First Fruit Offerings
Malachi 3:8-12
THE SIN – 3:8 – “Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions.”
Israel was robbing God. They asked this “serious” question: “How have we robbed you?”
This is the seventh time in Malachi that Israel has responded with such a question in defense of themselves against God’s accusations. Refer back to 1:2 and connect the dots – we rob God when we forget that He loves us.
This shows that what God had expected them to give was not optional. It was an obligation to God to the extent that not giving was actually taking away from God.
THE PUNISHMENT- 3:9 – “You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.”
The pronoun “Me” (referring to God) is emphatic in Hebrew. This was not just a single, isolated act but the “whole nation” was robbing God! Therefore, God would “curse them”. Notice how emphatic God is in saying this: “You are cursed with a curse.”
THE COMMAND – 3:10:
Bring (!) the whole tithe into God’s storehouse so that there may be food and test (!) me now in this –
“Bring the whole tithe” – The Israelites are suffering from a famine – and yet, God demands that they trust Him to provide the next meal by giving Him the first fruits! What a test of faith and loyalty.
“Test” – Usually, the word is used of God testing his children. Here, it is God asking us – commanding us – to test Him. God rebuked Israel for “testing” Him at the waters of Meribah (Psa. 95:9). There, they were testing God’s patience and His justice. Here, God calls on Israel to test His loving-kindness, His mercy, His love.
Notice the title God gives Himself here three times – “Lord of hosts” – “hosts” is generally understood to be His angels. I suggest it emphasizes here that God has angels at His disposal to send and make sure that His people have their needs provided – just trust Him!
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“IF I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.” Thus, we have…
THE BLESSING – 3:11-12:
Here are the specific examples of God “opening the windows of heaven:”
#1 – “I will rebuke the devourer so that it will not destroy the fruits of the ground” (probably referring to locusts)
#2 – “I will rebuke the devourer… so that your vine in the field will not cast its grapes” (referring to blight or mildew on grapes)
#3 – “All the nations will call you blessed for you shall be a delightful land.”
“Blessed” by whom? By God – therefore, ultimately, God is glorified as other people realize that God takes care of His people.
CONCLUSION:
With these thoughts in mind, let us review three verses:
1. God does not change – Malachi 3:6. He still demands that we trust Him which means we give the first fruits of our harvest.
2. God requires us to give “as we have prospered” – 1 Corinthians 16:1-2, and He gets the first fruits of what we prosper – Matthew 6:33. The bottom line is that we give to show that we trust God. If we give little, it’s because we trust little. We don’t trust God’s love will provide for our needs. That’s why giving, or the contribution, is an act of worship – it honors God for providing our needs.
3. Finally, God will also open up the windows of heaven and bless us with such that we will not have room to store it – 2 Corinthians 9:10-11.
Give to God the first fruits of your harvest and enjoy the blessings He pours out in return.
–Paul Holland
