Tithing and the Glory of God

Malachi 3-4; Psalms 148; Acts 5 

“…‘Return to me, and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty. But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’ ‘Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me…‘In tithes and offerings…Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing…Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,’ says the Lord Almighty.”

Malachi 3:7-10, 12

Now a man named Ananias…sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself…‘you have lied to the Holy Spirit…’”

Acts 5:1-3

Repentance, or returning to God, is practical and involves our time, our resources, and our priorities. The storehouse was the room in the temple used to store the tithes so that the priests could eat. The worship fires and incense were kept lit so the gatekeepers were supplied with food. When Tobiah controlled the storehouse, the tithes were robbed from God and his worship, and work was blocked; however, when we repent of our selfish, sinful greed and cleanse the temple of our lives, there is food, spiritual food, that we contribute to share with others. There is glory given to God among the nations because they bear witness to God’s blessing on our lives and our generosity to others. Let’s not rob God of his glory.

“Lord Jesus, all I have is yours. Be glorified in my life and use this temple among the nations to bring glory to yourself.”