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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!
That can happen in our Christian life can’t it.
Where we believe we are being faithful
… and we believe we are walking the road God wants us to.
… and we believe we are living in obedience.
… and, at the same time, we are quite unaware of the need to spiritually refine our lives.
And one of those areas where we are particularly vulnerable is in connection with finances, and money, and resources, and the way we use what is “ours”.
It’s “our money”. So we get to choose how we spend “our money”.
Yes, it is our money. And yes, we can spend our money how we like.
The spiritual challenge we have is that we live in a world that easily entices us to spend our money, and give our resources, to ourselves.
At the same time the LORD calls us to a different life.
That is what is happening to the descendants of Jacob in verses 8-9.
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.
Again there is confusion. God, how are we robbing You?
So God spells it out.
It isn’t enough to return to the land.
It isn’t enough to return to worship.
There also needs to be a return to obedience in tithes and offerings.
A return to using their finances in the way that fulfills their covenant obligations.
Now, because tithes are an Old Testament teaching which we may not be so familiar with, it will also help us to call to mind the significance of the tithe.
Leviticus 27:30-32 is the first time the law of tithing is mentioned in the Bible.
30 “‘A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD. 31 Whoever would redeem any of their tithe must add a fifth of the value to it. 32 Every tithe of the herd and flock—every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd’s rod—will be holy to the LORD.
The most important aspect to remember regarding the tithe is that the tithe belongs to the LORD and it is holy to Him.
And, because it belongs to the LORD, the LORD determines how the tithe is distributed.
A tenth of flocks, and herds, and grains and fruits. Whatever you produced, or the income you made from selling goods and services, or your income if you hired yourself as a labourer. It would be collected right through the year, sometimes seasonally.
Whatever it was in your situation.
1/10th … the tithe … it belongs to the LORD.
This is the tithe which belongs to the LORD.
How has does the LORD uses His tithe?
We are reading Numbers 18:21
21 “I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the tent of meeting.
Why does the LORD give the Levites the tithe? Reading from verse 23.
They will receive no inheritance among the Israelites. 24 Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the LORD. That is why I said concerning them: ‘They will have no inheritance among the Israelites.’”
The Levites were responsible for upkeep and maintenance of the sanctuary.
Initially, when the place of worship was a tabernacle, it was the job of the Levites to pack up and set up the tabernacle. Later it was serving in the temple in Jerusalem.
The Levites served as musicians, gate keepers, guardians, Temple officials and judges.
This is the group that who receive the tithe because, as a tribe, they have no inheritance.
When the land was divided up, the Levites were allocated cities and the close surrounding pastures, as a place to live. But, as a tribe, they were not allocated a large piece of land as was the case for all the other tribes.
Because of their calling, and the lack of an inheritance, the Levites can’t make a living.
So, the LORD uses what belongs to Him to make sure the ministry of His Word is funded. The LORD does this because He knows that His people need to be taught, and encouraged, and called to repentance, and led in worship.
The LORD uses His tithe to bring people into a closer and deeper relationship with Himself.
The LORD uses His tithe for the benefit of His people.
But that isn’t the only way the tithe was used. Let’s read Deuteronomy 14
22 Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year.
23 Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the LORD your God at the place He will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the LORD your God always.
Did you hear what was just said? The LORD calls His people to collect the tithe, then tells them to have a feast using a part of the tithe that belongs to the LORD.
This is not a separate tithe to the one described in Numbers 18 … rather this is a further revelation of how the tithe which belongs to the LORD is to be used.
Let’s keep reading.
24 But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the LORD your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the LORD will choose to put His Name is so far away), 25 then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the LORD your God will choose. 26 Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish.
Gather the tithe which belongs to Me. From that tithe … which belongs to Me … cash it in … and then buy a feast … and buy multiple alcoholic beverages.
For what purpose?
Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice. 27 And do not neglect the Levites living in your towns, for they have no allotment or inheritance of their own.
So, again the reminder to support the Levites.
Don’t take away from the ministry of the Word – it still needs support.
But also the LORD wants the tithe which belongs to Him to be used to provide an environment of hospitality, and celebration … to build community.
To have an environment where the whole faith community is together before the Lord in community. And to have a feast which includes plenty of food and even alcohol.
Here again we see the LORD determining to use His tithe to benefit His people.
But that isn’t all. We continue to read Deuteronomy 14:28-30
28 At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year’s produce and store it in your towns, 29 so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
Again, not a separate tithe. But a further revelation on how the LORD wants His tithe to be used. Every third year, rather than being brought to the Tabernacle or Temple, those particular items were gathered in all the towns all over the nations so that those who were disenfranchised, and poor, and orphan, and without a means to make an income … that these people would be cared for.
The LORD is using what belongs to Him to ensure that the ministry of mercy is provided with sufficient resources to have all their needs met.
The LORD uses His tithe to benefit His people … and not just His people but also people who are outside the Jewish community … the foreigners.
The tithe belongs to the LORD.
The LORD could allocate that tithe to whatever He chooses … and the LORD chooses to use that tithe for the benefit of His people.
When tithes and offerings are not being given God is being robbed of the opportunity of using that which belongs to Him to benefit His people.
That is what is happening in Malachi 3.
Which means that this passage isn’t primarily about money and giving.
The primary purpose of this passage is to teach us about the heart of God.
God’s heart is for His people to be blessed. God’s heart is for His resources to be used to benefit His people.
God has put in place a process … the gathering of His tithe … to benefit His people so that His people will have all the resources necessary for the ministry of the Word and His people will be brought into a closer and deeper relationship with the God who loves them.
This same process … the gathering of His tithe … is to benefit His people so that they have the resources necessary for the whole faith community to be together before the LORD in community, and hospitality, and celebration. Enjoying God together as we are blessed by His abundant provisions.
Through this same gathered tithe … God is seeking to supply the resources necessary for a ministry of mercy is in place for the benefit of the poor, the disenfranchised, and even those who are from outside the community.
That determination of God.
For the ministry of the Word to be funded so people come and grow in their relationship with Him.
For fellowship and celebration and growing in relationship to be funded.
For the ministry of mercy to be funded.
God is just as determined today to have this same outcome.
God’s character is that He wants to build a kingdom which spiritually benefits His people. God’s character is to shower blessing and benefit for His people.
Indeed, God is so keen to have the full tithe … so He can give the full benefit … that in the days of Malichi God offers an incentive. It is in Malachi 3:10
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.
Now let’s remember the context.
The tithe goes to the temple in years 1 and 2 … and on the third year the tithe is collected in each city.
This is not a promise to individually bless the one who tithes. This is a promise that, when we as a faith community don’t rob God, the whole community will see the blessings of God’s funding in action.
The blessing which comes when the ministry of the Word is calling and growing people in their relationship with Him.
The blessing of fellowship, and celebration, and worship as we grow in our relationship to the Lord Jesus together.
The blessing which comes through the ministry of mercy.
To the people in Malachi’s day, and to us, the Lord says, “Test me in this.”
Test, and then watch me flood you with blessing.
When God says “test me in this” we need to think of the way the word “test” is used in Psalm 139:23-24
23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
Test and you will see if I am who I say I am.
Test and see what is really going on.
“Test me in this” says God.
Test and you will see that I will provide all that you need and more so that you, my people, will benefit beyond all you can imagine.
That was the response being called for in the days of Malachi.
And that same response continues to be called for today – from each one of us.
As we think about that response, we do so recognising that the era of tithing is over.
The biblical principle that now applies to our giving is succinctly describe in 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
6 Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
We will look at that passage next week. For now let’s understand, the era of tithing is over, but our capacity to rob God of the opportunity to use His resources for the benefit of His people is not.
So that leaves us with exactly the same spiritual question as that which is being faced by the readers in Malachi 3.
When it comes to our finances, and resources, and giving.
Are we robbing God of that which He will use to benefit His people?
Or are we testing that God is who He says He is – and He will give us such abundant resources that there will be so much blessing, for the benefit of His people, that we will see our ministry here at NPBC becoming a floodgate of blessing from heaven.
Prayer
