Malachi 3: From Money to God

​Key verse
7 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?
 
Meditation
Returning to God is evidenced in turning away from seeking the things of God through money. God alone provides the security, significance, status, strength, sustenance, and satisfaction for which our heart hungers. 
 
In today’s reading, Malachi promises the coming judgement of God (vv. 1-7) before highlighting two astounding realties of God: First, God does not change (therefore, Israel is not consumed- v. 6). Second, because Israel has rebelled against God, He invites them to “return” to Him (v. 7). How? Through worshipping the Lord with tithes. 
 
The Old Testament tithe honored God and was used to support Levites (Numbers 18:21), provide for the vulnerable (Deuteronomy 14:28-29), and fuel corporate celebration in God’s presence (Deuteronomy 14:23-26). Malachi’s difficult diagnosis for Israel was that they were robbing God by withholding their tithes and offerings in worship (vv. 8-9). The remedy? Return to the Lord by testing His promises, provision, and prescription for our money.
 
Malachi pleads with the people to return to God by reviving worship through giving the full tithe (vv. 8-9). God promises disproportionate generosity in response, His covenant blessings evidenced in opening the windows of Heaven and emptying Heaven’s treasure upon His people (v. 10). This promise is ultimately fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus who, though He was rich, became poor so that believers may become rich in grace and love (2 Corinthians 8:9).
 
Knowing the riches of Heaven through Jesus reveals that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35) and empowers open-handed, cheerful, worship of God through our money (Proverbs 11:25, 2 Corinthians 9:5-7).
 
 
Today’s Reading
“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.

Robbing God
6 “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. 7 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. 11 I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. 12 Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.

13 “Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ 14 You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? 15 And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’”

The Book of Remembrance
16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. 17 “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. 18 Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from this passage in regards to restoring right worship through returning to God reflected in right giving of what He has given to us?
 
-Why is true generosity an overflow of knowing God’s grace and love?
 
-Where do you need to respond to God’s grace in Christ through demonstrating the act of grace in giving and being generous? How can you grow in the grace of giving, knowing you cannot out give God?
 
Key verse
7 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?