Malachi 3:6-12 | When Man Robs God | Pastor Daniel Banna

I thought originally it would be a seven part series. I know this is the tenth message of the book of Malachi, but we're almost at the end, so maybe one or two more, messages. The book of Malachi chapter three, we're going to read it from verse six. For I, the Lord, do not change. Therefore, you, oh, children of Jacob, are not consumed.

From the days of your fathers, you have turned aside from my statutes and have not keep them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the lord of hosts. But you say, how shall we return? Will man rob God? Yet, you are robbing me.

But you say, how have we robbed you in your tithes and contributions? You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse that there may be food in my house, and thereby put me to the test, says the lord of hosts. If I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the lord of hosts.

Then all the nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the lord of hosts. I am looking at these verses in the context of the whole book of Malachi, beginning in the first verses of the book. You remember those verses. God says to Israel, I have loved you. I have loved you and I do not change.

Verse six. For the Lord for I, the Lord, do not change. Therefore, oh, children of Jacob, you are not consumed. I have loved you from the beginning, and I continue to love you until now. And because of my love and because of my character that does not change, I have not consumed you.

You have a long history of rebellion against me. That's what God says. You do deserve you do deserve immediate punishment. You do you do deserve to be gone, swept from the face of the earth, that because of my love and my character, I have not consumed you. Verse seven, he tells him, from the days of your fathers, you have turned aside from my status and have not kept them.

This is nothing new. What you are today is what you were yesterday. Just look at your history. And then God says, return to me, and I will return to you. I'm always ready.

God says, I'm always ready for my people to return to me. I'm waiting and waiting and waiting. I will never reject a returning child. I will never reject a repentance sinner. Come back to me.

Return. There is a complete and full forgiveness to all who come back to me in repent in repentance. And we ask, but how shall we return? How shall we return? That question sounds a good question.

Right? But no. No. They are in deep, deep sin. Their ignorance is is deep to the bones.

They are not sincere when they ask this question. We have seen in chapter seven chapter two verse seven how the priests have caused many people to stumble by their teaching, by their instruction. They have turned aside from the Torah, and they taught the tradition of man. And they continue to do so until this very day, elevating the Mishnah at Talnud, the Gamara, man's oral tradition over the eternal and pure word of God, the church has taken a very similar path. The scripture was not enough for them.

Just remember, the word of God is light. The word of God is light, but in order to control the masses, we need to keep the crowds in darkness. What shall we do? Bring on the traditions of man and make the Bible not available. This what the church did.

Again, remember remember, light exposes darkness. The word of God exposes our errors. It's a scary thing. It was not enough for the Roman Catholic church to condemn John Wycliffe John Wycliffe as a heretic and ban all of his writings because he believed in the supremacy of scripture over any man's tradition and because he believed the Bible must be available in everyone's language, you know what they did after his death? They dug his bones forty years after his death and burned them and burned with it all his books.

They knew it's scary to have the Bible in the hands of people. The word of God exposes error, exposes darkness. It's scary. We need to keep the people, the world in darkness. And as the ignorance of Israel was in the days of Malachi, so became the ignorance of the church deep to the bone.

And God says, return to me. Return to me. And the response, how shall we return? We have no clue. Ignorant, blind as their leaders are, or maybe it's a denial of their state of rebellion and arrogance.

Do you want to return to me, God says? Do you want to return to God? Return to my word. Only God's word. Only in it you'll find the truth.

Only in God's word you'll find true salvation, the truth about sin, the truth about how to live and how to love, the truth that sets everyone free, free indeed, free from tradition, human tradition. Free from sin. Free from condemnation. Free in Christ Jesus Christ. Free from legalism.

Free indeed. God answers their question with a question. And that's if you look at the gospels, Christ often does that. He answers a question with a question, and God answers their question with a question. He tells him, will man rob God?

I could really have a title for this message tonight, can a believer be a thief. I did not call it that way. But what would be a good name for a message? Will a man rob God? And God proceeds to talk about what?

About money and about giving. You remember very well the words of Jesus when he said, for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. An easy way to find out if your heart is in the right place is to look at your checking book, at your bank account, at your credit card statement. A short glimpse may identify a very bright area in life or maybe a very dark spot. God sees and he it judges.

And what does he say? For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. One of the main areas in the believer's life that prove the love and devotion to God is the area of finances, particularly their giving. And this what God specify in this part of scripture. And God asks again this question, will man will a man rob God?

Now God is asking, is it possible for a man is it possible for a human being to rob God? Now someone is a thief. If they take something or they keep something that does not belong to them. It is yours if you paid for it, if you worked for it, if you inherited it, if you got it as a gift, if you found it and there is no known owner, that's yours. Right?

Now listen. The punishment for theft corresponds to whom the theft was committed against. Just pay attention to that. Restitution is required. Right?

And usually, the restitution is not only the return of the value of the goods, the stolen goods, but also a specific penalty imposed on the thief in addition to the value of the stolen goods. This how God looked at it, that's also, I believe, in every law. Now God has prescribed the penalty for stealing. Now I want to look at just couple of scriptures. We can really go on and on and on and on to talk about this subject, but I just want to summarize it in in couple of scriptures.

If you turn with me to the book of Exodus chapter 22, and I want to read just two verses. Verse one. Exodus 22 verse one. If a man steals an ox or a sheep and kills it or sells it, he shall repay five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep. Look at verse four.

If the stolen beast is found alive in his position, whether it's an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double. Now this is the law regarding an animal, and I don't want to go through any details. What about human trafficking? Now this is stealing an animal, stealing a property, stealing something. Right?

Now what about human trafficking? Look at Exodus 21 verse 16. Twenty one sixteen. Whoever steals a man and sells him, and any found found in position of him shall be put to death. Wow.

Shall be put to death. That is the penalty that god has instituted for that crime. Now please pay attention. It is not only the amount or the object that is stolen that determines the severity of the penalty, but the identity of the one stolen from. K?

The amount, but also the identity of whom you are stealing from. There's a greater punishment for stealing from the government than stealing from the candy store. Right? Robbing a bank is different than robbing Walmart. Why?

It's a federal offense. Even though both are wrong, but not both are equal in the punishment, in the severity of the punishment and the restitution. Now what about if the crime is against not the government, but then but against God? What if the theft is against God? God is telling Israel, it's not the temple that you are robbing when you are not bringing your tithe and offerings, but to God.

It's not the local church you are robbing or you're not giving your offering. It is the head of the church, Jesus Christ himself. In Matthew chapter 22, the Pharisees plotted to entangle Jesus in his words. And and look at at verse 17. That's Matthew 22 verse 17.

They ask him that famous question that we are all familiar with. Tell us then what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the attack.

He has seen the coin so many times. Right? But he likes to illustrate it. I love Jesus. Don't you?

Show me the coin. Show he has a plan. He he know what he's going to do. It's it's it's it's beautiful. Show me the coin for the tax.

And he brought him a denarius. Didn't tell him, oh, you know you know Jesus, rabbi. No. No. They brought him a coin.

And he has said to them, whose likeness and inscription is this? They said, Caesar's. Then he said to them, therefore, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. Render to Caesar to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God. This is a two part statement.

The first part has to do with the obligation toward the government. Just saying that we may owe money to the government or to the government authorities. It is legitimate for the government to ask for taxes, to pay for legitimate, necessary services they provide for us. I agree it is illegitimate, to fund wicked wicked causes using our tax money, but, unfortunately, I cannot do much about it. But it is Caesar's government.

Now in the second part of your statement, he makes the case for another duty, another obligation. Render to God the things that are God's. How do we give God? How do we render to God the things that are God? Now listen, God looks at every offering you give cheerfully and willingly to his cause, whether to his local church or any other cause that advances his kingdom as if you were giving to him personally.

Jesus made that clear in in more than one occasion. And I just want to mention to you as one occasion, Matthew 25. Just read couple of the verses just to remind you. And there speaks when he comes in his glory and and and he sits on his throne and and he separates the believers from the unbelievers, the sheep from the goats, and he and he put the believers in his right hand and and the unbelievers on his left hands. And he tells them he tells the believers, come you who are blessed by my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world for I was hungry.

I I was thirsty. I was stranger. I was naked. I was in prison, and you were there for me. You were there for me.

You provided my needs. You gave me food. You clothed me. You visited me. You encouraged me.

You had compassion on me. Then the righteous will answer and say to him, when this thing has happened, you may not remember, but God keeps a book of remembrance. The king will answer them. Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me. You did it to me.

I take it personally. You're giving for god cause for his kingdom. You are giving to God himself, to the Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the church. Then he look at his left hand, and and he gives those goats, those unbelievers the bad news, the news they may have not expected. Depart from me, you cursed.

For I was hungry, you gave me no food. I was thirsty, you didn't give me a drink to the end. Lord, when this thing have happened? Again, they might not remember her, but he keeps a book of remembrance. Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.

We said God looked at those who did not give their tithe and offerings to the temple as if they were robbing him in person. They're stealing from him. They're robbing him. They are thieves. Remember, the temple is his.

The sacrifice offered in the temple are his sacrifices offered to him. The priests were doing their his work. They were his priests. The Levites were his Levites. They are God's laborers.

We see the same idea in the New Testament. It's it's not very different at all. The the same idea. The apostle Paul in first Corinthians three nine listen what he says. He says, for we are God's fellow workers.

You are God's field, God's building. We are God's fellow workers. As the temple was God's temple, so we are God's field. We are God's building. And all those who labor in God's field, in his building, God's called here follow workers.

So the tithes in the Old Testaments were meant to cover the expenses of the temple, to pay for the need of the priests. They have to live. Right? The essential needs of the tabernacle and and and God's laborers. The tithe were never intended to make the priests rich, but rather to provide for their daily and essential needs.

And as in the old testament we see today, unfortunately, in the old testaments, many priests were unfaithful in their giving, in their in what they have received, from the people for the temple work. They should have taken their portion, but some of them take much more than the portion allotted to them. We have an example, the sons of Eli, who were not satisfied with what God has allotted to them. They devoured God's portion. They devoured the offeror's portion.

They they wanted raw meat. They they weren't satisfied with with boiled meat. No. Give me the raw meat. I want it grilled.

We like shish kebab. We don't want it raw. We we don't want it boiled. We want raw meat. And and God looked at that very seriously as as as you if you remember the story.

It was a sin not against the priests. It wasn't sin against Ateba, it was God. Sin against him personally, and God judged him severely in one day both of them died. But whoever honors God, God will also honor in return. Just remember that.

Now I believe the sin of Israel here in the book of Malachi was a double fold. And I would say the church can fall into the same the same error and the same sin. First, I believe this was their error. Number one, that people were unfaithful in giving to God, their tithes and their offerings as required, number one, but secondly, the priests were unfaithful in the use of tithes and offerings. The people were unfaithful in giving, the priests were unfaithful in spending in distributing the funds we're giving to them.

Now let's begin first by defining what is tithe and what is offering. There's a lot of confusion there, so let us define what is tithe. It's an old word. Right? Tithe is really a 10% of someone's income.

The old testament, there was three tithes, by the way, not one. The first was the basic tax to fund the temple as we have seen and the priests. That's the first tithe. And I want to read just one, one scripture, and I will not go further just to make the brief. Let's look at just first Leviticus 27 verse 30.

Leviticus twenty seven thirty. And that's the first tithe done every year, once a year. Verse 30. Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord's. It is holy to the Lord.

Verse 32. And every type of herd and flocks, every tenth of animal, of all that pass under the herdsmen's staff shall be holy to the Lord. Now in addition to this tithe, the Israelites were required to give another tithe to fund the national celebrations, the festivities, the holidays. And every third year, there was another tithe, by the way, and that tithe was distributed mainly to the poor and the widows. So if you add all these together, the total, by the way, is not 10%.

It comes to about between 23% to 25%. Remember? You had to leave the corners of your field. If you drop something from the harvest, you cannot go back and pick it up. So together, if you add it, about 25% of someone's income.

That was the tithe in the Old Testament. When the question comes to mind, I'm gonna have people ask, is the New Testament church required to tithe? And I'm going to pose this question to you. I want some answers here. Is the New Testament church required to tithe?

And I'll wait for some answers. I hear some people say yes. All of us say yes. The answer is simply no, and I will explain. The simply the answer is simply no, and let me explain it.

Even it's no, the new testament does not leave us without guidance in regards to giving. The New Testament does not leave us without guidance in regard to giving. I want you to remember one thing. Tithing was not a free will offering. Tithing was a tax.

Tithing was a tax was mandatory tax that every Israelites have to pay. It's not free will. It's that you are taxed. Now if if you want to do this in a church, I need your w two forms. Alright?

Who's who's willing to give it to me? I don't need it. Okay? So the church is not required to be taxed. We are not we are not texting anyone.

We are not under the law. We're not under this obligation. Remember, the law was given to whom? To Israel. We we we cannot pick and choose.

This part is for me. No. This part is not for them. You know, either we are under the Mosaic law or we are not. And I would strongly believe that we are not under the Mosaic law.

Those who are in the prosperity movement might tell you tight, tight, tight because it serves their interests. But I cannot tell you that. Now having concluded that tithing is not a New Testament commandment, I would pose a simple question. If the Israelites were required to give a mandatory tax of, let us say, at least 10%. Okay?

Would the redeemed redeemed church of Christ, who was bought with his precious blood, would give Jesus freely and willingly less than the Israelites who were under a yoke of slavery? Would you as a redeemed, as a free son and daughter redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, would you give less than a Israelite who was under a yoke of slavery? Does the freedom we have in Christ give us the liberty not to give or give less than the Israelites? Which covenant is greater? And I'm sure all of you will agree the new testament.

The new covenant is much greater. It's the greater that was the it's the covenant was purchased. It's through the blood of Jesus. And is not with a greater blessing come a greater responsibility? I would argue yes.

I would argue yes. Now let us look at the New Testament. The New Testament teaches us that we should set aside a portion of our income as an offering to the Lord. And I want you we don't have to, but that's first in first Corinthians, sixteen one to two. And I I I think if we believe that everything we own is from God and is God's, we will have different attitude toward money.

And as god prospers us, we will increase in our giving beyond the 1%, the 2%, the three, the four, the 5%, even the 10% we we we give. Now, of course, one might argue and say, but but listen, you you said we are not, you know, under obligation to give tithe because it's a it's a it's under the Mosaic law, but but I do remember reading in the book of Genesis that Abraham gave his tithes. And that was before Moses. It was before Mount Sinai. That was before the law.

Do you remember when he there met Melchizedek after he won that battle and he gave Melchizedek 10% of everything? That was tithing, wasn't it? It was 10, but definitely it was not the same tithing as the Mosaic law. That was a onetime occurrence. It was, by the way, a free will offering from Abraham.

I'm going to give you a 10%. It wasn't at all like the commandment in the law. Now this is the tithe. What about the free will offering? I'll be very brief.

Free will offering, there's something else. The Israelite had to tithe, but also have to give a free will offering. That's a that's a different thing. And that was something beyond the 10% tax. It was just just giving to the Lord from your heart.

And and we have many examples in the old testament. People gave to God and gave to God beyond even what what the temple needed. And there was giving and giving and giving. Great example. I just want to look at one example of of not just giving money, but even the distribution of money in the Old Testament.

Just give us an idea. And and by the way, we are as a church, we do things very similarly to how the idea had been back in the Old Testament. Look at this in in in second King chapter 12 during the the reign of king, Jehoash. And in verse nine of chapter 12 of second Kings, we see what this godly king did. And I want just to read it to see how similar, to to things happening even today.

Verse nine, it says, then Jehoiada, the priest, took a chest and bore the hole in the lid of it and sit it beside the altar on the right side as one enter the house of the Lord, and the priest who guarded the threshold put it put in it all the money that was brought into the house of the Lord. So we have here maybe a basket. Right? A plate. Some would have bags.

They had a box with a hole in it. Then they would give the money that was waded out into the hands of the workmen who had the oversight of the house of the Lord, and they paid it to out to the carpenters and builders and who work in the house of the Lord. Verse 12. And to the masons and the stonecutters as well as to buy timber and quarried stone for making repairs on the house of the Lord and for any outlay for the repairs of the house. So we hear the money collected and the money distributed as as there is need.

Look at John to verse 16. The money from the guilt offerings and the money from the sin offerings was not brought into the house of the Lord. It belonged to the priests. I mean, they have to live. Right?

They're working there. They are butchers. Every day, they're they're they're slaughtering animals and serving the people. So a portion of the money was used for the maintenance of the house of the Lord for the expenses, daily expenses of the house of God. Another portion was given to the priests.

Now in the new testament, we have another insight regarding giving. More than one insight. Look at Acts chapter 11 beginning in verse, 29. Now in Acts chapter 11, the church in Judea and Jerusalem was going through a very hard time financially. A famine was coming, and and, you know, they were poor believers.

And the church of Antioch, which was a mixed church of Gentiles and and Jews, they heard about the news that that our fellow believers there in Jerusalem are suffering. They are poor, and a famine is coming. What shall we do? Shall we pray for them? Yes.

But what else? Is there something else we can do for them? And they said, yes. There's something else practical can we can do for them. What is it?

Verse 29. So the disciple determined everyone according to his ability. Again, I like to highlight this or underline the word everyone. Everyone according to his ability. And as a Christian, the New Testament way to put it, everyone according to his or her ability.

Everyone according to his ability to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. And they did so sending it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. This was a onetime love offering to the church who was in financial need, our brothers and sisters in Mozambique, right, in in Africa, wherever they are. Now we set we see we find something similar in first Corinthians chapter 16 verses one and three, and the Bible talks a lot Paul talks a lot about giving and about money. I know we don't talk about it this much in this church, and we don't want to be sound like the prosperity guys there, so that's why we don't talk about it.

And, thank God it is in front of me here as we study the book of Malachi. That's why we're talking about it. So something similar we see in first Corinthians chapter 16 verse one, 16 verse one, to three. Paul says, now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. Now this direction is, for all the churches, then and now.

Verse two, he says, on the first day of every week, each of you, again, he he reminds him, each of you, is to put something aside and store it up as he may prosper according to how god is prospers you prospers you so that there will be no collection when I come. And when I arrive, I will send those whom you are credited by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. Just one more last verse. Second Corinthians eleven eight, and I like this verse. Second Corinthians eleven eight.

Look what Paul says to that church of Corinth. He tells them, I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. Now the church of Corinth was very rich in gifts. They were they had no lack of any gift, but was this a sign of spiritual maturity?

Oh, it was not. In fact, just recently, I read an email was sent to our church, and that person who's who's who's writing asking, are you a spirit filled church? And he continues to say, do you believe in the gifts gift or you practice the gifts in first Corinthians 12? Quite interesting you mentioning the church of Corinth, the church that had that was so carnal. Really?

Really? This is the example you are giving? Are you spiritual church? Do you use the gift in first they had the gifts there, all of them. They were using them, and they were the least spiritually church in all the churches.

Now when often we talk about the Corinthian church, of course we talk about the the the lack of order, the the division among them, and and and etcetera. But not just that, Here we see they even did not see the need of Paul the apostle, his financial needs. They didn't even see they had no spiritual insight and discernment to see this man needs money to live, to eat, to put clothes on himself. So he had to take money from other churches or for him to be able to travel to them and deliver them the truth of God's gospel. Shame on you.

I robbed other churches in order to come here, to travel here and serve you. This is what he's telling them. So we see here clearly another expense the church has and that's to provide for the needs who serve among them. Paul tells us in first Corinthians nine fourteen, who proclaim the gospel should keep their living by the gospel. That's a biblical principle, not just an old testament principle, but also a new testament principle.

Let's move to verse nine of the book of Malachi, verse nine. It's eight fifteen now. Right? You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Here we see what happens when one's robs god.

Not giving God what is his, holding tight to what we perceive is ours. God takes this personally. And what he says, he says, you are cursed. That's harsh. You are cursed.

Who are the ones cursed? Not just the priests. God says the whole nation. And quite interesting, the word used here in the Hebrew is the word goy. And that's a very interesting word, by the way.

And this word usually used in the scripture, and it refers usually to the heathens, to to the nations or unbelievers. Even today, if you say somebody who's a goy, means he's he's he's a heathen. Even could have a, like, even like tone of insult if you tell a Jew you're a goy. Okay? Now I know in scripture is used several times for for for Israel, but it's not common.

There's another word, but better word is the word am ami. God doesn't say the whole ami, the whole my people or or Israel. He say, this nation, they're cursed. They're cursed. And what God says here is this, God has is telling Israel, I'm I'm putting before you life and death, blessing and curse.

And and all has to do with obedience and and and and and and and obedience or disobedience. Obedience results in blessings Always. Obedience results in blessings. Always. This obedience results in a curse or a lack of blessing.

This is always the case. You choose. You choose. I'm putting before you life and death, curse and blessing, you choose. What do you want?

You ought to be blessed? You can receive the blessing. You ought to be cursed? You can have it. Now I don't understand why someone chooses the curse.

I I don't understand why someone does not want God's blessing. Do you understand it? I don't get it. But I believe this happens mostly because of either ignorance of God's economy, God's dealing, or not believing God's word, not believing what he says is true, not believing his promises, or maybe a third thing is the love of money. One of these three things.

We must realize first. We must realize this as a children of God that nothing we have is truly ours. Nothing we have is truly ours. All is God's. It begins with that.

I I like the prayer of David in first Chronicles 29 when he prayed saying, yours, oh lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in heaven as in earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, oh lord, and you are exalted as it above all. Both riches and honor come from you. Then he says, verse 14, but who am I and what is my people that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you.

I'm just giving him what is already his. I'm giving back to him what he was already his, what he has already given me. Now when we understand that, when you understand that, your life will change. Your life will change. Now I know I know I know it is your hard work and your clever mind that brought you such thus far.

I know many of us work very hard and we are above average in our cleverness. And that's why we are so, you know, financially doing very, very well. But who made you? Really? Who made your feet?

Who made your eyes to see? Who made who gave you the intelligence? Who gave you the feet to go to work? Who gave you all of that? Isn't it God?

Who provide for you the work? Isn't God? Who gave you life? Isn't God? And this what David says here.

It begins with that by understanding and knowing and believing that nothing I have is really because of my intelligence and hard work. Yes. I I have part of it, but who gave me that? He did. It's God's.

It begins with that. When I understand it's God's, it's not mine, I think it'd be easier for me to give. These are privileges we have. To be able to work is a privilege. To be smart, to be able to think is a privilege.

These are precious gifts from the Lord. David understood that. He understood he's king because he God has anointed him king. He's rich because God has given him the riches. I have a house because God has given me the house.

I have a wife because God has given me a wife. I have work. I have a job. I have money because God has given me all of that. I have health because God given me the health.

I pray that all of us will realize the goodness of God toward us and have that as the youth of David. Verse 10, we're almost done. God says, bring the full tithe into the storehouse that there may be food in my house, and thereby put me to the test, says the lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. What god is asking for. He's not asking for a partial giving.

He says, give me the full tithe. I'm not pleased with the partial giving. I'm not pleased with the partial devotion. Give me the whole tithes. He is requiring the first fruits, the best of the crops.

What God has prescribed to Moses is what he's asking the Jews at the time of Malachi to do. And this what the nation of Israel has failed to do, bring the full tithe to the warehouse to to the storehouse. The storehouse is a a room in the temple where the the offerings, the grains, whatever was brought was kept in, stored in. Now god looked at that storehouse, and if he looked and he saw what? The storehouse is empty.

There's nothing in it. Funds are low, and there is not enough provisions for the workers. People could clearly have done much better, but clearly, god and his temples his temple wasn't their priority. Oh, they thought, you see, if we keep the 100%, we we we'll do much better. I mean, I mean, I think it's too much.

You see, we cannot afford it. We need it for this and for that. Kids are going to school. Life is expensive. Look at the inflation.

The mortgage, so on. I'm sure there were so many excuses. That's why they didn't give their tithe to the Lord. But if only they believed God, if they only understood how God's financial plan works, if only they understood God's economy, if they already understood that, if the church understands that, here it is. This is God's financial plan for you.

This is God's financial plan for your church. In God's economy, give. It shall be given to you. Remember that. With whole giving, blessing withheld.

God's economy. Whoever sows sparingly will sparingly reap also. God's economy. Be fruitful ever little, I will set you over much. Be faithful with the little you have.

Oh, I am poor. I don't have enough money. Be faithful in the little you have. See what God will do. I will set you over much.

That's God's economy. That's the New Testament. I'm not talking about Old Testament. That's all New Testament promises and verses. Now I want to make one more and last point here.

God's blessings are much more than just financial. So let us not dwell on finances. No. No. No.

No. No. No. No. It is not God's will for every to be believer to be rich.

Absolutely not. There are millions of believers in South in Africa and South America who are not rich, who are poor. So it's not financial riches. It's much, much bigger than that. And I would say this, and this is this is for your encouragement but also for your warning.

Beware beware of false teachers with false promises. Those who tell you name it and claim it. Plant a seed and receive, verdict, right, a harvest. And it seems always the seed they talk about is like this magic $100, or some of them, this magic $500 or a thousand dollars. Just give me give it to the storehouse, and usually it is.

The storehouse is their ministry. Give a $100 to my ministry, and that's gonna give you a hundredfold. Just plant your seed today, and you receive your healing. Buy your healing. No.

No. No. No. No. No.

This is not just this is false gospel. We're not teaching that. The blessings is far beyond much greater than just financial. It's much greater than that. In fact, finances can be unfortunately, wealth can be even a curse at some time.

Not always a blessing, by the way. God did not promise this kind of blessing, but he promised regardless a blessing. He says, put me to the test. The Lord's voice says. If I will not open the windows of heavens for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.

And the New Testament speaks about the same things exactly in the Sermon of the Mount. Remember what the Lord just said? In chapter six first six thirty three, he said, seek ye remember it. We sing it. We read it.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you. What things? The things he talked about earlier, not the acts and the airplanes and the cars and the castles. No. These things.

What these things? Verse 31 of Matthew six. Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, what shall I wear? What shall I drink? Or shall I or or shall I whatever.

Wear or drink or eat. What his promise is, I will provide for all your needs. That's the blessing. You will have no need. I didn't promise you riches.

Some may experience God might might bless some with riches. Yes. Absolutely. God might bless you with riches with with health and wealth. And if God does that, be faithful and remain faithful.

And I believe God in America has blessed us with riches, with wealth, more than any country in the world. Let us be faithful and remain faithful. And always remember, the one who gave you all that, he can also take them in a twinkle of an eye. He can just take it in a moment. They're all gone.

All you have worked for for years will be gone in a in a moment. God said to the whole nation of Israel, you are cursed because you are unfaithful in giving what belongs to me. You want the curse removed? Who does not want that? Who does not want that?

You want the curse removed? Here is the deal, God says. Here is a repent and give me my portion of your finances and see what will I do. It's what God is saying. It's not my words.

That's God's word. Now many people don't know that their financial trouble, if you have one, is not because your spouse is a spender. She may be a spender. I'm justifying that. But maybe not because of that, but because you are withholding what's got.

That's why. That's why because you are too tight. God calls that being a thief. You're robbing God. It's harsh.

You are not following God's plan for a blessing in your life. Give and it shall be given to you. Whoever gives will receive. God says to Israel, test me. He's challenging his people to test him in this area of finances and see what he will do.

He will open the windows of heaven. Now rain was a sign of blessing in the Old Testament. And and when God was angry with his people, he opened shuts up the heaven that it might not rain at all. Now the land of Israel, and you and I come from there, needs needs rain. I mean, really, we we have no lakes.

We have this one tiny lake called the Lake Of Galilee. We have no rivers. We have a little creek we call the River Jordan. It does not really rain there. It rains so sparingly.

I mean, literally, between June and October, we have zero rain. It might rain once early early June, maybe late October, but that's it. There's no rain, zero. So we need the rain. I remember my dad.

When there is rain in in the October, he the joy on his face. There is rain. You know why? Because the olive harvest is mid November, and that rain, oh, it's such a blessing. But if November goes without rain, you start worrying.

And if December comes and there is no rain, there's something wrong. There's something wrong. Maybe God is angry with his people. So the rain was a blessing, a sign of blessing. God is blessing his people.

But now god is have withhold the rain, and god says, I will open the windows of heaven. It will rain. Be faithful, god says, and see my faithfulness. Be generous, God says, and see the abundance of my blessings and the abundance abundance of brains. Listen to Proverbs eleven twenty four, 25.

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer. Wow. Gives freely, yet grows all the richer. Another withholds what he should give and only suffer once. Whoever brings a blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will be himself watered.

Let's go to verse 11. We're almost done. I will rebuke the devourer for you so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the lord of hosts. We see here a second blessing. The first was positive.

He will open the windows of heaven. This is negative in a sense. He will rebuke the devourer that it will not destroy the free the fruits of the field. He will he will bless, but he also will rebuke the devourer. It's not enough for god to bless the land with rain.

Even abundant rain, that's not enough. Abundant rain will help the seeds germinate. Right? Abundant rain will make the plants grow, and they might look very, very, very beautiful. You might have these little flowers on them, There's even little fruits, but that's not enough.

Rain is not enough. You know why? Because tomorrow, it might be weathered and dead. The fruit you waited for expectedly for months now is gone because an insect, because of a rabbit, because of a squirrel. You see, I I I love my little garden.

I tend it. I water it. I I fertilize it. I pour out the weeds, and I enjoy seeing the plants grow daily beautifully, being healthy. And every day in the morning, every morning, even before my cup of coffee, I open my back door and I look at my garden.

I look at my beans and and everything else. I I really enjoy it. I I enjoy to see that. But often, multiple enemies attack it. The bunnies, the squirrels, the birds, the wasps, the beetles, and recently, the wicked cucumber buck.

I hate them when they destroy what I have worked for for very long time. But you see, it's not enough to have a beautiful garden and healthy plants today. What's important is to see a bountiful crop tomorrow. That's what we need. Yes.

We need the rain, but we need something else. We need God to rebuke, to devour. God says to Israel, we are faithful. We are faithful with your money. I will not just send you rains to to to water your plants, your grains, and your fruits, but I will protect them from any devourer.

Devourer who are here are probably the locusts. He's talking about the insects, whatever would kill them, a disease. You would have a plentiful harvest. Now how this applies to us today? Now I believe none of us are farmers today.

I love farming, but I'm not a farmer either. This verse often, unfortunately abused. Some claim Satan is a devourer here, definitely not in this context. The context here clearly is the locust and the pests. I believe for us for us today is devourer is anything that seeks to prevent God's blessings on your life, anyone who seeks to destroy you or harm you, anything they try to withhold from you the increase that god has given you.

What god says, he will rebuke the devourer. That you might enjoy god's blessings and no one can stop it and no one can prevent it. God will make it happen. God will abundantly give you, and he will protect your investment. How does it begin?

Will man rob God, For you have robbed me. Be faithful. Give to God what's God's. Honor God with your finances. Honor God with your time.

Believe that everything you have is his. And the last verse, I'm not making any comment on it. Verse 12 says, then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts. The world will see there's a blessing upon you. The world will see there's a favor upon you, and no one can take it away.

Let's pray. Lord, we thank you so much for your word. Lord, we thank you for the word that penetrates our hearts. The word like a sword cuts to the inner parts. We will pray that today's message and every time we come to church and we hear your word, lord, we pray that your word will continue to work in our heart to change us, to make us who you want us to be.

Lord, mold us according to your likings. Lord, help us believe. Help us believe in your promises. Help us believe they are true. Help us not just to sing that we believe in you.

We believe your promises. We believe your word. We believe your truth. Yet in our actions, we display day after day unbelief. Lord, forgive us our sins.

We repent. We repent, Lord. Change our hearts, Lord. Change our heart. Change our minds.

Change our thinking, lord. Help us understand your economy, your dealings. Lord, we pray that you bless your people. Not just that, but through you rebuke the devourer in our lives. In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.