Hello everyone. Praise the Lord!
I found this article on the web and wanted to share it. It's not my writing, the author is unknown, but I agree with it. If you have any comments, write them in the comments section.
I love Malachi.
The thing is, Malachi 3:7 proves to us that churches that teach a monetary tithe requirement are wrong to do so.
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?
Notice in verse 7 God is calling for a return to His ordinances? Since God is calling for a return to His ordinances in Malachi 3:7, it is imperative that ministers of God consider what God's ordinances say concerning tithes when teaching the subsequent Malachi 3:8-12.
Here are all the verses concerning tithes that are found in God's ordinances:
Leviticus 27:30-34
Numbers 18:21-31 (cross reference Nehemiah 10:29,37-38)
Deuteronomy 12:10-11,17
Deuteronomy 14:22-29
Deuteronomy 26:12-17
The tithes Malachi is speaking of are tithes governed by the ordinances. We know this, because God would not call for a return to His ordinances in verse seven and then turn around and tell people to transgress the ordinances in verse 10.
So what do the ordinances say concerning tithes that are to be brought to the House of God?
1. Tithes are to be agriculture and agricultural food by-products (Lev. 27:30,32; Deut. 12:17)
2. The congregation is not to go near the House of God with their tithes. This is because the tithe of the congregation is the inheritance of the Levite, not the property of the House of God. (Num. 18:21-23; Neh. 10:29, 37-38)
3. Only a tithe of the tithes is to go to the House of God, not the full tithe. (Neh. 10:37-38)
4. Only Levites are to tithe to the House of God. (Neh. 10:37-38)
Given the fact that Malachi is calling for a return to God's ordinances, Malachi can only be speaking of agricultural tithes and can only be speaking to Levites.
Again, God would not be calling for a return to His ordinances in verse seven and then tell people to transgress the ordinances in verse ten.
Conclusion: It is wrong to use Malachi 3:7-12 to teach the Christian congregation that God requires them to tithe money to the House of God. Malachi is neither speaking of money in that passage, nor is it instructing Christians.
William James Roop, M.A.B.S.
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