Kids are excited to receive gifts, but mature adults are excited to give gifts. But sometimes people don’t like the gifts we give them. Sometimes the gift is cheap. Sometimes it’s not something they would enjoy using. Sometimes it’s inappropriate for that person’s past history (alcohol for a former alcoholic, chocolate for someone on a diet, etc.).
Israel had been giving gifts to God, but God was not pleased with the gifts that He was receiving. Instead of giving a portion of what Israel was earning back to the Lord as a tithe, they were keeping it for their personal needs.
The truth is that we are all tempted to keep for ourselves what we know belongs to God. We all are tempted to use money we know we should give to God for our own personal bills. We have house payments, medical bills, car insurance, and groceries we need to buy. Additionally, we know we should give to God and we want to give to God, but we have desires for things that prevent us from giving to God. Maybe we want some new piece of technology, a nicer car, bigger house, or lavish vacation. And because we spend our money on those things we are not able to give to God like we want to or like we know that we should.
Giving to God follows similar principles to how we go about giving gifts to a friend or member of our family. First, in order to give a gift that is pleasing to another person we must know that person. What does she like or dislike? What does she enjoy or hate? We know that God is gracious, loving, and patient. “For I, the LORD, do not change” (Malachi 3:6).[1] God tells Israel that He does not change or deviate from His promises. God is also willing to accept us when we return to Him, “Return to me and I will return to you”(Malachi 3:7b). The Israelites had left God, but if they return to God, He will return to them.
In order to give a meaningful gift to a person we have to know the person, but we also have to actually give the gift. God tells Israel, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse” (Malachi 3:10a). As God says this I can almost hear the objections of Israel as they are told they need to bring their offerings: “But we don’t have enough money to give?” “I just put a layer of mud and straw on my roof and I can’t afford to give.” “I just bought a new donkey to help me plow my fields.” “We don’t have enough to feed ourselves, how are we supposed to give to God?” These were valid complaints because Israel had spent 70 years in captivity in Babylon and when they returned back to Judah they were trying to rebuild their way of life. They didn’t have much and were trying to grow their crops, to rebuild homes, and to establish life again in their land. But God’s command to Israel was clear: give.
After we’ve considered what would be a good gift for a person and after we’ve given the gift, we need to accept the good things we receive as a result of giving a gift. This usually is a verbal “thank you” or a personal thank you note sent by mail. Occasionally a person will give us a gift in return as a thank you. If Israel was to give a gift to God He says He will“’open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field cast its grapes,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘All the nations will call you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land’” (Malachi 3:10b–12). This likely describes rain. The famine and the struggles that Israel was having were because their crops were not growing and they were struggling to survive. Israel was withholding their tithes from God and because of that He likely was withholding the rain that sustained and grew their crops. But if Israel tithes to God it says that so much rain is going to come that it will “overflow.” That overflow of rain would lead to abundant fruits of the ground (v. 11a), flourishing grapes (v. 11b), and a blessing from other lands (v. 12).
When we are kids we get excited to get gifts from others., but as we mature into adults we get excited to give gifts to others. And as we grow and mature in our faith we become less focused on God blessing us and more concerned with giving to God. As grown mature adults we know it’s better to give than to receive. And giving gifts to God means we need to know Him, give to Him, and accept the blessing we receive when we give to Him.
[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.