Tithing (Malachi 3:6-12)

Malachi, in this book, is pointing out spiritual defects in the lives of the people of his day. Here he comes to deal with the matter of tithing. Because they had not tithed according to God’s instructions, they revealed that their hearts had departed from God. This practice had been going on for a long time, from the days of their fathers, which may be a reference to those who returned from the exile in Babylon or to those who lived before the exile. The people did not give the issue much thought. But God did; he regarded their failure as robbery. 

There were three kinds of tithes in Israel. In general, they were used for the upkeep of the temple, the daily sustenance of the priests, and the care of the poor. The tithe was not limited to money but included a tenth of a variety of things. Failing to give as God required was the equivalent of plunder. 

This is an astounding assessment. For a thief to rob a weak person is understandable even although it is a cruel crime; for the thief to try and rob the most powerful person in the country is an act of folly as well as a crime because he should know that he will be caught and punished. In robbing God, the Israelites were displaying folly as well as sin because they should have realised how easy it was for God to detect their sin and punish them for it.

Their failure is astounding in another way as well. In addition to it being an expression of folly, it was also an expression of ingratitude. They were refusing to give to the God who had been so good to them as a people throughout their history, from the Exodus onwards. He had faithfully kept his promises to them, therefore they should have fulfilled their commitment to him.

Jesus endorsed the practice of paying tithes in Luke 11:42 when he condemned the Pharisees for their religious failures: ‘But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.’ The Saviour made a connection between tithing and religious dedication.

The Lord through Malachi issues a call to repentance, for his people to put things right. They are to bring the tithes to the temple (the storehouse). If they did, then the Lord would send them rain, with the result being an abundant harvest. He would also ensure that their crops and vines would be protected from marauding animals and armies. The Lord even insists that they test him in this regard to see whether or not he will keep his promise.

How long would the Lord continue to give this blessing? The answer is as long as the people kept on tithing. The phrase ‘until there not be room to receive it’ is literally ‘until there is a failure of sufficiency’. It could mean that God would give so much that there would not be enough room for it or it could mean that God would keep giving until the heavenly source ran dry (an impossibility, of course). In any case, it means that continual obedience to God will result in continual blessing from God.

Some read this passage as if it were a promise of spiritual revival. That is an application of it, but it is not the initial point. The prophet is dealing with God’s response to the obedience of his people. It is similar to what Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, that if we seek first the kingdom of God, he will provide us with our food and our clothing, and will ensure that we have the good things of this life that we need.

The prophet also says that other people would see the difference. The surrounding countries would realise that the Lord had blessed Israel. I suppose an application of this is that non-Christians should observe that the needs of believers are met by God even in difficult circumstances. Private giving eventually results in a public witness to the goodness of God.

Application of the command to tithe

There is not a command in the New Testament that God expects his people to only tithe their income. So any application of the Old Testament practice must keep that detail in mind. Nevertheless, there are applications that can be made.

Firstly, we cannot conform only to this practice and expect to be blessed if we are still disobedient to God’s other clear commandments. It is easier for some people to give a tenth than it is for others. One assumes, for example, that single people with a good income will find it easier to pay a tithe than will a married couple with several children. But if the single person disobeys other commandments, his or her paying a tithe will not do them any good.

Secondly, while the passage does not guarantee a national revival, it does refer to the connection between practical giving and spiritual blessing. It is clear that one reason for the spiritual barrenness of the church is the failure of God’s people to supply for its needs. If they don’t take out of their income what God requires, they will not receive from him as much as he can give.

Thirdly, willingness to tithe was a test of Israel’s faith in God. One of the greatest fears that people have is that they will not be able to make ends meet. Perhaps they come into a situation where they could definitely make ends meet if they reduced what they planned to give to God. That kind of situation tests their commitment to God’s cause.

Fourthly, ensuring the church has sufficient resources is a means of causing those who are unconverted to discover the way of blessing. For example, congregations can ensure that missionaries and others who are spreading the Word don’t have financial burdens. Or it can allow a congregation to engage in evangelistic outreach that they could not have done otherwise. Sometimes we limit our contribution to prayer. But a better method is praying and paying for others to work full-time in spreading the seed of the Word.

Fifthly, tithing was not limited to money in Israel, and Christian giving includes how we use our time and all of our possessions. For example, a person may wish to give a tenth or more of their annual holidays for a specific Christian work. Or a Christian may wish to share his home with needy Christians for a tenth of the year, say, by giving poor believers a holiday.

Sixthly, tithing was a sign of God’s sovereignty over his people, in a way similar to how observing the fourth commandment is evidence that we acknowledge his sovereignty. God could have required of his creatures that they should spend two or four days in his worship rather than one. Instead he chose to allow them to have six days in which they can pursue, for his glory, legitimate things in life and to retain for his own specific worship, in public and private, one day a week in which they focus exclusively on him. The God who owns all of time requires one special day, a seventh of the time, as it were. Similarly, although he owns all things, he only required his people in Israel to give a tenth as a sign that they realised, in fact, that he owned all things.

Giving in the New Testament

Having mentioned these details, it is the case that the New Testament does not state that tithing is essential. Therefore, we will consider what it does say about giving.

Christian giving should be specific. In 2 Corinthians 9:7, Paul states: ‘Each one must give as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.’

Christian giving should be secret. In Matthew 6:2-4, Jesus instructed his disciples: ‘Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.’ 

Christian giving should be sacrificial. In 2 Corinthians 9:6, Paul writes: ‘The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.’ His words make clear that there is a link between our enjoyment of material things and the amount that we give to further God’s cause.

Christian giving should be systematic. ‘Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come’ (1 Cor. 16:1-2).  This instruction applies to all (rich and poor), indicates what is given is connected to one’s income, and is to be done as long as there is need, and is to be part of Sunday worship.

Christian giving is the outcome of surrender to God. In 2 Corinthians 8:5, in explaining the generosity of the Macedonian Christians, Paul says that ‘they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us’. It is not good to give to God money but not to give our hearts.  We open our hearts to God before we give to his cause.

The fact of the matter can be summarised in this way. God knows what we give, he knows what we could give, and he knows what we should give. As we give secretly with our hands, he knows whether or not we are giving specifically, sacrificially and systematically from hearts that are surrendered to him.