Have you ever seen a news clip of a judge rebuking a criminal defendant—and you agreed? That’s how I feel about some of God’s rebukes in the Bible: He is holy and just and more than fair, so we cheer for Him, even when the words are terrifying. The fact is, sometimes God must rebuke His children:
“If I am a Father, where is My honor? If I am a Master, where is your fear of Me?… My name will be great among the nations…. You think of the tithe, and you say ‘what a nuisance!’ and you scorn it…. Am I supposed to accept that?… For I am a great King…, and my name will be feared among the nations…. If you don’t honor my name, I will send a curse among you, and I will curse your blessings…. You have wearied the Lord with your words. What words, you ask? When you call evil good and say ‘Everyone who does what is evil is good in the Lord’s sight, and He is pleased with them.’… But who can endure the DAY OF HIS COMING? WHO WILL BE ABLE TO STAND WHEN HE APPEARS? I will come to you in judgment…. Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing me! How? By not tithing.” Malachi 1:6-3:9.
God’s rebuke always comes with hope—and the same is true in Malachi. God rebukes Israel for failing to tithe correctly. But He offers hope:
“Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this, and see if I will not open the floodgates of Heaven and pour out a blessing so great that it cannot be measured.” Malachi 3:10-12.
Let’s resolve to be good tithers—and let’s give generously to God’s work so we can see His blessings poured out all around us. Honor and revere God for His holiness—and obey Him with your money and time. He loves you!
ΑΩ
Household Words: 