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.

Tithing - Malachi 3

Understanding that Malachi 1 was written to the nation of Israel, and that Malachi 2 was written to Israel’s priesthood is key to properly comprehending Malachi 3. To this point, Israel was worshipping, but not according to the Law. The priesthood, those who were entrusted to maintain the Law, was corrupt. A redeemer was needed, one who was pure and holy, one who would straighten the crooked paths, and Malachi 3 prophecies of His coming.

3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:

3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

3:4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

3:5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.

These first five verses of Malachi 3 are rather clear. They prophesy Christ’s coming, and what He will do when He arrives. This is second coming in context, because the judging, purifying, and refining of Levi have not yet been done. When Christ corrects Levi’s errors, then and only then will the Levitical offerings be pleasant unto the LORD. As there are no offerings presently, and past offerings cannot fit context, only future offerings done by Levi are foreshadowed. Connecting this passage to the previous Levitical passages shows that the offerings mentioned are food for sacrifices. Certainly many pastors do fit much of the sin mentioned in verse 5, but this passage is not against them, it is against the wicked priests and Levites. Nothing has changed in context from Chapter 1:1, so why would it all of the sudden change now? Malachi 3:6 answers this flatly. It is still the sons of Jacob, and the Lord has not changed, therefore, His Doctrine and Law are the same yesterday, today, and forever more.


3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

3:7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

God is bluntly stating that He has not changed, but the sons of Jacob have even from their father’s time forsaken God’s ordinances. Israel did not keep them. But wait, weren’t the Jews doing sacrifices and tithes? Yes, they were, but they were not doing them lawfully as prescribed in Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. God wants them to return to the Law. Israel responds “Wherein shall we return?” In other words, “Why do we need to return to the Law? We’re already doing all of this stuff.” The first question in verse 8 actually tags onto the last question in verse 7. “Wherein shall we return? Will a man rob God?” This was a straw man argument posited by the unlawful Jew. God responds, you have robbed me. And the astonished Jew’s response is basically, “How?” Tithes and offerings.

Now at this point a faulty doctrine is created. It states thusly:

1. God demands the money tithe from everyone.

2. God demands a money offering over and above the tithe.

3. God will bless the money tithe.

4. God will bless the money offering.

5. God will curse those who do not tithe or offer money.

6. This passage applies to the local New Testament Church.

Can these positions scripturally fit the Old Testament Law of tithing? Absolutely not.

3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

3:9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
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.

Comparing previously quoted tithing scripture with this passage, the reader should already know that the tithe had specific laws, referring to specific people – those who grow food and the Levites, was a specific commodity – food, and was given a specific time of offering – one and three years. Verse 8 reveals that the Jews were robbing God in both tithes and offerings. These were both under the Levite’s supervision. Offerings were for sin, restoration, fellowship, etc… Tithes were to praise God for His provision. The priestly corruption stopped what God had asked to be done, which is why God answers that these commands were not being fulfilled. Also, it should be noted that the Jewish question, “Will a man rob God?” is such a foolish question. Of course God cannot
be robbed. He owns it all, and knows what’s happening at all time.

Verse 9 points out that the command is still levied upon Israel “…even this whole nation.” Do not divorce this from context! It is in flow from 1:1 to the end of the book. This was a Jewish issue, not a modern church issue. God does curse Israel for not continuing in the Law. But this curse only applies to Israel, not the church. The curse was actually mentioned previously in the Law, when God promised blessing for keeping the Law, and cursing for breaking the Law. This was something that the Jews should have fully understood.

As for verse 10, the modern idea is that when one tithes, God will give an immense monetary blessing. Has this been the case across the board? Personally, I know of many on a practical level who have tithed and are in severe debt, lost homes, been in bankruptcy and on and on. Where’s this blessing? Is God lying? What about those who are unsaved and immensely wealthy? Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Muslim oil sheiks? They have vast sums of wealth. Do they tithe? Why are they so rich, but so many tithers are poor? Something seems wrong. Did God not promise to open the windows of Heaven and pour out a blessing that there won’t be room enough to receive it? In one word, yes. He did promise that, but there is not enough wealth in the world to fill up the world to a point where more cannot be received. Should we assume that aliens or a meteor bearing gold will strike the earth and make us richer? This is a silly notion. So, what was God saying then when He promised His fabulously rich blessing? Refer back to the context as stated throughout the book, and then the immediate context beginning in Chapter 3:1. The blessing is, was, and can only be a spiritual blessing found in Christ. Christ came
from Heaven, and all of creation cannot contain his infinite blessing. To put a monetary figure on this blessing is to materialistically limit the greatest blessing from God ever.

God commanded all of the tithes to be brought into the storehouse, which again is a barn, not the local church as is asserted. This will be covered in more depth later, but please refer to the verses previously mentioned concerning the Biblical definition of a storehouse. God’s main command is this, follow my Law, and watch what I can and will do! This is the Old Testament Law given to Israel, and no new command or revision of those commands was ever given. To tell the Jew of this time that his tithe was to be money and brought to a church building would have been foreign to him, because the Law stated otherwise. Why should we in the church believe it to be otherwise today? What changed? God, His Law, or our traditions?

3:11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.

Notice verse 11 still refers to food growing in the land. NOTHING CHANGED! It was still food, not money.

3:12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.

This is a nation of Israel blessing, not the church. It has not yet occurred, as presently Israel is despised and fought over.

3:13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against
thee?

Israel remained stubborn. Her stubbornness was judged and cursed by God, and Israel is still struggling with Salvation found only in Christ. The nation simply refuses to believe God at His Word.

3:14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?
Walked mournfully!? The tithe was to be a rejoicing time, not a mournful time. They’ve missed the point completely, and because they were doing the tithe unlawfully it did become a burden – much the same that it has become today through unlawful means.

3:15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

3:18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

The remaining four verses seem to be separate from context, but they are not. These are dealing with issues of lawlessness. When the Law is forsaken, sin abounds.
Such sin destroyed the priesthood, and then subsequently destroyed the nation of Israel. They needed help from God to fix the problem. Only those who desired to serve Him properly were spared from God’s wrath and the curses mentioned in the passage. Those who did not want to hearken to God’s Word missed out on God’s greatest blessing when Christ came the first time as is poignantly illustrated in the Gospels. Man’s tradition kept the Pharisees and other Jews religiously lost in spite of the Word having dwelt among them. How sad. Please do not add tradition to this passage, read, re-read, re-study, and compare scripture in context to break from the faulty modern tithe concept. Malachi 4 completes the Messianic prophecy of this book in amazing language.

In context the tithing challenge has no legs, and cannot stand alone. The contest is over, and the challenger will not make it to the fourth round. That round is left for the amazing victor's proclamation, that Christ is the Messiah, who will overcome sin, death, the world, and Hell! Tithing is not even an afterthought.

Tithing - Malachi 2

2:1 And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.

2:2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.

2:3 Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.

2:4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

2:5 My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me,
and was afraid before my name.

2:6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.

2:7 For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

2:8 But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

2:9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.

2:10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?

2:11 Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.

2:12 The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts.

2:13 And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand

2:14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

2:15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

2:16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

2:17 Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?

Malachi does not change his focus from Chapter 1. The audience does, however, become more specific. Priests are now singled out from the nation of Israel. Priests are not pastors. A priest was always someone who offered sacrifices – note the Roman Catholic use of the term. (The Catholic priest still offers a sacrifice, which is the body and blood of Christ at mass during the Eucharist according to tradition). When Christ offered His own body as the sacrifice, all further sacrifices were finished. When Christ conquered sin, death, and Hell, He then took up his rightful position as our Priest according to Hebrews 4 and 7. Now, we have no need of any other priest, and for a Pastor to assume that he is that priest is in no way Biblical. Regardless, let’s look more closely at the passage

In the opening verses, God pronounces a curse upon the priests because they do not honor and worship properly, that is according to the Law established centuries earlier.

God then mentions a Levitical Covenant. His promise was to take care of the Levites, and that the Levitical inheritance was God Himself, no land or anything else that was promised to Israel’s other 11 tribes. The Tithe was absolutely part of God’s provision for the Levite, as was already illustrated in previous chapters. Again, would it be proper to correlate Levite with Pastor? Absolutely not. There are no commands that the New Testament pastors should uphold any portion of the Levitical priesthood. Nor did any pastor deign to try. The Levite did not maintain proper teaching or practice of the Law, which resulted in the curses that God was pronouncing. The reader knows that the Levites and priests were failing in this important command, Nehemiah was written only 100 years before Malachi, and the commands were not being upheld even then. What happened when Nehemiah was no longer on the scene, and no one followed his leadership? The Temple was again forsaken, the Levites did not follow God’s commands, and then a new invasion occurred under Alexander the Great in the 330’s BC. Alexander wanted to be deemed the Son of God, and the Jews did not stand in his way. It would be a further 140 years until the Maccabees famously revolted against Greek tyranny. During that time period Josephus informs that the priesthood was a revolving system of intrigue, certainly neither a godly institution nor one following God's Law.

Offerings were still being given, but God ceased accepting them. Tears are even seen, but not tears of repentance, because the priests continued in their own
way, not God’s. God even cut off these faulty offerings, and placed a curse upon them.

Beginning with Verse 14, God introduces a common theme seen in Old Testament prophecy, that of marriage. He is no doubt speaking literally, but also symbolically. (Cross reference Hosea for more detail). God is telling the Jews that they have put away Him, and He’s using the marriage picture to illustrate the seriousness of the situation. The response is “wherefore”, that is they are not taking responsibility, but making an excuse, and disagreeing with God’s assessment. This wearies God, and He then sets up the next prophecy, the one where the remedy is offered. The prophecy of all prophecies, that the Messiah is coming, and He will straighten the crooked. Now, the reader should be ready for Malachi 3 in proper context.

By this point, the tithing challenger is barely standing, and  about to be knocked out.

Nota Bene –  I realize that I have glossed over so much material that is in this prophecy, but my purpose is not prophecy, but the tithe.

Tithing - Malachi 1

A number of challengers have been vanquished en route to engage the “heavyweight champion” of tithing passages – Malachi 3. Though I am in no way a heavyweight Bible scholar, I am prayerfully seeking the Spirit to guide me as was promised in I John 2:20, 27. I trust that the scripture given speaks more loudly than do I in these sections, and that Malachi 3 will do the same. “ding, ding – round 1.”

First, Malachi was written very explicitly to the Jews. Malachi 1:1 states -

1:1 The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.

Second, Malachi was written to the Jews for a specific purpose as God illustrates throughout the rest of Chapter 1, beginning in verse 2 and following:


1:2 I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,

1:3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.

1:4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.

These verses date all the way back to Jacob and Esau. They in no way can allow for “the church” to be inserted here. The passage is prophetic, and Malachi was the prophet being used by God to illustrate an amazing prophecy pertaining to the Jews. As for Esau, or Edom, Obadiah sheds further light on Edom’s haughty spirit and subsequent judgment by God. He destroyed the Edomites and fulfilled these prophecies.

1:5 And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.

This is another prophecy, but it has only partially been fulfilled. It can only be fulfilled by Christ Himself. Christ partially fulfilled this when He became an obedient man and lived upon this earth, was crucified, buried, conquered sin, death, and Hell, and then rose again. This aspect of the prophecy, however, references Christ’s coming Kingdom, which will be set up after the Tribulation, and Israel’s borders will then be magnified. Again, reference the previous unconditional covenants made in Genesis 12:1, II Samuel 7, Jeremiah 31, and Hebrews 10. This can only refer to Israel, not “the church.”

1:6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master:
if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

1:7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.

1:8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.

In this section, God asks a series of questions concerning offerings. The Jews certainly knew the Law regarding offerings, and they were not giving the offerings properly. God was sorely displeased, and related his displeasure through pointed questions to prove guilt, a guilt which Israel did not believe they had. Notice the “Wherein” questions. Jews were giving offerings, so they thought they were fine, because they were doing their religious duty, but their duty was not being done according to God's Law (cf. Leviticus 1-7, 9, 14, to name a few).

1:9 And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts.

1:10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

God so wants to be merciful, but he cannot be merciful to those who continue arrogantly in sin. Sin being a transgression of the Law according to I John 3:4, Israel was guilty. Who could remove this guilt? That’s what Malachi is all about. Israel’s transgression of the Law, God’s response, and then God’s answer – Christ. Because of Israel’s sin, God states in the remainder of the chapter, that he will make His name among the Gentiles
(cf. Romans 9-11).

1:11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.
1:12 But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.

1:13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD.

1:14 But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the LORD a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

One final note from Malachi 1, the offering is still food, though this offering is not the tithe, food being offered, as required by God in Leviticus, was the standard. However, this statement in no way is meant to imply that the offerings mentioned here were tithes. They were completely separate entities, one for sin, and the other for praising God’s provision as already stated in previous chapters. Properly comprehending Malachi 1 is vitally important to Malachi 3's context when read as it was intended to be read, that is as a whole, and not randomly selected verses.

Round 2 of 4 to follow, unless either I or the traditional tithing doctrine be knocked out before such time be reached.

A brief round recap -

1. Malachi was written to the Jews.

2. God was upset, not because they were not giving offerings, but because those offerings did not follow God's explicitly established laws found in Leviticus.

3. These offerings were food.

4. The prophecy that Malachi illustrates refers to Jesus Christ; the fulfillment of the Law; the Jewish Messiah, the conqueror of sin, death, and Hell; the Savior of mankind.

5. To this point in Malachi, money has never been mentioned.