Malachi 3:10
"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."
These words were written thousands of years ago by the prophet Malachi on behalf of God. In the surrounding verses we see the unchanging nature of God. He was also candid about the people’s slow, generational erosion of covenant obedience, to the point that they had abandoned the entire framework of divine instruction. Still, God calls His people to restored fellowship.
The people’s response is not sincere. Their tone is one of blatant indifference. They are outwardly religious: they show up, they sacrifice, they observe the calendar, yet their hearts have drifted so far that they cannot perceive their distance. God also charges them with breaking their covenant obligations by withholding what was owed: the tithe (one-tenth of produce and flocks).
Today’s verse is unique in Scripture because God explicitly invites His people to “prove Me now herewith,” challenging their faith by promising that if they obey, He will open the windows of heaven and pour out such abundant blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.
Many evangelical churches view this as a standing command for Christians to tithe (give 10%) to the local church, believing the principle of supporting ministry and receiving divine blessing remains valid.
Some scholars argue this command was specific to the Old Testament theocracy and the Levitical priesthood. They contend that under the New Covenant, giving is based on grace and cheerfulness (2 Corinthians 9:7) rather than a mandatory 10% law or a transactional promise of material wealth.
I say: if you don’t like the tithe plan, you can take Jesus’s advice: “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me” (Matthew 19:21).
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