Don’t Rob God

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NORTH PINE BAPTIST CHURCH

Sunday 1st June 2025

Malachi 3:6-12

“Don’t Rob God”

The text for this morning is Malachi 3:6-12

As I was preparing this sermon it became evident that we were going to jump around a lot in the Scriptures.

Which is much easier to do when you have a data presentation.

Less so when having to find the reference.

So with the songs today there is a couple of pages with all the readings.

You can use this to help, you don’t have to.

I’m using the NIV translation – you might want to read the verses in your preferred translation. You can also go home with the sheet and reread the verses again to further study the word.

Let’s start by reading Malachi 3:6

6 “I the LORD do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.

Before the LORD speaks about the issue the LORD reminds the descendants of Jacob

… in this case the Jewish nation who live in the 4th century BC.

… the LORD is reminding His people of His unchanging character.

The LORD is, and always will be

8 .… compassionate and gracious,

That is the description of God’s character in Psalm 103.

slow to anger, abounding in love.

9 He will not always accuse,

nor will He harbour His anger forever;

verse 12 as far as the east is from the west,

so far has He removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:8-9, 12)

Were it not for this unchanging character the descendants of Jacob in the 4th century BC would be destroyed. Indeed, it is only because of the character of God that we … we here in the 21st century AD … that we also are not destroyed.

This is a truth which is so clearly spoken in John 3:16-17

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

The LORD doesn’t change, so we are not destroyed. Instead of destroying the LORD uses His word to bring about repentance, transformation and obedience in our lives.

The reason the LORD does this is because of the character of God’s people.

That’s what is the LORD is doing in our text. He is calling His people towards greater conformity to His Word.

Let’s keep reading to see what the specific issue is.

7 Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from My decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,’ says the LORD Almighty.

‘But you ask, “How are we to return?”

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.

The LORD is seeking to bring about a change of behaviour—but the descendants of Jacob are confused. We see that confusion in verse 7.

7 Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty.

“But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’

This isn’t a question being asked in disobedience.

Nor is it an attempt to excuse their behaviour based on a lack of knowledge or understanding.

It is a legitimate question … haven’t we already returned?

Our ancestors were the ones who went into exile in Babylon. They were sent to Babylon because they turned away from the decrees of the LORD.

But we have returned.

Historically, for the people who Malachi addresses, the return of the exiles happened at least 50 years previous.

And, historically, these same people have also returned to worshipping the LORD in the rebuilt temple … they have been doing so for at least 30 years.

So the people are a bit confused.

LORD we have returned.

We have returned from Babylon.

We have returned to worship at the temple.

So how are we to return? LORD, we are a little confused!