Where Is Your Faithfulness?
What does a farmer think about when he sees the grain tumbling from the combine into the wagon…thousands of kernels, pouring into storage bins? Does he think about the blessings of God? The prophet Malachi said: “Put me to the test and you will see that I will open the windows of heaven and pour out on you in abundance all kinds of good things.” (Malachi 3:10) Does that farmer think about God’s goodness? No? Then he should!
What does a mother think when she sends her children off to school, and watches them…healthy and strong, learning and growing? Does she think about what Jesus said: “You know how to give good things to your children. How much more then, will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” (Lk. 11:13) Does she think about what Jesus said? No? Then she should!
What does the average person think when he goes to work in the morning, and puts in another 8-hour day and collects a full week’s pay check? Does that person think, like the Psalmist, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.” (Ps. 68:19) Does he think about the Psalms? Or do you? No? Then you should!
How does God put up with our indifference, when He has been so good to us? Where is our faithfulness? Where are we on Sunday mornings? Are we in God’s House to praise Him? Where are we when it comes time to give an extra offering? Are we giving of the first fruits of the land, or the first portion of our pay-checks? Are we reflecting His goodness to us through our gifts? Where are we when the difficult times come? Are we the first to complain, or do we remember the good times, and say, “Thanks be unto God, for His inexpressible gifts.” (II Cor. 9:15) Where are we when someone needs a greeting or a friendly word? Are we so busy with our own little problems, that we cannot see beyond our own nose?
Let us remember to praise the Lord! As the Psalmist has said: “Praise God in his sanctuary.”...”Praise him for his mighty acts.”…”Praise him with the sound of the trumpet.”…”Let everything that hath breath, praise the Lord.” (Ps. 150)
What does a mother think when she sends her children off to school, and watches them…healthy and strong, learning and growing? Does she think about what Jesus said: “You know how to give good things to your children. How much more then, will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” (Lk. 11:13) Does she think about what Jesus said? No? Then she should!
What does the average person think when he goes to work in the morning, and puts in another 8-hour day and collects a full week’s pay check? Does that person think, like the Psalmist, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.” (Ps. 68:19) Does he think about the Psalms? Or do you? No? Then you should!
How does God put up with our indifference, when He has been so good to us? Where is our faithfulness? Where are we on Sunday mornings? Are we in God’s House to praise Him? Where are we when it comes time to give an extra offering? Are we giving of the first fruits of the land, or the first portion of our pay-checks? Are we reflecting His goodness to us through our gifts? Where are we when the difficult times come? Are we the first to complain, or do we remember the good times, and say, “Thanks be unto God, for His inexpressible gifts.” (II Cor. 9:15) Where are we when someone needs a greeting or a friendly word? Are we so busy with our own little problems, that we cannot see beyond our own nose?
Let us remember to praise the Lord! As the Psalmist has said: “Praise God in his sanctuary.”...”Praise him for his mighty acts.”…”Praise him with the sound of the trumpet.”…”Let everything that hath breath, praise the Lord.” (Ps. 150)
2 Comments:
Friend, May I offer an alternative interpretation of Malachi for your study.
From: Tithing is not a Christian Doctrine
www.shouldthechurchteachtithing.com
Russell Earl Kelly, PHD
Malachi 3 is the Most Abused Tithing Text in the Bible. The “whole” tithe never was supposed to go to the Temple!
A. Malachi is Old Covenant and is never quoted in the New Covenant to validate tithing (Lev. 27:34; Neh. 10:28-29; Mal. 3:7; 4:4).
B. In Malachi 3:10-11 tithes are still only food 1000 years after Leviticus 27:30-34 and Numbers 18:21-28.
C. Malachi’s audience had willingly reaffirmed the Old Covenant (Neh.10:28-29). The blessings and curses of tithing are identical to and inseparable from those of the entire Mosaic Law. The rain in Deuteronomy 28:12, 23-24 and Leviticus 26:1-4 is only obtained by obedience to all 613 commandments. Galatians 3:10 (quoting Deu 27:26) “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” Trying to earn God’s blessings through tithing only brings curses for failure to keep all of the law. See also Galatians 3:19.
D. Beginning in 1:6 “you” in Malachi always refers to the dishonest priests and not the people (also 2:1-10; 2:13 to 3:1-5): “Even this whole nation of you --priests” (3:9). In 1:13-14 the priests had stolen tithed animals vowed to God. In Nehemiah 13:5-10 priests had stolen the Levites’ portion of the tithe. God’s curses on the priests are ignored by most tithe-teachers (1:14; 2:2 and 3:2-4).
E. Point #12 of the essay. The Levitical cities must be included in a correct interpretation of Malachi 3:10. Most tithe-recipients lived outside of Jerusalem.
F. The 24 courses of Levites and priests must be included in a correct interpretation of Malachi 3. Normally only 2% of the total Levite and priest work force served at the temple one week at a time. Subtract wives, males under the age of 30 and daughters. Therefore 2% did not require all of the tithe. See 1 Chron 23-26; 28:13, 21; 2 Chron. 8:14; 23:8; 31:2, 15-19; 35:4, 5, 10; Ezra 6:18; Neh. 11:19, 30; 12:24; 13:9, 10; Luke 1:5.
G. Nehemiah 10:37-39 is the key to understanding Malachi 3:10, The people were commanded to bring their tithes, not to the temple, but to the nearby Levitical cities. Verse 38 says that the priests were with the Levites in the Levitical cities when they received the tithes.
H. According to Nehemiah 13:5, 9 the “storehouse” in the Temple was only several rooms. The real “storehouses” were in the Levitical cites per Nehemiah 10:37b-38. Only the Levites and priests normally brought tithes to the Temple (10:38). Two rooms in the Temple were far too small to contain the tithe from the entire nation and 98% of the Levites and priests lived too far away to eat from them.
Therefore, Malachi 3:10’s “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse” only makes contextual sense if it is only commanding dishonest priests to replace the tithes they had removed from it or had failed to bring to it.
While the 3:10 of the Law in Malachi is so important to tithe-teachers they ignore the 3:10 of the Gospel in Galatians and 2nd Corinthians. Perhaps those wanting to enforce the 3:10 Law of Malachi should also enforce the 3:10 Law of Numbers. They share the same context.
Christian giving is freewill, sacrificial, generous, joyful, regular and motivated by love. That is enough to provide the needs of the Church.
Thank you Russell for a scholarly reply and comments about tithing. I need to take some time to digest what you sent, but I appreciate your efforts. Always glad to enlarge my horizons. Francis G.
Post a Comment
<< Home