When you give to the Lord, look out, the floodgates of heaven are open to pour out a blessing.
Some pastors are not known for being too good at math. One of those pastors who did not excel in math said to his church, if you can’t give one-tenth, then at least give one-fifth. He may not have realized he was asking people to give twenty percent.
There may have been a profound truth to his words because giving opens the floodgates of heaven. You should prayerfully consider what tithing could mean to your own spiritual growth. We should all have a desire to experience the blessings of God.
“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. 7 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ 8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. (Malachi 3:6-8)
All who have wondered from God will benefit with a blessing by returning to God. The nation has robbed God by refusing to give the tithe. We sometimes think of the tithe as coming with the Old Testament law. There are tithing references that precede the law by hundreds of years.
Abraham gave a tithe to Melchizedek we read in Genesis 14. Melchizedek is a king that, although we don’t know much about him, is compared to Jesus in the New Testament. Abraham gave a tithe to acknowledge God’s sovereignty in everything.
Abraham’s grandson also gave a tithe at what we call Jacob’s Ladder (Genesis 28:22). It was a transformation experience where Jacob saw God and he went from a grabber to a giver. After this experience Jacob vowed to tithe all he would get. Following the patterns of Abraham and Jacob tithing was established in the Old Testament system of the law.
You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. (Malachi 3:9)
There is a blessing for those who give and the opposite for those who refuse to give and rob God of what belongs to him. Those who don’t give to God there is a curse. In this context the curse was applying to the whole nation of Israel.
“Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the LORD's; it is holy to the LORD. (Leviticus 27:30)
You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year. 23 And before the LORD your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always. (Deuteronomy 14:22-23)
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. (Matthew 23:23)
Jesus condemns the Pharisees for lacking justice, faith and mercy but told them to keep tithing. Before the law the patriarchs such as Abraham and Jacob practiced tithing. It was commanded by Moses and is part of the Old Testament law. People were exhorted to tithe by the prophets. Jesus commended tithing and said it should be done. He added to make sure it is accompanied by the right attitude of the heart.
10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. (Malachi 3:10)
What a great word picture that the windows of heaven or the floodgates of heaven are opened, and God pours out his blessing when we give. There is so much blessing that you won’t have room for it all.
This passage we read the Lord is asking his people to test him and see. Daniel tested the Lord when he purposed in his heart not to defile himself. Testing the Lord comes first from a commitment in your heart. This is followed by outward expression of your faith. Test God and see what he will do.
For Christians tithing is worship. It reminds us that God is sovereign owner of all, and we are stewards. Your giving is personal, but giving one-tenth is God’s standard. Tithing is the baseline and then pray about increasing your giving above the tithe.
Those of you who already tithe and give generously beyond the tithe have your testimony of how God opened the floodgates of heaven and blessed you. And God opens the windows of heaven to those that trust God with his promise. If we give first of one-tenth, He will be faithful to supply all your needs when you live on the remaining nine-tenths.
The tithe is the biggening point. Henry Crowell who founded Quaker Oats made a pledge to God that he would dedicate his talents to amassing wealth and finance kingdom work. He gave 65% of his income to God. The interesting thing is that his company has been bought by Pepsi. You may see the brand he developed but the company is gone. What is still going long past his company and his life on earth is his foundation to fund kingdom work, The Crowell Trust.
When I was a seminary student my monthly salary was $150 a month. I was giving over 65% which was $100 per month. I was trying to live off my savings (which came from working for Quaker Oats). That was the semester the seminary offered me the highest dollar scholarship they offer. God opened the floodgates of heaven and poured out a blessing.
Take a step of faith and trust the Lord with giving above the tithe. The blessing may not be financial, but don’t miss the heavens being opened and pouring blessing upon you.
On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. (1 Corinthians 16:2) Paul knew tithing would be assumed. He encouraged weekly giving as a reminder of God’s faithfulness.
I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the LORD of hosts. 12 Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the LORD of hosts. (Malachi 3:11-12)
God already owns everything, but when we tithe, we are blessed. To use the tithe for our own needs is to profane it. God can open the floodgates like he did at the feeding of the five thousand multiplying the loaves and the fish. The little boy gave, and the floodgates were opened.
What if you are in a family where other family members do not want to tithe? Pray! Daniel prayed that his overseer would let him eat only vegetables. If he looked weaker then he would eat the royal food that went against his convictions. He tested the Lord, and he was healthier. This might be the opportunity for God to show himself faithful to a spouse with little or no faith.
If someone is saying we won’t make it if we tithe, that is usually only said by those who have not been tithing for any length of time. Listen to the Lord. Listen to the testimonies of those who tithe. Listen how God opened the floodgates of heaven and poured out blessings.
For some giving in this way, making a commitment to tithe it is a new experience. It is a step of faith. This is part of your Christian growth. When a child takes the first steps it may not look pretty but the child and the parents are pleased.
It is an opportunity to honor the Lord with your giving. Your financial giving is a true test of your faith in Christ. Jesus put it more simply, where your treasure is that is where your heart is.
