1 00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:11,280 Malachi chapter 3 we begin reading from verse 6 and I read 2 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:17,960 from the ESV version. For I the Lord do not change. 3 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:23,000 Therefore all children of Jacob are not consumed from the days 4 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:25,360 of your father's. You have turned aside from a 5 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:30,240 statute and have not kept them. Return to me and I will return 6 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:34,560 to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, how shall we 7 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:37,320 return? Will man rob God? 8 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:42,840 Yet you are robbing me. But you say, how have we robbed 9 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:46,160 you in your tithe and contributions? 10 00:00:47,160 --> 00:00:51,280 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me the whole 11 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:56,520 nation of bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that they 12 00:00:56,520 --> 00:01:00,520 may be food in my house, and thereby put me to the test. 13 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:03,520 That, says the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open the windows of 14 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:07,760 heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there's no 15 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:12,840 more need, I will rebuke the Devourer for you, so that it 16 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:16,080 will not destroy the fruits of your soil and your vine in the 17 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:17,760 field. They shall not fail to bear, 18 00:01:17,960 --> 00:01:22,440 says the Lord of Hosts. Then all nations will come, will 19 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:27,240 call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the 20 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:33,080 Lord of hosts. By the way, to Osama Zuin 21 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:43,080 nastics NNG city Malingualisuway igamala goba when I unvelle O 22 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:48,840 pagame final a good bongo, a final a good donis take away to 23 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:52,640 Siako Tama Pam gazulak XNNG city. 24 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:58,040 By way to Tetanati. There's been no change. 25 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:11,520 Amen. This morning I want to look at 26 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:17,840 the subject of the tide under the theme Robbing God. 27 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:22,920 I'm going to look at it under 3 headings this morning, Israel 28 00:02:22,920 --> 00:02:28,760 lack of generosity, the reality of the curse, and Israel's 29 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:35,360 motivation for generosity in verse 10 to verse 12. 30 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:41,120 I do love the confession of one of the members in our community 31 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:44,280 group who said, you know, it's so wonderful to do the book of 32 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:48,040 Malachi because really the only part of Malachi most of us know 33 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:54,320 is this part because apparently it is the pastor's favorite part 34 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:57,960 of the text. When you have to talk to members 35 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:05,440 about money. When preachers handle the Bible, 36 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:09,240 they normally ask a number of questions before they preach or 37 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:14,320 communicate the biblical text. And the reason we do that, we 38 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:16,960 want to make sure that we are communicating the text and it's 39 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:21,080 right context. And often theologians will say 40 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:25,400 the Bible was not really written for us, but it was written. 41 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:29,680 It was written not written to us rather, but it was written for 42 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:32,080 us. And what they mean by that is 43 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:35,680 that the Bible is written to a particular audience at a 44 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:39,760 particular time addressing a specific issue. 45 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:44,640 And I highlighted this for this particular sermon because I want 46 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:47,280 you to understand there is an audience here. 47 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,520 There are people to which Malachi is addressing. 48 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:56,200 And so as you read this and you hear the first part of this 49 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:58,960 sermon, because the way in which I'm going to tackle the sermon 50 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:02,880 is how the Lord is speaking to that particular audience. 51 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:05,880 And then the last part of this message, I'll look at that. 52 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:11,120 What does this mean for us as people in the New Covenant? 53 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:15,080 And so please listen to me carefully. 54 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:21,079 There are few well known pastors and leaders who have said 55 00:04:21,079 --> 00:04:23,640 certain things about the issue of the Tides. 56 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:26,600 I have few big quotes to hear from them. 57 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:30,360 From those who are well known pastors and many of them leading 58 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:33,560 mega churches. They say the following. 59 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:35,200 I didn't want to actually share their names. 60 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:37,040 I think I thought let's just protect the names. 61 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:42,000 Here they say the following. If you don't pay tithe, you will 62 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:43,200 permanently. You are. 63 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:48,560 You are permanently A beggar. If you don't pay tithe, God will 64 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:54,160 never be moved by your tears. The key that opens the door to 65 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:56,800 your main entrance will not open the door to your bedroom. 66 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:01,280 The foundational key to prosperity is the Kingdom is 67 00:05:01,280 --> 00:05:05,560 tithe. God will never trust the poor 68 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:09,880 with money because they are not faithful with the tithe. 69 00:05:12,280 --> 00:05:17,320 This one is a classic one. If you don't tithe, you are not 70 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:22,640 going to heaven. How many of you are not going to 71 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:33,540 heaven? So let us look at this text in 72 00:05:33,540 --> 00:05:36,860 its immediate and broader context. 73 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:42,040 We saw in chapter 1, and Hillary had walked us through the love 74 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:46,000 of God in the manner in which God loved his people. 75 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:49,640 It is clear from chapter one that God loves Israel. 76 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:53,160 He not only loves Israel, but He leads with love. 77 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:56,680 He does not begin in chapter 1 with an imperative, but rather 78 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:02,840 with an indicative that my people to whom I love and we 79 00:06:02,840 --> 00:06:07,000 would see them from chapter 1 onwards, in part chapter 2, that 80 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:10,360 the Lord is not pleased with the priest as I am bringing to the 81 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:14,560 Lord a wounded and deformed sacrifices and the kind of 82 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:16,720 worship to which the Lord does not want. 83 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:20,040 It is a hard hearted worship. It is a cheap kind of worship 84 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:23,280 where they're giving God leftovers and God is not 85 00:06:23,280 --> 00:06:24,720 pleased. It says in fact you are 86 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:30,560 polluting my name and the accused God of being unjust. 87 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:35,480 What we see from chapter one part in chapter 2 is really that 88 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:38,240 the people of God do not care about worship. 89 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:42,120 They do not care about how God ought to be worshipped. 90 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:45,120 And we see that they are failing God. 91 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:48,280 They are rebelling against God and God charges them. 92 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:53,040 He charges the preacher that I do not like what you are doing 93 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:57,520 and in fact there is judgment for what you are doing. 94 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:02,000 And Tawanda pointed us last week that there is a glimmer of hope. 95 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:05,400 It is because there is a messenger that the Lord is going 96 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:07,880 to send. And we know that messenger, of 97 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:13,080 course, will be Jesus Christ. These are the people of God who 98 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,600 are breaking the law of God, and yet God loves them. 99 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:20,280 This is the story of unfaithfulness, but also a story 100 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:25,160 of a faithful God that regardless of your obedience, as 101 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:28,720 my people, God says I have chosen you, I have forgiven you, 102 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:33,080 but also I love you. And how does God show this? 103 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:36,600 God continues to provide land for them, He provides food, He 104 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:39,240 protects them. He showed his people that I 105 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:44,440 indeed I love you. And now we see another charge 106 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:46,560 from God. This charge is slightly 107 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:49,200 different because when you read part of chapter 1 and chapter 2, 108 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:51,360 the charge is against the priest. 109 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:55,600 But as we read on from chapter 3 is that now the charge is not 110 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:58,640 only primarily against the priest, but it is against the 111 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:02,720 people of God. Because the people of God have 112 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:06,760 also spoken against God, but also they are stealing and 113 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:10,640 robbing God. He is addressing them from 114 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:15,560 chapter 3 onwards that you are stealing for me. 115 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:20,280 And so the Lord here shows us the failure of Israel, God's 116 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:24,720 people in pain, the tithe. They are not giving the tithes, 117 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:27,600 nor are they giving the offerings that they ought to 118 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:33,080 give to God. And God rebukes his own people. 119 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:39,520 So let's look at the first point, Israel's lack of 120 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:43,039 generosity, these amazing language here from verse 8. 121 00:08:43,039 --> 00:08:45,600 It's it's quite an amazing language that God use here, 122 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:47,640 really. He uses the rhetoric question. 123 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:50,720 The question is, will a man rob God? 124 00:08:51,680 --> 00:08:53,800 That's quite interesting. When you look at the verb there, 125 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:57,200 the verb gives us a sense in which it is to take something to 126 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:01,400 mark or to forcibly take something from someone. 127 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:05,000 And so the question may sound a little bit ridiculous to us in 128 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:08,920 our daily, in our world, when will a man rob God? 129 00:09:09,520 --> 00:09:13,400 The picture is one who is taking something from God. 130 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:17,240 And so we would expect the response to be negative because 131 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:21,840 clearly no man can rob God. But interesting when you look 132 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:25,840 through verse 8B, God in response through the prophet 133 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:32,080 says you are robbing me. So that's the answer. 134 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:36,600 But an interesting answer because it is an expected divine 135 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:40,680 answer to a Rotary question that indeed you are robbing me. 136 00:09:40,680 --> 00:09:44,280 In fact, it's like God saying to them, you have figured out a way 137 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:50,720 to rob me and you've done it and say, and, and so they ask 138 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:52,200 themselves, how have you done that? 139 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:55,680 How have you robbed your God? Surely no one can rob the 140 00:09:55,680 --> 00:09:58,880 sovereign and supreme God. But yes, you figured it out. 141 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:00,880 And they asked how, how have we done that? 142 00:10:01,560 --> 00:10:04,880 And the charge is, yes, you have done it because you have kept 143 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:09,400 the tithe and you have kept your contributions. 144 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:12,080 Why? Because I have commanded you as 145 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:16,240 part of the Mosaic law that you give the tithe and you give the 146 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:19,480 offering and you withhold that and you did not give. 147 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:22,280 So you have learned how to rob me. 148 00:10:23,560 --> 00:10:27,400 Now the language of God saying you have robbed me possibly to 149 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:32,400 to the people of Israel at the time sounded unfair to them. 150 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:35,960 We must remember as we read the book in context that as they 151 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:39,000 came from exile, we must know that these people came and they 152 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:41,960 were poor, they didn't have much. 153 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:46,720 And so for God to them to expect 10 tenth of what they have, it's 154 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:51,160 probably God that's ridiculous because you know, we don't have 155 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:53,000 much. We have no infrastructure, many 156 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:55,480 of us don't have land. The economy is depressed. 157 00:10:55,480 --> 00:11:03,120 How can you want more from us? And yet we have less and God 158 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:14,000 says I want my tithe. You are robbing me would sound 159 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:15,840 as though God please give us a break. 160 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:21,000 You know we are poor. You know we don't have Why would 161 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:28,200 you expect us to give tithe and then the second question is 162 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:31,720 being asked. You have robbed me of my a 163 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:34,800 response from God. You have robbed me of my tithe 164 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:37,560 and offering. So then we must ask the 165 00:11:37,560 --> 00:11:41,000 question, what is this tide? What is this offering that the 166 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:43,800 Lord refers to here? And I'm sure many of you would 167 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:47,360 know that the, the, the tide in the Old Testament was 1/10 of 168 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:51,360 person's income or, or production of what was given to 169 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:54,080 the Lord for in service to the Lord. 170 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:57,600 And often that would be wine, it will be livestock, it would be 171 00:11:57,680 --> 00:12:00,840 oil, or it will be fruit, whatever that was the IT will be 172 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:02,760 given. And I'm going to tell you who it 173 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:06,200 was given to. And we see these pictures of 174 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:09,240 giving and tithe in the Old Testament from Abraham giving a 175 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:13,680 tithe to Melchizedek, but also Jacob in Genesis 28, verse 22, 176 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:17,880 vowing to the Lord that I am going to give the tithe. 177 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:23,680 So what was the purpose of the tithe in the Old Testament #1 178 00:12:23,840 --> 00:12:27,240 The purpose of the tithe was to fulfill and to support the 179 00:12:27,240 --> 00:12:30,320 ministry of the Levites. That was the first purpose of 180 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:32,960 the tide. So we read in Numbers 1821, I 181 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:35,320 give to the law. I give to the Levites all the 182 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:38,800 tides in Israel as their inheritance in return for the 183 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:41,720 work they do while serving at the 10th of the meeting. 184 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:46,240 So the tithe was given to the Levites, OK, For because the 185 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:50,480 Levites had no inheritance, they were those who had no 186 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:52,800 inheritance. They were not farming, and so 187 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:57,440 they were depending on the tide. So the tide was to provide for 188 00:12:57,440 --> 00:13:00,760 the living of the Levites. Because we know that the Levites 189 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:04,440 had many responsibilities in the Temple, and so because they had 190 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:07,200 to look after the temple and many other responsibilities 191 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:09,720 within the temple, they did not have any inheritance. 192 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:11,800 Though the people of Israel and many other people from other 193 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:14,520 tribes had to actually support the Levites. 194 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:17,320 This is how the Levites survived. 195 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:20,240 Not only that, but the livers would take the tithe, and from 196 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:23,080 that tithe they would give part of it to the priest as well. 197 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:27,360 So it was the tithe of a tithe, receiving it to look after them, 198 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:31,600 but also to give part of that to the priest as well. 199 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:35,280 So in order for the livers to survive, they were given the 200 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:39,360 tithe to live off the tithe. So it was to support that kind 201 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:42,440 of ministry, for them to support their families and to look after 202 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:48,240 the ministry of the Lord #2 the tide was provided for those who 203 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:53,480 were economically vulnerable. In Deuteronomy 1428, verse 29, 204 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:56,720 at the end of every three years, you shall bring out of all the 205 00:13:56,720 --> 00:14:00,280 tide of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your 206 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:02,400 towns. And the Levite, because he had 207 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:04,080 no portion or inheritance with you. 208 00:14:04,080 --> 00:14:06,520 And the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow who 209 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:09,920 are with your town shall come and eat and be filled, that the 210 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:13,480 Lord your God may bless you in all your work of your hands that 211 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:17,280 you do so. The second reason that the Lord 212 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:20,960 had one of the tide was that the tide would be given to support 213 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:24,160 those who were vulnerable. It was to support the widows. 214 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:27,160 It was to support the offense. It was to support the poor. 215 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:29,160 It was also to support the foreigner. 216 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:32,800 So those who did not have much in the community, the Lord says, 217 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:36,360 bring the tithe, support the device, but also support the 218 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:40,920 vulnerable, give to those who don't have much. 219 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:46,480 There's a third reason why the Lord instituted the tide #3 the 220 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:50,560 the tide was to facilitate the celebration of the people of 221 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:53,080 God. In Deuteronomy 1423, the 222 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:56,200 Israelites were meant to bring and eat together at the temple 223 00:14:56,600 --> 00:15:01,520 as part of that annual feast celebrating their identity as 224 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:05,720 the people of God. And so the Israel of most of the 225 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:09,920 time they had to remember a God who had taken them away or 226 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:12,640 released them and delivered them from slavery. 227 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:16,280 And so giving a tide was to acknowledge the goodness and the 228 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:20,680 mercy of God will deliver them in Egypt and had given them a 229 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:23,760 land. So it was given as a motivation 230 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:26,800 of gratitude of what the Lord has done. 231 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:29,560 It was not an obligation in some sense, but also it was a sense 232 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:32,720 of gratitude, recognizing the graciousness of God. 233 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:36,000 So the way in which Israel would respond by faith would be to 234 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:41,760 give a tithe to the Lord. So the purpose of the tithe is 235 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:45,000 looking after the Levites, but also is to look after those who 236 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:48,400 are economically vulnerable. But also it was to celebrate the 237 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:52,920 goodness of the Lord among the community as well, to respond 238 00:15:52,920 --> 00:15:57,800 with a gracious but also a generous heart and giving the 239 00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:01,240 tithe. And so the people of God had had 240 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:04,120 to remember all the time what the Lord had done. 241 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:07,160 But here is what is important. It was also for them to remember 242 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:10,000 that everything they had belonged to the King of kings 243 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:15,400 and the Lord of Lords, that it was the Lord we actually gave 244 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:17,560 the fruit of the land. In other words, everything they 245 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:20,360 were able to produce in their farming in one sense did not 246 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:22,760 belong to them. The 100% belong to God. 247 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:26,520 And God says to them, allow you keep the 90, keep the 90. 248 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:29,640 I just want the 10, just want the 10. 249 00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:35,640 And he says this in Deuteronomy chapter 8 verse 17 and 18. 250 00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:40,600 Beware lest you say in your heart my power and my might of 251 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:44,000 my hand has gotten me wealth. You shall remember the Lord your 252 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:48,040 God, for it is he who gives you power to gain wealth, that he 253 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:51,080 may confirm the covenant that we saw to your Father's. 254 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:55,120 And it is this day. Psalm 24, verse one. 255 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:59,000 The earth is the Lord, and the fullness there of the world and 256 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:05,079 those who dwell therein. And so through the tithe, it is 257 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:09,319 for Israel to acknowledge that it is the Lord that has given 258 00:17:09,319 --> 00:17:11,680 them the the wealth. It is the Lord that gives the 259 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:15,160 ability for one to acquire the wealth. 260 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:18,359 And the Lord reminds them that in fact, the whole world, the 261 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:21,160 whole land belongs to me. And so whatever you are able to 262 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:23,920 produce, listen, it's not because you are smart, it is 263 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:28,880 because I'm giving it to you. It is my doing as confirming my 264 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:32,320 covenant to you. So what you have, you have it 265 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:38,760 because of me and the people here of Israel are dodging the 266 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:41,120 tithe. Now there are implications in 267 00:17:41,120 --> 00:17:43,040 dodging the tithe according to God. 268 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:45,920 One, they are defunding the religious system because it 269 00:17:45,920 --> 00:17:48,600 means if the people of Israel are not paying the tithe, it 270 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:51,840 means the the Levites have got nothing to work with. 271 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:53,400 They can't support their families. 272 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:57,800 The Levites can't do their job at the temple or look after 273 00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:00,320 their families as well. It also means the social 274 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:03,080 structures of of the celebrations are also affected. 275 00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:05,800 But it also means if they are, they are they are they are 276 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:07,720 dodging the tide. It also means that you cannot 277 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:14,080 support the vulnerable as well. And so the Lord is against this 278 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:21,440 kind of worship, which is a wrong kind of worship, a kind of 279 00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:25,920 worship that is not obedient to that which the Lord expects them 280 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:28,840 to do. And the Lord had warned them 281 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:32,080 before that the kind of worship you're giving to me is polluted. 282 00:18:32,360 --> 00:18:35,720 In other words, your hearts are not in this. 283 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:41,600 The point here is this. It is not because the Lord 284 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:44,840 wanted their money, to use our language of our deck. 285 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:46,760 It is not because the Lord wanted their money. 286 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:48,360 The Lord does not need our money. 287 00:18:49,120 --> 00:18:52,240 But more importantly, the Lord longed for their hearts. 288 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:57,080 And the reason for that is where your treasure is, that is where 289 00:18:57,120 --> 00:19:04,120 your heart is also. And the question here is, who do 290 00:19:04,120 --> 00:19:07,280 you love first? So Israel, who do you love 291 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:08,320 first? Who? 292 00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:11,920 Who do you prioritize Israel in your budgeting? 293 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:19,880 Because the Lord knows, and we know too, that money has a 294 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:24,720 spiritual power. And hold on us if you don't 295 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:27,040 believe me, go and visit the casino. 296 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:31,640 If you don't believe me, look at believers who are playing Lotto 297 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:36,520 every day. Money generally has a hold on 298 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:38,840 one's heart. Yes, that is why we see many 299 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:42,960 warnings in the biblical text as it relates to money. 300 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:48,080 Because of possessions, because of having nice stuff, whether 301 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:50,960 it's nice clothes, it's a nice phone, it's a nice car. 302 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:54,960 Whether it is to impress people. Often money has that kind of 303 00:19:54,960 --> 00:20:00,000 hold in US and it wants to enslave us and the times it may 304 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:02,480 even destroy us. Why? 305 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:05,640 Because when we love money that much, we can actually end up 306 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:09,360 worshipping money as well. And so there's a warning to the 307 00:20:09,360 --> 00:20:14,080 Israelites. Give what we had promised to 308 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:21,200 give to me as per. My law, Billy Graham says the 309 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:24,120 following Tell me what you think about money and I will tell you 310 00:20:24,120 --> 00:20:27,680 what you think about God. For these two are inseparable. 311 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:31,480 And the whole point here is show me your bank account and I will 312 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:40,440 show you what you worship. The Kingdom of God has rewards. 313 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:44,080 And when I say the Kingdom of God has rewards, it's not a 314 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:46,680 promise to say if you give money, you're going to be rich. 315 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:48,960 That's not the point of the text. 316 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:53,120 But also part of that giving is that it frees us from being a 317 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:57,400 slave by money. And so the question I think we 318 00:20:57,400 --> 00:21:01,840 have to ask ourselves is can I trust God with every aspect of 319 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:03,840 my life? Because. 320 00:21:04,360 --> 00:21:08,280 Because when that salary hits the bank account on the 20th, 321 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:12,240 the 20 fee through the 31st or whatever the date may be 322 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:14,520 already. As you think about your budget, 323 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:16,120 a number of questions run to your mind. 324 00:21:16,120 --> 00:21:19,560 The first one is, will I survive with this? 325 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:23,320 Will I be able to pay all of my expenses and all the things that 326 00:21:23,320 --> 00:21:26,120 I need to do? And already the money's hitting 327 00:21:26,120 --> 00:21:29,160 the bank account and you're already paralysed by fear and 328 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:33,920 anxiety. Or will I make it? 329 00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:38,440 And yet Jesus, quite interestingly in Matthew 6, 330 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:42,200 reminds his audience, being there with the disciples and the 331 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:46,920 samoon on the mount that listen to me guys, I feed the birds. 332 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:50,480 And guess what? If I feed the birds, are you not 333 00:21:50,480 --> 00:21:57,000 much more worthy than the birds? Therefore, why are you worried? 334 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:06,080 You are made in my image and I care about you, therefore I will 335 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:10,800 take care of you. He does not promise to give us 336 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:13,280 our luxuries. He does not promise to give us 337 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:16,880 our Gucci's. He does not promise to give us 338 00:22:16,880 --> 00:22:21,160 an expensive brand, but he promises to give us what to eat 339 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:27,200 and to wear. That is the promise of Scripture 340 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:31,360 and that often anxiety over money can lead to greed, but 341 00:22:31,360 --> 00:22:38,360 also it can lead to wanting other people's stuff felt like 342 00:22:38,360 --> 00:22:43,120 that like Psalm 73 kind of first Lord, I'm seeing the prosperity 343 00:22:43,120 --> 00:22:47,240 of the wicked and can we can feel like that You see the 344 00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:53,600 prosperity of others think, oh, I wish it was me and because 345 00:22:53,600 --> 00:22:56,640 when money takes hold of us, that's what it it does. 346 00:22:56,880 --> 00:22:59,040 And so here's the question ask the people of Israel. 347 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:03,520 It says to them, return to me. The question is how, how Lord 348 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:06,560 are we ought to return to you? The Lord said it's simple, give 349 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:10,200 to me, stop robbing me, stop stealing from me. 350 00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:11,520 That's the way for you to return. 351 00:23:13,360 --> 00:23:17,160 That's what it says. And the Lord also speaks here 352 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:20,760 about offerings that they were not only holding the tithe, they 353 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:23,040 were also holding the offerings of the contributions. 354 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:26,360 And normally these would be the the free will offerings that 355 00:23:26,360 --> 00:23:28,200 would be given for the add many purposes. 356 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:30,960 One of the purposes it was for the temple as well. 357 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:33,480 So people would come and give free will offerings to the 358 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:35,520 temple and others would come and give gold. 359 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:37,720 And there were many other things that the people of Israel were 360 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:44,360 expected to give beyond just the tithe #2 the, the, the reality 361 00:23:44,360 --> 00:23:46,360 of the curse. And so the Lord says, if you do 362 00:23:46,360 --> 00:23:48,400 not do this, there is a reality of the curse. 363 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:50,960 If you don't stop robbing me, I'm going to curse you guys. 364 00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:55,760 And it says to them, you are under a curse a whole nation 365 00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:59,240 because you are robbing me. Look at that verse. 366 00:23:59,240 --> 00:24:01,800 Look at that warning. Feel the weight of that warning 367 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:04,080 to the audience. This was written too. 368 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:07,920 It says if you don't obey, I'm going to curse you. 369 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:12,080 If you don't obey, you will be under my curse because to rob 370 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:13,840 God is to shoot yourself in the foot. 371 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:18,520 It says you can't rob me. If you do fail to obey this 372 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:24,320 command, I am going to curse you because you've gone away from 373 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:27,720 obeying My law, but also you've gone away from obeying My 374 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:31,760 ordinances that establish with you as my people. 375 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:36,560 You are cursed as a nation because you are robbing me of 376 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:40,640 the tithe, You're robbing me, and you are refusing to honor 377 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:44,240 Me. Proverbs 11/24 says there is one 378 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:47,560 who scatters yet increases all the more, and there is one who 379 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:52,080 withhold what is justly due, but the result only in want. 380 00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:57,560 These are the outworkings of the curse because when we when they 381 00:24:57,560 --> 00:25:00,680 disobey God, when they don't give the 10th to God, they are 382 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:06,000 robbing God of his glory. That's what disobedience does. 383 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:10,760 It robs God of his glory. And so the consequences of 384 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:14,240 keeping the tithe, eating the tithe, not giving the offerings, 385 00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:16,400 it's simple. You'll be under a curse. 386 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:23,800 And now the Lord is so gracious, he, he, he wants to motivate 387 00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:26,000 Israel to giving. It's wonderful. 388 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:28,000 I love when I read this text like this. 389 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:30,760 You can see the Lord's heart, the Lord's love, the Lord's 390 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:33,200 forgiveness, and how much he loves his chosen people. 391 00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:35,800 And then it says, OK guys, I'm just going to motivate you. 392 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:39,720 Let me motivate you in giving. And we can see that from verse 393 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:42,000 11:50. This is the Lord's motivation. 394 00:25:42,120 --> 00:25:43,880 And the Lord promises 3 things to them. 395 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:47,320 One, He promises them a blessing #2 and assurance of protection 396 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:51,600 #3 the promise of fruitfulness. I want you to notice for me from 397 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:57,160 verse 10, that promise of a blessing, that Israel, if you 398 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:04,400 are faithful to me, I in fact, the Lord, I am going to bless 399 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:08,040 you. And these Israel's already poor. 400 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:10,520 As I've said to you before, these were poor people. 401 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:13,040 And the Lord says, I'm going to bless you. 402 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:15,600 Trust me. If you give your 10th, if you 403 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:18,360 give the offerings, I am going to bless you. 404 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:21,320 I know that your fields are not yielding much crop. 405 00:26:21,320 --> 00:26:24,400 I know that I'm the Lord. I know that I know that you 406 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:27,360 don't have much. I know that you have a lot to 407 00:26:27,360 --> 00:26:30,160 complain about because you simply don't have everything you 408 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:31,960 need. But it says to them, I want you 409 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:35,200 to do something for me. Bring the whole tithe into the 410 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:38,000 storehouse so that there may be food in my house. 411 00:26:39,120 --> 00:26:42,560 I love the next part. Test me in this and see if I 412 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:45,000 will not open the windows of heaven. 413 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:47,960 Pour out a blessing until it overflows. 414 00:26:48,360 --> 00:26:50,760 And the wonderful thing here is whether I can I trust myself or 415 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:53,320 can I trust God. But it says I we don't have much 416 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:56,440 I could find but test me. Isn't that wonderful? 417 00:26:56,440 --> 00:27:02,160 Those test me and see if I will not open the windows of heaven 418 00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:09,480 and pour out a blessing because in difficult times and in times 419 00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:13,720 of lack, often for the people of Israel as well, is that we want 420 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:17,440 to skip giving what we have to give to the Lord. 421 00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:21,360 This is the temptation for the people of Israel because they 422 00:27:21,360 --> 00:27:25,480 were of course struggling with this, and the Lord gives them a 423 00:27:25,480 --> 00:27:28,160 wonderful promise. If you give, I'm going to pull 424 00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:31,560 out a blessing and they'll be food in my house. 425 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:36,160 Here's the second promise. He promises them protection that 426 00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:38,720 if you give, I will rebuke the devourer for you, that you will 427 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:41,400 not destroy the fruits of the ground. 428 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:46,120 And so he says to them, listen, if if you give to me, I promise 429 00:27:46,120 --> 00:27:49,480 to spare, I promise to mitigate, I promise to alleviate the 430 00:27:49,480 --> 00:27:51,520 curse. This is what I'm going to do, 431 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:54,800 people of Israel, if you do that and, and, and I promise you 432 00:27:54,920 --> 00:27:59,160 what, what, what a wonderful motivation for generosity to say 433 00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:02,760 to them what you don't have. If you do give, you will have 434 00:28:02,760 --> 00:28:04,640 it. This is a, this is a, this is a 435 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:10,040 protection to Israel to say, I will cause your ground to give 436 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:13,120 much fruit. I will, I will cause for you not 437 00:28:13,120 --> 00:28:15,760 to lose profit, rather to gain more income. 438 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:20,000 I will increase the fruitfulness of your labour and I will keep 439 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:24,760 the locust away. I will protect what destroys the 440 00:28:24,760 --> 00:28:26,440 ground. I will protect you from the 441 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:32,080 devourer, the only thing I want from you if the tank, and this 442 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:34,080 is what I do. And so if you're not making 443 00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:40,080 profit, test me, Maybe you'll make profit because I will 444 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:43,680 rebuke the devourer. The third motivation from the 445 00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:48,040 Lord, he says, if you give. So the first one is I promise 446 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:51,880 you a blessing #2 I promise you protection, and #3 I promise you 447 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:54,560 fruitfulness. So the assurance of protection, 448 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:56,560 but also I promise you fruitfulness. 449 00:28:56,560 --> 00:29:02,760 It says to them, I will bless you and all nations will call 450 00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:07,640 you blesh, for you will be the land of delight, says the Lord 451 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:10,200 of Host. It is as though the Lord saying 452 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:14,320 all nations will recognize Israel because of what I have 453 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:18,640 done in not cursing Israel, but also in blessing my people. 454 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:24,040 The Lord does not leave them in their wonder. 455 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:29,640 It still motivates them to be generous and to give to him. 456 00:29:31,640 --> 00:29:36,120 And I think that's the challenge that Malachi brings to us today. 457 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:40,080 And so I know probably the question that you have in your 458 00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:43,880 mind now is, Eric, that's the old covenant. 459 00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:48,640 Should Christian in the new covenant tie? 460 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:52,440 I think that's the big question in this room. 461 00:29:54,040 --> 00:29:57,080 Let me be specific with you that the new the in the New Testament 462 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:02,640 there is no specific command for believers to tie. 463 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:06,840 The biblical text does not actually mention that in the New 464 00:30:06,840 --> 00:30:10,920 Testament as they command in the new covenant for believers to 465 00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:12,680 tie. There is no instruction in the 466 00:30:12,680 --> 00:30:14,560 new covenant for believers to tie. 467 00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:19,400 In fact, the apostle Paul, who was largely focusing on the 468 00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:23,120 Gentile churches, Corinthians, Galatians, and and and and and 469 00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:27,680 and and and Colossi, would have spoken about the tithe if you 470 00:30:27,680 --> 00:30:30,000 wanted to, if you needed to, rather than want to do if you 471 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:31,840 needed to, because these were gentle believers. 472 00:30:31,840 --> 00:30:34,000 They did not know much about the law of Moses. 473 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:37,440 And yet the apostle Paul in all of these churches does not speak 474 00:30:37,440 --> 00:30:42,520 about the tithe, nor does Jesus himself encourage or command 475 00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:46,400 these disciples to tie. So we don't see that sort of 476 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:53,000 language in the New Testament. However, there is something that 477 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:57,000 we see in the New Testament which I think is important for 478 00:30:57,000 --> 00:31:00,280 us to note. There is some evidence in the 479 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:04,200 New Testament that not not not encouraging tithing, but they 480 00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:09,640 encourage generosity. And the Africa Study Bible says 481 00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:12,680 is the following. Giving is an act of worship, 482 00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:18,160 holy and pleasing to God. And so in the New Testament we 483 00:31:18,160 --> 00:31:20,880 don't see much of the language of the tithe, but we see a 484 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:24,640 language of generosity. In other words, it is a language 485 00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:28,680 that does not limit us to a principle of tithe, but a 486 00:31:28,680 --> 00:31:33,200 language that seems to speak to us about giving beyond the 487 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:36,800 tithe. And that often other pastors 488 00:31:36,800 --> 00:31:40,040 will say we ought to see the tithe as the floor and we see 489 00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:45,640 generosity as a ceiling because we are giving to God. 490 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:50,200 In 2nd Corinthians 9, verse 7, it says each of you should give 491 00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:54,360 what you have decided in your heart, not reluctantly, not 492 00:31:54,360 --> 00:31:58,840 under compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver. 493 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:03,840 New Testament, the Lord loves a cheerful giver. 494 00:32:05,360 --> 00:32:08,440 So we're not going to manipulate you to give. 495 00:32:08,440 --> 00:32:11,920 We're going to force you to give that it would be against the 496 00:32:11,920 --> 00:32:18,920 Bible, but we would encourage you to give 2nd Corinthians 8 497 00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:24,280 verse 2 says in the midst of a various year via trial via 498 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:28,800 overflowing joy and the extreme poverty world up in rich 499 00:32:28,920 --> 00:32:32,520 generosity. Here is a poor church, here a 500 00:32:32,520 --> 00:32:36,720 poor, and yet what is being highlighted about this church is 501 00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:41,200 their generosity as the poor as they were, they were so generous 502 00:32:41,200 --> 00:32:48,320 in their given the the New Testament makes no prescription, 503 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:55,320 but the New Testament encourages generosity and giving. 504 00:32:57,640 --> 00:33:02,320 But perhaps it may be a suggestion that perhaps the the 505 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:06,880 starting point for some of us may be a tie there as a starting 506 00:33:06,880 --> 00:33:11,320 point, but also is part of our discipline, but not under 507 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:18,360 compulsion, giving generous, generous and cheerfully as well. 508 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:24,280 Now I want you to notice three things in the text that we've 509 00:33:24,280 --> 00:33:25,160 read. I'm nearly done. 510 00:33:25,600 --> 00:33:28,680 I want you to notice three things that the tide was used 511 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:33,320 for in the context of Malachi and think about the same things 512 00:33:33,520 --> 00:33:36,520 in the context of the New covenant in the New Testament, 513 00:33:38,960 --> 00:33:42,760 The Old Testament, the the the the tide was fulfilling specific 514 00:33:42,760 --> 00:33:46,040 purposes in the Old Testament, but think about the same things 515 00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:47,360 about fulfilling the Old Testament. 516 00:33:47,480 --> 00:33:51,080 Think about them in the New Testament because verse 6 remind 517 00:33:51,080 --> 00:33:52,400 us that the Lord does not change. 518 00:33:53,840 --> 00:33:56,960 I I think this thing still remain with us that in some 519 00:33:56,960 --> 00:33:59,840 sense, when we are generous, we are still supporting the work of 520 00:33:59,840 --> 00:34:03,640 the ministry. When we are generous, we are 521 00:34:03,640 --> 00:34:07,000 also we live in poverty because we're able to give to many 522 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:10,480 initiatives that our congregation has in relation to 523 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:14,639 live in poverty. But also as we are, when we're 524 00:34:14,639 --> 00:34:18,199 generous, we are also sharing in hospitality to use that the Lord 525 00:34:18,199 --> 00:34:23,239 has given us to steward it within this congregation and to 526 00:34:23,239 --> 00:34:26,600 meet the needs of this congregation because the Lord 527 00:34:26,760 --> 00:34:29,000 does not change the same three things in the Old Testament. 528 00:34:29,159 --> 00:34:31,880 I think in fact, they still apply to us today. 529 00:34:35,159 --> 00:34:36,880 So I want to suggest to you 6 things. 530 00:34:36,880 --> 00:34:39,280 I'm just going to put them up there and we're going to explain 531 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:43,440 them. Number one, we give because of 532 00:34:43,440 --> 00:34:47,760 the grace of God. We give in tough times. 533 00:34:48,239 --> 00:34:53,360 We give joyfully and cheerfully. We give out of the love of the 534 00:34:53,360 --> 00:34:56,040 Lord. We give sacrificially, meaning 535 00:34:56,040 --> 00:35:00,680 we give beyond at times. The last one we give generously. 536 00:35:02,320 --> 00:35:07,120 Weinberg should be gospel motivated in giving, not under 537 00:35:07,240 --> 00:35:11,040 manipulation. Just like the Malachi addresses 538 00:35:11,040 --> 00:35:14,840 this community, we are too commanded to be generous. 539 00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:18,720 Generosity that is rooted in our heart, acknowledging the fact 540 00:35:18,720 --> 00:35:24,080 that the Lord has been generous to us and using all things that 541 00:35:24,080 --> 00:35:27,720 the Lord has given us to acknowledge that He is the one 542 00:35:28,080 --> 00:35:30,720 who owns all things, but also the what we has given us the 543 00:35:30,720 --> 00:35:36,000 ability to own or to earn whatever we have. 544 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:40,200 And so the issue here is not to tie the law around your neck, 545 00:35:41,400 --> 00:35:45,240 but to encourage you to be generous in your gift. 546 00:35:46,760 --> 00:35:49,720 I think that's the main principle that we learn from 547 00:35:49,720 --> 00:35:51,520 this text. God bless you.