Malachi 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?
8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
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.
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.
There is tremendous pushback on the topic of tithing. There are those who say it is Old Testament and no longer required. There are those who say we are not under the laws of the Old Testament. Actually, that is not correct.
There is one type of law we are not under, but that does not negate all the rest of the Old Testament. It is this. Because Jesus became the last Lamb, slain before the foundation of the Word, as a sacrifice on the cross, through which sacrifice redemption is offered to mankind (each must individually receive it), we no longer have to bring lambs and other sacrifices to the temple. That’s it. We are not under the temple laws of sacrifice of lambs, sheep, goats, turtle doves and the rest.
But other things are still in effect.
In addition, the law of the tithe was given before the laws of Moses. The law came through Moses. Moses was inspired of God to write it down. But tithing began with Abraham. Actually, sacrifices were given in the days of Adam and Eve. Cain and Abel are recorded as giving sacrifices. Noah gave sacrifices. When it got to Abraham, Abraham gave tithes to Melchisedek. Jesus is called in the order of Melchisedek. Therefore, in the New Testament, we give tithes to Jesus.
Hebrews 7:1 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.
5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
6 But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.
7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
20 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:
21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)
22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Jesus said, before the cross, this:
Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
He did not undo the law of the tithe. He said, “not to leave the other (tithe) undone.”
If a person would say, that is spoken only to the Jews, then what are you going to do with John 3:16? What will you do with all the Words of Jesus? Are you going to cut this out of the scriptures as well?
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Will you say the words spoken by Jesus while on earth were only for a small number of people to whom Jesus spoke during his brief time in physical form on earth? Is not the Word eternal and everlasting?
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Let’s look at it from another standpoint. There are lots of programs to help the poor. They’ve been going on for years, decades. Why is the problem not solved? The ultimate reason is people are under the curse. There is a curse that rests upon people who don’t tithe. I know people don’t like to hear that. They say that God will supply their needs. God will, if you follow the plan. And part of the plan is Malachi 3:7-11 and Matthew 6:33.
If a physical fitness trainer gives you a plan and it requires certain food, certain exercises on certain days, and certain lifestyle changes, and you only follow part of the plan, will you get full results? We all know the answer is no.
But somehow we think we can get full results with only occasional effort when it comes to the things of the Bible. Spiritual things require daily diligence just as much as natural things.
Part of the problem is the hypnotism of the mind that comes from the woke psychological warfare that says “if you perceive something a certain way, then it is so”. That is not true. That defies all law.
Tell me, if you perceive and imagine that you can jump off (don’t jump) a cliff that nothing will happen because you perceive and believe that you are immune to the law of gravity, will your perception save you? Of course not. You can scream all the way down to the bottom that you are immune from the law of gravity and this is not happening to you, but the fall is happening because you defied the law of gravity.
If you would say, what about the rich? Look at their ends. We see many stories of divorces, drug overdoses, suicides or some kind of tragedy with the ultra-uber-rich; those stories are plastered on the tabloids littering checkout counters. Just because nothing has happened yet doesn’t mean that they are immune.
Psalm 73:1 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.
5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.
10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?
12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.
14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction.
19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.
20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.
21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.
22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.
24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.
28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.
Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?
25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Stuff is the easiest stuff in the world for God to give. He created the world and stuff. But if you are under the curse, you are laboring under the thorns and thistles.
There are invisible laws of the kingdom. You might be doing everything you should be at a natural level, but if you are fighting a spiritual curse you will still struggle until you line up with the laws of God. As I said, if you jump over a cliff (don’t do it), believing that you are immune to the laws of gravity, it just isn’t going to work out too well no matter what you confess.
It’s the whole counsel of God that brings blessing to a life, not just bits and pieces of it. And we are all growing into that more and more.
Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Paul, who wrote many of the New Testament epistles (letters) said this. If anyone had reason to rest on his laurels, Paul did.
Philippians 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Let me just add something else that just came to me. All those people who say you don’t need to tithe, are those who tell that to you offering you tapes or DVDs or books for money to tell you you don’t need to tithe? Are they appealing to your flesh and making money off of you?
And, are politicians who tell you that you don’t need the church making you poor and weak to be dependent on them (since you are not prospering through obeying the law of tithing) in order to get your vote so you can get their handout and keep them in power through a cycle of entitlement, poverty, weakness and need? Who wins?
And who do you think is behind all this telling you not to tithe? Satan is. The tithe pays for the gospel to go out through various venues. The information of the gospel is free, but it costs bandwidth expenses, television and radio broadcast expenses, printing expenses and more to spread the gospel. Where is that money going to come from, or where should it come from? It should come from those who appreciate what Jesus did and want to share it with others. It should come from tithes and offerings.
Actually, there have been those who have been non-believers who took up the law of the tithe and become so blessed that they became believers. Funny. Sometimes the unbelievers get things right better than the believers.
Luke 16:8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
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