In Malachi 3:6, God declares, “I the Lord do not change.” A few verses after the Lord declares that people rob Him through tithes and offering, and that they should test Him to see if He would not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing on them. Do you see what He […]
The Lord commanded them to fulfill their covenant duties. The Lord also said, “bring all the tithe”, which means some people may not be bringing the correct portion to the Lord. They are compromising their faith. As if to motivate the people, the Lord said “test Him and see” if He’d provide for them if […]
When you do not fulfill the requirements of the covenant, there is punishment. It does not mean that you are not saved by the blood of Jesus, but because you are sinning, by robbing God, the enemy has the legal right to bring harm your way. God’s grace protects you as long as you obey. […]
The Lord answered the Israelites’ inquiry of how they are robbing the Lord and the response is so simple — in your tithes and offering. In other words, the Lord is saying, “you rob me when you do not bring your tithes and offering fully.”86 You may be bringing in your tithe, but if you […]
The offering is traditionally translated as the “heave offering” (Exo. 29:2-28, Lev. 14:32, Num. 15-19-21). It is found 76 times in the Hebrew Bible, mostly in Exodus, Numbers, and Ezekiel, which is usually related to the causative verb rûm, “be high,” which suggested it’s raised as an offering to the Lord. The târumah, as we […]
The way the Israelites treated the land of Canaan — the promised land — was a central feature in their responsibilities under God’s covenant. Ownership of land meant participation in the covenant community to whom God had given the land. The ownership of land is legitimized by an attitude of faith and gratitude for God. […]
The Lord was offended by the Israelites because they saw pagan shrines in the high hills and they worshipped. They provoked the Lord with their sacrifices, their libations, and incense offerings which were presented to pagan deities. God called them to account for their conduct by asking, “What is the high place to which you […]
The response of Israel represented the contrast of the arrogance and defiance that Ezekiel experienced with his fellow Israelites. There were three specific characteristics to their response to Yahweh’s actions. First, Israel would remember their corrupt past. Remember is zākar, which does not simply mean “to recall to mind,” but also “to acknowledge, take account […]
How are we accepted by the Lord? As a requirement of God’s acceptances, we are to bring in our offerings and tithes. The verse said I will accept them. Rāṣâ may denote God’s acceptance of the worshiper. What is the context by which this acceptance comes? The Lord shows that He accepts His people when […]
When it comes to your bringing your offering to the Lord, are you God-centered or man-centered? Even if it’s not in the context of our finances, we must always evaluate our heart and check where our trust lies. Asking this question makes you evaluate what you are dependent on. We must always be centered on […]
In Ezekiel 20, , the Lord is speaking to the people of Israel through the prophet. He is talking about how the people would serve Him, and He shall require holy sacrifices and the finest gifts. The Lord also talked about a renewal of the covenant wherein all His promises would be reinstated. 40 People […]
The importance of the temple was shown in how the construction of the temple was the first order of business for the returning exiles. Their slowness in building it became a burden for the minor prophet Haggai. Continued provision for the temple even concerned Nehemiah. Nehemiah was a civil rule. The expectation was he couldn’t […]
