Malachi 3:8-4:6

3.While it doesn’t sound good that the people will follow God, there is a clear view to the future. We will hit on each of these three things tonight as we wrap up the book. But first, we must turn to a final rebuke to the congregation -- about giving.

2.Rebuke of Congregation: Lack of giving and rotten heart (3:8-15)

1.Lack of Giving (vv8-12)

1.Intro:

1.Legitimacy of Tithing

1.If you recall, there is a difference between Israel and the church--we’ve noted that in this series.

2.It is also important to understand that what we are discussing here is the idea that we required before God to give 10%, or one-tenth, of what we have. The emphasis there on that we are required to give this amount. It is one thing to decide that 10% is a reasonable or good amount to give, it’s another to believe that we are morally obligated before God to give that. It is the latter that is under discussion in this section as we read of “robbery” language, as well as the other background.

3.So, before we jump to conclusions about the discussion in this section, we need to consider whether the church is under the tithe.

4.Is there a command in the New Testament to tithe?

1.In fact, there is not. Rather, there is an exhortation to exercise what is called “grace giving” or giving freely.

1.The great giving chapters in the New Testament are 2 Corinthians 8 and 9.

2.There, we read in 9:7 an appropriate summary: “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

5.Now, for some even of dispensational interpreters, there still is a case made to make the tithe apply as a continual principle.

1.To be fair to them, often it is noted that based on statements in Hebrews 7 about how tithes were paid by Abraham before the law was given to the priest which is the type of Christ in His priesthood.

2.So understand this--the thought is that we are not under the Jewish law, okay--the dispensation of law. But we see Abraham paying tithes before the law was given -- this is where we recognize something of a different dispensation then, typically considered the dispensation of promise. I am not sold on this as valid, because we don’t have it explicitly repeated in the NT and the overall context of this matter doesn’t assist me to conclude we should assume it is continuous.

2.The Blessing to Israel

1.Another key issue here is this topic of a promised blessing, indeed material blessings.

2.The promises to Israel have been frequent summarized by interpreters like ours under the rubric land, seed, and blessing. We briefly noted the seed last week in the context of why God had interest in a Godly seed to come of Israelite marriages. But here, the connection to this idea has to do with the matter of blessing. The blessings dealt with here are physical, material blessings. These blessings are to come in the context of a specific land.

3.So, the question then should come to our minds, does the church have a land promise? No. Now, do we have physical promised blessings? Not explicitly -- it is understood that we will inherit the Kingdom of God on earth, and thereby participate in those physical blessings in that future. But are we to regard this kingdom as now? No! That kingdom is not here until Jesus comes back. So, if that were the case, why should we expect to receive these promises of blessings as a response to our giving the tithe today?

3.You hear from some televangelists over the past decades preaching this general idea to get people to give to their so called ministries wherein the servants of God lived affluent lifestyles. But, perhaps even some fundamental Baptists have been apt to preach this passage as means to guilt God’s people to give the tithe, so . But to do so is one step away from the kind of prosperity theology that Charismatics will use.

4.So, we are to give freely as an expression of our spirit-filled life, and not as a basis to either force God to bless us materially or to just naturally get the blessings. Yes, God will often bless us with more as we give, and often that to just give back more.

5.Giving is not optional for a Christian who is going to please God, but it is to be done in manner as we already said “not grudgingly, or of necessity:” It is also not optional for us as the church, as we are commanded to share to support those who minister in our midst, for our Pastor.

6.With this context, lets look at the passage and see how we can glean benefits.

2.The question and indictment - Tithes and Offerings (v8)

1.Even in Israel while the tithe was expected -- see Num 18:21 “To the sons of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they perform, the service of the tent of meeting.” -- there still is a place for additional free will offerings.

3.The seriousness of lack of giving (V9)

1.This language of robbery indicates the seriousness of it. It makes one think in terms of a tax.

2.When we talk about a tithe, it’s like it was a tax. You had to pay it. Remember, the Israelite civil and religious government were united--another way that demonstrates the need for a distinction between the world today versus Israel.

3.But some Christian denominations have had varying degrees of “pew tax” and the like. It is just not the prescribed NT order of the church, and has more in common with the system of the Jews. So many errors can come by identifying

4.While denying the direct requirement of tithing, again, one should caution about the seriousness of not providing for God’s servants. See, I can say this up here because I’m a “guest preacher” lol. I’m with you all in this responsibility. God takes seriously the provision for those who do formally serve Him among His people--whether of priests in the OT, or of pastors in the NT.

4.The promise: Blessing for those who give

1.Blessings from heaven (Rain?) (v10), Rebuking wild beasts (v11) reference to the way man and animal is against each other, the blessing from the nations as a delightful land (v12).

2.Now, read this passage for a minute: “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, And the leopard shall lie down with the kid; And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; Their young ones shall lie down together: And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp,And the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den.They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea.” Isa 11:6-9

3.Is this not a prophecy of the millennium? Notice the similarities in terms to our passage here in Malachi.

4.Physical, material blessing was always part the promise for Israel, but not so much for the church. If the Kingdom is now, then we sure ain’t gaining it.

2.The Heart of dispising God (vv13-15)

1.Their Words (v13)

2.Again, they claim the vanity of serving God and keeping His commands. v14

1.This has been repeated. We’ve seen more than once this negative attitude toward God combined with denials of the positive truth of God. Watch this.

2.Do you find serving God to be vain? Be honest with Yourself, but ultimately may Holy Spirit convict you if you are.

3.The solution is to let yourself be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Rom 12:1-2).

3.The positive picture toward sin.

3.God’s dealing with the faithful remnant (316-4:6)

1.Now, the picture turns to an entirely different group than has been in view during this book.

2.The Group Introduced (3:16-17)

1.The book of rememberance for the remnant (3:16)

1.One thinks of other Scripture books where all human deeds are remembered. The book of life being the book of those saved, and the “books” plural of the works of the lost Rev. 20. Here may be an implied books of works for the saved too, which I’ve alluded to have a place in our judgment for rewards.

2.It’s an interesting phrase -- the Lord hearkening to words not spoken to Him. God always watches over us, especially if we are His children.

3.Here we can see:

1.They feared God

2.They spake to one another - there is such a fellowship we can and should cultivate as we unite in fearing God, and speaking to one another about it.

3.They also thought on His name - not exactly sure the exact import of this idea, but it too leads to think that there is such a love for God and meditating on Him and His ways.

2.The promise of salvation for the faithful in the previously mentioned day of judgment (3:17)

3.The future remnant participation (3:18-4:3)

1.They will too know the evil and the good amongst the nation. (3:18)

2.The final promise of the coming day (4:1)

1.Fire imagery is so repeated here--we need to take this seriously as we’ve discussed.

3.The remnant will experience healing and blessing (4:2)

1.This is quoted in our Christmas carol, but in reality it is yet future when Jesus returns as the Sun of Righteousness.

2.Healing in His wings has not come yet. Again, future blessing!

4.They will tread down the wicked when God judges the wicked (4:3)

1.One can think of the Second Coming of our LORD Jesus Christ. The suffering these Godly people may have experienced, the suffering we expeirnece.

2.There is a gathering storm on the horizon in the world--we should not be surprised. “Marvel not if the world hate you says the Lord.” But we should take the encouragement here to heart, and seek the grace of the LORD to be faithful

4.Final exhortation: Keep the Covenant in view of the future (4:4-6)

1.Remember the Law (4:4) --

1.Here we see the standard for the Jews of this time was the Mosaic covenant.

2.We can rightly apply the idea here to obey the principles of the NT church. It is a serious think that we be rightly ordered according to the pattern of the new testament.

2.The promise of a coming Elijah (back to 3:1), (4:5)

1.Elijah is coming (4:5)

2.This is a complex topic to fit together with what is said in the gospels about John the Baptist’s ministry. There is on the one hand a question about whether Elijah himself will fulfill these prophecies or whether it will be an Elijah-like one. There is also the issue of the fulfillment given John the Baptist’s ministry combined with what is coming in the future.

3.One commentator points out that on the one hand, John the Baptist could’ve fulfilled this if the nation had received Jesus the first time. John still fulfilled the prophecy of being a forerunner. But in view of how things went and this passage, it is fair to conclude that there will yet be a future prophetic ministry of Elijah. He will come back-- it is part of the End Time events.

3.Elijah will turn families back to each other. (4:6)

1.General principle for families to be Godly. Really, the focus is on the need for repentance as evidenced in the nation. The Jews had to live right under their covenant-- what difference here is that in the end, the New covenant will see to it that they will accept their Messiah and God will see to their transformation. Jer 31:33 “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, And write it in their hearts; And will be their God, And they shall be my people.”

2.But this too, recall, is explicitly called out in the words of Gabriel to Zechariah regarding John the Baptist. Even if John didn’t fulfill this passage, it does seem clear that he did turn some fathers to their sons and some sons to their fathers. Those who did receive Christ when on earth would’ve been one of those whom John turned.

3.But if this turning to God does not happen, a curse is necessary.

4.Here concludes the book of Malachi. It’s interesting that the book concludes on that word curse--I was told this past week that the Jews don’t even end here when they read the passage in some contesxts. They go back and read the preceding verse again, so that it isn’t a negative ending. But it is here that we will end.

5.All mankind needs to understand that we are sinners and unless God will do a work, then all face this curse. God has made a way--that is through the death of His son. If you do not know Christ as your savior today, please receive Him today. The NT says “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” Receive Him today. And if you are saved, it has been said that we are to walk in the same way that we were saved - by faith. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” Let’s pray.

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