Tithing - Malachi 4

Malachi has been building to a climax. For the tithe advocator, the climax was Chapter 3:8-10; however, for the prophecy the climax is assuredly the fourth chapter.

4:1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

This verse is talking about when the earth will be destroyed as by fire, according to God’s promise. He will leave nothing left as righteous, holy judgment is poured out upon the earth.

4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

4:3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

Christ will be the one giving out punishment, and He will also be the One to bring healing to those that fear His name. Compare this passage to Revelation 19 when the saints return with Christ to conquer Satan and his followers.

4:4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

God is calling the reader to remember the Law. It would be right to regard the Law as it was written. Do not add to or change anything in the Law, compare to Revelation 22:18. So doing a curse will be added to that person’s life. God promised that Elijah would come before that great and dreadful day. Christ revealed that John the Baptist was Elijah during His first coming. It may be that Elijah is one of the prophets mentioned in Revelation before the Second Coming. What is certain is that Elijah will be preaching a repentance message based upon the Law. If those do not repent, then will the earth be cursed. Notice the progression of the Tribulation plagues. Each section – seals, trumpets, vials – becomes increasingly more harrowing. Notice also why this happens. It is because
man does not repent of his sin, further, they increase in wickedness against God. All of this applies to Malachi 3, and nothing about the “Christian’s” giving money to any church is mentioned. To sum it up, the context is Jewish, and God’s desire for the Jew to follow the Law. If they do not, then judgment will come. One might say, but we’re not under the Law, but under grace. This is even more of a statement against tithing than for it. The Law required the tithe. Grace requires our all – that is 90% more than the tithe asked. However, the Law will be reinstated during the tribulation and the millennium, notice that there is a temple once again. Notice that sacrifices are being done in that temple, and that Christ is on the throne regulating the temple’s workings. Therefore, none of this passage could ever apply to the church age in context.

To sum up what the Old Testament has stated about the tithe and its workings

1. It is food.

2. Only food producers could tithe.

3. Money was used, but only to buy food after a journey.

4. Only Levites could collect and regulate the tithe.

5. The tithe was brought to a storehouse, which was not the Temple.

6. The tithe was collected AFTER the farmer was blessed enough to have 10.

7. There is only a curse placed upon the Jews who were unlawfully tithing.

8. The blessing mentioned in Malachi 3 refers to Christ Himself.

9. Money was never an accepted tithing medium in the Old Testament.

10. Abraham did not institute the tithe before the Law.

11. The Bible records that Abraham only tithed once.

12. Abraham tithed from the spoils of war, not income. He returned the remaining spoils to the king of Sodom.

13. Jacob did not tithe, but tried to make a deal with God.