We have seen repeatedly in our study of Malachi how the prophet’s day and our own are so much alike. The sins present among God’s people then are similar to those of today, especially the mere outward obser­vance of religion and the cold formal worship of the true God. We have also observed how Malachi deals with these sins, namely by always holding them up to the light (brightness) of God in order to show how heinous and treacherous it is when a people sin against the goodness and mercy of the Lord, depart from His ordinances, and render Him the service of a carnal heart.

We have another penetrating, applicable, and urgent lesson before us in these verses. It deals with the “worship of giving” (see II Cor. 8,9). It is the call to supply the needs of God’s church and kingdom, as well as to show benevolence to the poor.

The evil exposed in these verses is the failure to bring the tithes and offerings to God’s house (vs. 8). These “ordinances” (vs. 7) were clearly marked out in the Old Testament Scriptures. It was also a common sin of the covenant people, one which their fathers had committed and for which they had been furnished. How the restored exiles from Babylon had settled (fallen) into the same sin. Evi­dently the Lord had chastened them with “a curse” (vs. 9), “the devourer” and that which “destroys the fruit of the ground” (vs. 11). A famine, pes­tilence, or plague of some sort had been sent (see Joel 1:4). Yet the people, in the hardness of their heart, had not seen this as the Word of God’s re­buke, but had hoarded for themselves whatever they had left.

The heinousness of this sin and the underlying rebellion, distrust, and covetousness are exposed by the “messenger” of God.

1. It was a hereditary sin (vs. 7). History seems to have taught them nothing, although their history was full of examples of the Lord’s faithful and gracious care and His heavy chas­tisements upon their father’s covet­ousness and greed. (See Daniel 9:3ff; Psalm 78; Acts 7; Ezekiel 9:54.)
2. It was to rob Cod (vs. 8). The question is biting and arresting: “Will a man rob God???” The principle of the eighth commandment is at work. It reveals that in stealing, and in failing to serve the Lord with the posses­sions entrusted to us, we are insolent and incredibly defiant. (See Heidel­berg Catechism, L.D. 42.)
3. The people were hardened in it, and their stinginess revealed their spiritual barrenness. To the call “Re­turn unto me!” (vs. 7), they respond “wherein shall we return?” That is, they were so ignorant of themselves and of the spiritual demands of God’s law, that they could see nothing in themselves for which they should repent, and rather saw themselves justified in the way they dealt with their possessions. More: to Jehovah’s reproof, “ye have robbed me” (vs. 8), they have the audacity to say “wherein?”—that is, they refused (as do we so often) to own up to their sin of coveting and of hoarding for our­selves the things of this life.
4. The sinful reasoning of the people is brought out in verse 10. The Lord says, “Bring…” and then “I will open you the windows of heaven.” Offer, out of trust in Me to supply your future need, but offer first! In con­trast, they reasoned this way: Let God first give us plenty (open the windows) and then we will bring Him the tithes and offerings. It was the “you first” mentality. “Thou, O God, must prove us, see if we will not indeed offer willingly when Thou dost give us plenty to offer,” rather than “proving” God, trusting Him to sup­ply future needs and rendering to Him out of our present circumstances (see Luke 21:2).

Valuable truths concerning our giving to God’s church and to the poor, as well as our entire life of stewardship, are taught us.

1. God must be served first. The causes and needs of His kingdom come first. (See I Kings 17:13; Matthew 6:33.)

2. Stewardship. To rob is to take for oneself what belongs to another. We are taught by implication that all things belong to God and that He is to be served, not with some, but with all we have. (See Psalm 24:1; Ps. 50:12.)

3. The way of giving is the way of blessing. Greed, stinginess, covetousness result in spiritual barrenness. We are not made poor by liberal giving to God’s church and kingdom. Much rather, we shall experience blessedness. (Verse 10; see also II Corinthians 9:8.)

God calls them to return (vs. 7). See Jeremiah 31:18 for the relationship between God’s grace and our turning from sin. One of the evidences of true spiritual repentance is seen in bringing in the tithes and offerings. Where grace has touched the heart, the hand is opened as well. (See Luke 19:8; II Corinthians 8:8.)

The promise of God is twofold. A. “I will return unto you” (vs. 7) – that is, in the way of a sincere stewardship we are given to enjoy the lovingkindness of God. B. God will richly supply our earthly needs, often beyond our imaginations (vs. lob).

In such a lesson as this we hear Him speak, “Beware of covetousness, for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things he possesseth . . . .” but in being “rich toward God” (Luke 12:15-21). How our carnal nature reveals itself when it comes to what we say is “mine” and are called to render unto the Lord. May our study produce a “return,” a seeking of God’s glory first and a wise use of the earthly goods of our Master which have been entrusted to our stewardship. (SeeMatthew 25:14-30.)

Memory Work:

Malachi 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.

Luke 12:31, 32

But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Questions for Study:

1. Let us begin with setting forth clearly in our minds and hearts the relationship of the Christian to earthly things.

a. What is a steward?

1) Lookup Matthew 25:14-30 Psalm 50:7-23

2) Explain briefly the principles of stewardship.

b. Are material things sinful? Is it more pious to be poor? See I Timothy 4:1-5; Romans 14:14, 20.

c. What is our fundamental calling toward earthly things? I Corinthians 10:23-33; Colossians 3:23; Romans 14:6-9.

2. The evil exposed by the prophet: Failure to bring in the tithes and offerings.

a. Consult a Bible Dictionary or Encyclopedia on “Tithes.”

1) Look up the following and state what they teach as to tithing. Leviticus 27:30-32; Numbers 8:21-32; Deuteronomy 12:18;Deuteronomy 14:18, 29

2) What then were the three steps in the process of tithing?

b. Offerings. See Lesson 3 for the references to offerings. (Does Malachi have in mind any particular offering neglected, or simply a general neglect of all things?)

c. The sin of not bringing in the tithe and offering.

1) Robbing the Lord. (Word means “defraud, hide, cover.”)

a) Explain the force of this.

b) In what ways do we rob God? (See Lord’s Day 42 of the Heidelberg Catechism.)

2) Covetousness.

a) Look up the following passages on covetousness.Luke 12:15-21; Ephesians 5:5; Colossians 3:5; II Timothy 4:10; I Timothy 6:6-10; I Corinthians 12:32

b) What is the sin of covetousness? Why is it idolatry? In what area’s of our life does it rear its ugly head?

3) Failure to learn from sins of their fathers (vs. 7).

a) Show that this sin was repeated in Israel’s history. (Psalm 78; Daniel 9; Ezekiel 9.)

b) Why is the history of God’s gracious care for His people in past years so important for trust and contentment today?

3. The principles of giving.

a. Read II Corinthians 9 and list the important truths mentioned concerning the worship of giving.

b. Show from our passage in Malachi the following principles of giving, briefly explaining and making application to our lives today

1) God must be first

2) Stewardship

3) The blessedness of giving

4. Repentance.

a. Examine the following passages in connection with verse 7.

1) Jeremiah 18:11

2) Jeremiah 31:18

3) Lamentations 5:21

4) Zechariah 1:3

5) Canons of Dordrecht III, IV, Art. 16.

b. Answer now the following questions:

1) What should have been the response to the call to return? (See Jeremiah 3:22.)

2) What are the graces produced by God in a heart that turns from disobedience? (Example: Humility, etc.)

3) Why is our use of the material gifts of God a true indication of the attitude and state of our heart towards God?

4) What therefore does the answer that the people gave indicate?

5. The promise of God (vss. 11, 12).

a. Will one ever become poor for the reason of faithful, cheerful, and liberal giving unto the causes of God and His kingdom? (See Proverbs 3:9, 10; Prov. 11:24, 25; Prov 19:17;Psalm 31:19; Ps. 41:1-3.)

b. Do we wait until we have enough of something before we give for the needs of God’s church? (SeeLuke 21:1-4.)

c. What is the relationship between our giving and God’s blessings, or God’s provision for our future needs? (See I Kings 17:8-16; II Kings 7:2, 19, 20.)

d. What are the errors of the “health, wealth, and success gospel” so prevalent today? (See James 4:2, 3;Proverbs 30:7-9; Hebrews 13:5, 6; Philippians 4:11.)

e. How do we teach these things to our children? How do we instill them in ourselves?

6. Can you write from memory Malachi 3:10 and Luke 12:31, 32? Recommended Reading:

Tithing, by A.W. Pink. (Pamphlet of 31 pages, available from:

Gospel Mission

Box M

Choteau, Montana 59422.