Some people really do play games with God. Most won't admit it, and some may not even know that what they are doing is actually a game. The people to whom the prophet Malachi was preaching were guilty of taking God for granted as well as refusing to take God seriously. My concern is that some of us are doing the same thing. We happen to live in a society that seem to treasure games. Every kind of game from sports to gambling draw high stakes and big crowds. People who are good at their particular game are applauded and made quite wealthy. This whole idea of playing games have spilled over into the areas of faith and religion, to the point that many people are playing games with God.
We play games with God when it comes to our commitment to peace and justice. We play games with God in our religious practices and church attendance. We play games with God when it comes to giving. In Malachi 3:8-10 the indictment against the people of God was that they robbed God in tithes and offerings. They then played dumb as if they were innocent of all charges. Did they think that playing dumb would absolve them of their crime against God?
The people of the text found themselves in big trouble. Their trouble was self-manufactured. The curse they were under was of their own making. What's worth celebrating is the fact that even when we dig holes for ourselves, God is gracious to provide us a way out. God was willing to turn things around for His people. They, however, needed to faithfully follow God's plan. It was their failure to faithfully bring their tithes and offerings to God that got them into trouble, so it would take the deliberate and intentional giving of the tithes and offerings to get them out.
Let's cut through the chase. Many of us now are experiencing personal and financial catastrophes because of our disobedience to God's Word on giving. The only way out of our mess is to take God seriously and give our tithes and offerings with grateful hearts! We are responsible for the mess we are in. Our dilemmas are self-manufactured. God is offering us a way out. It's kind of like a season of grace, where you can pay off a debt without penalty. What a good time to begin again honoring God and taking God's Word seriously.
We've played enough games with God. And by the way, every time we play games with God, we lose! Taking God seriously will position us for blessings beyond measure. The Word of God declares that when we bring all the tithes into God's storehouse, God will open the floodgates of heaven to pour out blessings that are so abundant that we won't have enough room to store them. On matters of giving, God isn't playing. We shouldn't be playing either!
Pastor E.L. Branch
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Pastor..this message is so powerful! I have my own confessions but I place deep value on being "awaken" to how serious giving is through the eyes of God and its ultimate impact on my life. This kind of enlightenment requires one to worship God with a new level of authenticity. I have already accepted the invitation to "get it right". Blessings to you!
Friend, May I offer an alternative interpretation of Malachi for your study.
From: Tithing is not a Christian Doctrine
www.shouldthechurchteachtithing.com
Russell Earl Kelly, PHD
Malachi 3 is the Most Abused Tithing Text in the Bible. The “whole” tithe never was supposed to go to the Temple!
A. Malachi is Old Covenant and is never quoted in the New Covenant to validate tithing (Lev. 27:34; Neh. 10:28-29; Mal. 3:7; 4:4).
B. In Malachi 3:10-11 tithes are still only food 1000 years after Leviticus 27:30-34 and Numbers 18:21-28.
C. Malachi’s audience had willingly reaffirmed the Old Covenant (Neh.10:28-29). The blessings and curses of tithing are identical to and inseparable from those of the entire Mosaic Law. The rain in Deuteronomy 28:12, 23-24 and Leviticus 26:1-4 is only obtained by obedience to all 613 commandments. Galatians 3:10 (quoting Deu 27:26) “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” Trying to earn God’s blessings through tithing only brings curses for failure to keep all of the law. See also Galatians 3:19.
D. Beginning in 1:6 “you” in Malachi always refers to the dishonest priests and not the people (also 2:1-10; 2:13 to 3:1-5): “Even this whole nation of you --priests” (3:9). In 1:13-14 the priests had stolen tithed animals vowed to God. In Nehemiah 13:5-10 priests had stolen the Levites’ portion of the tithe. God’s curses on the priests are ignored by most tithe-teachers (1:14; 2:2 and 3:2-4).
E. Point #12 of the essay. The Levitical cities must be included in a correct interpretation of Malachi 3:10. Most tithe-recipients lived outside of Jerusalem.
F. The 24 courses of Levites and priests must be included in a correct interpretation of Malachi 3. Normally only 2% of the total Levite and priest work force served at the temple one week at a time. Subtract wives, males under the age of 30 and daughters. Therefore 2% did not require all of the tithe. See 1 Chron 23-26; 28:13, 21; 2 Chron. 8:14; 23:8; 31:2, 15-19; 35:4, 5, 10; Ezra 6:18; Neh. 11:19, 30; 12:24; 13:9, 10; Luke 1:5.
G. Nehemiah 10:37-39 is the key to understanding Malachi 3:10, The people were commanded to bring their tithes, not to the temple, but to the nearby Levitical cities. Verse 38 says that the priests were with the Levites in the Levitical cities when they received the tithes.
H. According to Nehemiah 13:5, 9 the “storehouse” in the Temple was only several rooms. The real “storehouses” were in the Levitical cites per Nehemiah 10:37b-38. Only the Levites and priests normally brought tithes to the Temple (10:38). Two rooms in the Temple were far too small to contain the tithe from the entire nation and 98% of the Levites and priests lived too far away to eat from them.
Therefore, Malachi 3:10’s “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse” only makes contextual sense if it is only commanding dishonest priests to replace the tithes they had removed from it or had failed to bring to it.
While the 3:10 of the Law in Malachi is so important to tithe-teachers they ignore the 3:10 of the Gospel in Galatians and 2nd Corinthians. Perhaps those wanting to enforce the 3:10 Law of Malachi should also enforce the 3:10 Law of Numbers. They share the same context.
Christian giving is freewill, sacrificial, generous, joyful, regular and motivated by love. That is enough to provide the needs of the Church.
Sometimes, we get lost in the message of tithing. We sometimes try to justify exactly how much we should tithe or whether or not we will tithe at all. Truth is, everything you own is due to God's grace and mery. Every time there is an opportunity to tithe whether it's a dollar or a thousand and you talk yourself into not giving you are not honoring God, for it is through him that you are recieving the opportunity to give.
Yes, the economy is suffering and yes we are living in some very difficult times. But our relationship with God should not have to suffer also. I, myself, have been guilty of robbing God and it's always comes around Christmas time, trying to purchase all I possibly can to see a smile on my child's face. However my child is getting older, the gifts are more expensive and the world we live in today has replaced that old "Life" game which come with all the pieces to play, with the PlayStation 3 or the Wii and each piece (the games)to make the main game work is sold separately. Not to mention after the gift is given, it's of no value anymore, it becomes the "yeah I got that game, but I want a Maniac RaceII or Footbal IV to go with it". It's the new gift that you will never stop paying for until it becomes obsolete and needs replacement gift.
Or let's say we rob God in the sake of paying our utility bills, especially living in Michigan in the winter and your heat bill will cost more than your car note. We all have to have heat, but how many of us, have enough to buy that outfit, that I got to have when I go to the party Saturday night, and yes both the outfit and the party will cost and we must pay in full to gain entrance, but we will not pay God in full. Let us not try to find reasons in the scripture to not tithe, because it will be our spiritual growth that will suffer. Our faith will suffer. How can we say we really trust God, if we can't trust him with our finances?
I feel like I am alone in this world. I love the Lord I am feeling so unloved. My husband walked out on me and my children and have not helped me financally. It is getting so hard. I pray a thankful prayer everyday and pray for what I expect from my God. I feel like he has forgotten me. I have just come out of an abusive relationship and I feel from that suffering why is the Lord allowing me to suffer more. I know this is just satan making me feel this way because I have faith in my God. He wakes me with a purpose every morning. I sometimes wish that I could just stay sleep so I would not have to facte the next day. I feel like giving up my life. I hate this feeling. Waking up every morning without heat in my home, my chid and I have to boil water and sale I tems to make ends meet. My husband is not gib=ving me any support. I don't like feeling this way. Please pray for me.
Just want to give up.
To Anonymous,(Just want to give up)
Please call the Pastoral Care Ministry at 313 491-7890 ext 31. Don't give up, there is work for you in the Kingdom.
To don't give up, please call Third
New Hope Pastoral Care, as soon as
possible,
You really hit home for a lot of people with this message. The thought of looking God in the face and robbing him is serious business. I have talked to so many members who have started changing their lifestyle because of the Stewardship Campaign. It is time to give back to God what is already his and start living more productive lives for the Kingdom.
Let's give until it hurts.
God did!
I understand about tithing and offering with the respect of robbing God. I would admit..I haven't been able to provide any gift to God because of my income. I'm barely making it from one unemployment check to another. I'm behind in my bills and things are tight for me. I'm robbing Peter and John to pay Paul and Joe. Guess what? Perry is still waiting for his cut. When I was financially able, I gave with no problem. I will just provide while I can but it's really tough. So, I don't consider it playing games with God. Maybe it's like a spot on the monopoly board which I'm waiting to pass "Go" or get my "get out of jail" card.
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