings there is no biblical reason to think that if anyone gives money to the church they will be monetarily blessed in return or otherwise cursed.
4. It’s possible that what was happening at the time was that the Priests weren’t bringing the proper quantity and/or quality of tithe items (produce and livestock) to the temple as directed, perhaps keeping the best elements of their portion of the tithe for themselves. God could be indicting the Priests, through the prophet Malachi, to properly execute their part of the system, which included bringing proper sacrifices (quality livestock) and food (produce) for the other temple Priests and temple workers. Only the Priests were allowed to conduct sacrifices.
5. The “floodgates of heaven” has nothing to do with monetary blessing. We first find this same term used by God back in Genesis 7:11 where the windows of heaven were open and rain contributed to the flood, as the fountains of the deep were broken open. In Genesis 8:2 it says the windows of heaven were stopped and the rain from heaven was restrained. Isaiah 24:18 also mentions the windows from on high; this phrase is consistently used for rainwater. In Genesis, it was a judgment. In Malachi 3 it was to be a blessing - rain on their crops. The nation lived in large part by their agriculture (Husbandry) and depended upon the rain. God's blessing had to do with the provision of water; no rain and they couldn’t produce adequate crops or sustain livestock. Perhaps this passage is emphasizing that if the Priests mishandled their tithes, which was part of the blessing in the Mosaic covenant, a curse would be put on them. The ground would not yield food because God would not allow it to rain which of course would be a detriment to all of Israel.
6. There is no specific indictment for the entire nation of Israel to tithe as only the products of farmers and herdsmen were accepted as tithes. There is no mention of merchants, tradesmen, carpenters, etc… ever bartering their crafts or services as a form of tithing or giving a tenth of their earned monetary wages. Therefore, it is unreasonable to conclude that Malachi 3:8-12 applies to the entire nation of Israel. As such, it’s also unreasonable to conclude that it applies to us today either.
7. The book of Malachi was written at the time of Mosaic law in Israel. These laws supported a system of atonement that is now obsolete in the Christian faith as we (Christians) are now under grace, provided by the blood of Jesus.