Biblical Keys
Considering God’s character, power and resources, how can it be possible to steal from Him? According to the scriptures in Malachi 3, it is possible to rob God through our tithes and offerings. This scripture was written in an agricultural society and the hearts of the people in their giving back to God has significant agricultural consequences.
Malachi 3:8-10 “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house,”
The tithe, although implemented by giving to the church or wherever ones leading is to give, is actually a giving back to God. God really doesn’t need our increase or wealth, but it shows Him where our hearts lie as we acknowledge Him first in our giving.
Proverbs 3:9 “Honor the Lord from your wealth, and from the first of all your produce;”
Matthew 6:21” for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Whether we give the widows ‘mite’ or millions of dollars a month, is irrelevant to God. He knows what we have and how much it costs us to give to Him. The widows ‘mite’ is more-costly than a multi-million dollar cash injection into the Lords’ house. The Lord knows the state of our hearts before we give and He will measure the blessing based on this heart evaluation and not the amount.
The incredible part of this giving back to God is that it is all for our benefit. It was not orchestrated by God for the storehouse’s sake but rather the givers blessing. The blessing comes to the giver threefold:
1) God promises He will open up the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing until it overflows.
2) God himself will rebuke the devourer so that he will not destroy the fruits of the soil…
3) God will cause all nations to call you blessed because you will be called a delight.
Giving to the Lord brings Him honour and acknowledges Him in a way we can’t understand. Giving to the Lord forces us to consider a cause outside of ourselves and begins the journey into selflessness where we put His Kingdom before our own selfish end.
