Malachi 3:7 by Stephen Nelson Haskell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 18, 1873

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

“Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts.”

He proceeds to instruct them how to return. They had withheld from God temporal means for the support of the work of God, and thus had departed from him. The tithing system is referred to in the following verses as one means of returning to God in a manner that would test God’s promises in his bestowing upon them rich blessings, both temporal and spiritual. The tithing system dates back to the days of Abraham, hence it can with no more propriety be said to be Jewish, than the promises which God made to Abraham. The Jewish economy being introduced subsequent to the tithing system, that system was adapted to the support of the Jewish priesthood with such variations as were necessary. It was Abraham that gave tithes to Melchisedec, and Melchisedec was a priest of the same order as Christ. The Levitical priesthood, or Levi, who received tithes under the law, paid tithes in the loins of Abraham. “Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.” The apostle then proceeds to show a change of the priesthood, and of necessity a change of the law that relates to the priesthood, and concludes by saying, “Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec.” See Heb. 7. Hence the same relation that Abraham sustained to Melchisedec in that which pertained to the tithing system, we being the children of Abraham by faith, sustain to Christ, who was represented by Melchisedec. The priesthood being of the same order, if, therefore, there was any propriety in Abraham’s paying tithes to Melchisedec, there is far more propriety in the children of Abraham paying tithes to Christ for the support of his cause, who has purchased us by his own blood, and hence we owe all to him.

This system was kept up in the family of Abraham long before his descendants became a nation, so that when Jacob entered into a covenant with God he made a solemn vow, “Of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give a tenth unto thee.” Gen. 28: 22. To withhold this is robbing God; and yet this claim of God upon man’s substance is so lightly regarded that when Jehovah speaks thus, “Will a man rob God? yet ye have robbed me,” man answers, “Wherein have we robbed thee?” not having the slightest idea that God has a claim upon his substance. God then answers in language too plain to be misunderstood, “In tithes and offerings.” Mal. 3: 8. God does not propose to accept less than a tithe of a man’s increase. The extent of his offerings besides a tithe of his increase is not limited. This is evidently left so that the heart may be thoroughly tested according to its thankfulness in view of the manifestation of God’s goodness to him in his deliverance from the power of sin, and in causing the glorious light of truth to shine in his pathway, and in innumerable blessings that are showered upon himself and his family so he will render thank-offerings to him who is the author of every good and perfect gift.

There are some features of this system that are not clearly defined in the Old Testament, therefore we come to the New Testament, which has much to say, and many instances which illustrate the utility of giving for the support of the cause of Christ. In 1 Cor. 16: 1, 2, we are instructed that there should be weekly donations, and that it was established among the various churches. “As I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him [or in his house at home], that there be no gatherings when I come.” From his second epistle, which was probably written the latter part of the same year, we learn that these were yearly pledges. “And herein I give my advice; for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will [or pledge], so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.” 2 Cor. 8: 10, 11. The apostle had reported the liberal pledges of the church at Corinth to the Macedonian churches, and they were provoked to that degree of liberality that in describing them the apostle uses this very singular language:—

“Their extreme poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.” They not only went to the extent of their power, but “beyond their power they were willing of themselves, praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. But the year was now up, and their pledges were to be paid. The church at Corinth was in something of a backslidden condition and consequently had neglected the payment of their pledges, and so the apostle sent brethren in advance to have their pledges made up beforehand, lest some of the Macedonian brethren might come with him and find them unprepared and he would be ashamed of his confident boasting to the Macedonians.” 2 Cor. 9: 2-5.

From the above, we learn several important features relating to the system of giving to the cause of God:— 1. A tithing system is not Jewish; for it existed several hundred years before the introduction of the law system. Gen. 14: 20; Heb. 7: 4-10; Gen. 28: 22. 2. It was to be a tithe, or tenth, of all their increase. Lev. 27: 30-32. 3. They made yearly pledges. 2 Cor. 8: 10, 11; 9: 2-5. 4. It was to be as God had prospered them. 1 Cor. 16: 2. Therefore the prosperity of the year previous was to be considered, and their pledges were to be accordingly, and to be paid or laid by at certain set times during the year. We have also the fact clearly set forth in the Scriptures, that God requires the first-fruits. The first handful of grain; the first loaf of bread, made from the first ripe grain, was an offering of sweet savor unto God. “And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the self-same day that ye have brought an offering unto your God.” Lev. 23:10, 13-17. This was an acknowledgment on their part of the prospering hand of God in providing for their temporal wants, and a token of an appreciation of the fact that Heaven had given them its choicest and best gift, even God’s first-born, God’s only begotten Son, to die for them.

We are invited by the Lord to prove him and see if he will not pour us out blessings, both temporal and spiritual, until there is not room enough to receive them. A whole-hearted service in these things is acceptable in God’s sight. “Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase; so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” Prov. 3: 9, 10. There is nothing but benevolence and large-heartedness in the religion of the Bible, but to those who are unwilling to render such service the following words are addressed:—Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation”; yet in tenderness God speaks to such, “Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Mal. 3:10.

I know of no system that can be devised that so fully meets every feature of the Bible plan as the one set forth and illustrated in the Systematic Benevolence Book adopted by Seventh-day Adventists. It is on the supposition that a man’s property is worth to him ten per cent for his own use, and he therefore gives two cents weekly on each hundred dollars, and then if at the close of the year he finds his substance has increased one thousand dollars, one hundred dollars, which is one-tenth of it, belongs to the Lord. Again, if a man has no capital in real or personal property, and yet his health is worth to him his support and the support of his family, which amounts to one thousand dollars a year, this is his capital, and he therefore puts down a tithe of its increase, which would be twenty cents per week. Then there are offerings besides, which will be made according to the largeness of the man’s heart, and the appreciation of God’s goodness to him. If it be asked how much of man’s substance God will accept in offerings, an answer may be found in Luke 21: 1-4. And if it be asked what is the least that God will accept, an answer to this also may be found in Malachi 3: 8. S. N. HASKELL.

Malachi 3:7.