Releasing the Blessings Malachi 3:7 12
Tithe Means a tenth part
The Old Testament and The New Testament go together! The New is in the Old concealed; the Old is in the New revealed. Romans 15:4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Tithing was given long before the law
Genesis 14: 12 21 Abram gave a tenth to Melchizedek.
Genesis 28:20 22 Jacob
Both of these stories predate the giving of the Law. Abraham s occurred 400 years before Moses.
Deuteronomy 14:22&23 You shall surely tithe all the produce from what you sow, which comes out of the field every year. And you shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God, at the place where He chooses to establish His name, the tithe of your grain, your new wine, your oil, and the first-born of your herd and your flock, in order that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.
Tithing was neither instituted by the law nor terminated by grace. It was neither given by Moses nor ended by Jesus.
Matthew 23:23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.
Jesus is rebuking the Pharisees for their hypocrisy, not for their tithing!
It is unthinkable, in the light of the cross, that a Christian under grace will want to give less than a Jew gave under law!
1. The Plea Return to Me, and I will return to you. (Verse 7)
2. The Problem Robbery! Will a man rob...? (Verse 8)
The question, Will a man rob God? could also be written, Will a man jacob God?
3. The Person God is being robbed! Me (Verse 8)
4. The Proprietor God is the owner of everything; I am (we are) His steward(s). (from the Whole Counsel of God s Word)
Proverbs 3:9&10 Honor the LORD from you wealth, And from the first of all your produce; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.
5. The Perpetrator You Israel. Very specific. Would include anyone who acts like Israel. (Verses 8,9)
Matthew 19:24 It s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
6. The Plan Tithes and Offerings Bring the whole tithe 1/10 th whether in poverty or in plenty! (Verse 10)
7. The Place Into the storehouse (Verse 10)
I Corinthians 16:1&2 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first day of every week let each one of you put aside and save, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come.
8. The Perspective Test Me now in this (Verse 10)
Leviticus 27:30 Thus all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, it is the LORD s; it is holy to the LORD.
9. The Provision So that there may be food in My house. It s for ministry purposes (the work of the church). (Verse 10)
10. The Punishment You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation (Verse 9)
Deuteronomy 11:26-28a See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I am commanding you today; and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the LORD your God.
11. The Promise If I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. (Verse 10)
One of the surest ways to determine your love for God is to examine your stewardship.
What made the withholding of tithes so serious a matter was that it was symptomatic of a more deadly disease, namely, an unwillingness to repent and return to God.
The Christian must also understand that tithing is not a step towards personal surrender to God, it is something you do as a result of having already surrendered to Him.
Giving the tithe is the outward sign of inner commitment. It is material surrender prompted by spiritual surrender!
God doesn t want the money; HE WANTS YOU!