LESSON XI.—SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1899.
NOTE.—Read Malachi 1, and 2 Cor. 8 and 9. Consult to memory Mal. 3:10. The secret of joyous, bountiful giving—the key—is found in 2 Cor. 8:5, "First gave their own selves to the Lord." And this is but following the example of Christ, "who gave HIMSELF for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a people for His own possession, zealous of good works." Titus 2:14, R.V. 6 "A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master, if then I be a father, where is Mine honor? and if I be a master, where is My fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise My name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised Thy name? Ye offer polluted bread upon Mine altar. And ye say, Wherein have we polluted Thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible. And when ye offer the blind for sacrifice, it is no evil! and when ye offer the lame and sick, it is no evil! Present it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee? or will he accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts. And now, I pray you, entreat the favor of God, that He may be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means; will He accept any of your persons? saith the Lord of hosts. O that there were one among you that would shut the doors, that ye might not kindle fire on Mine altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same My name is great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense is offered unto My name, and a pure offering; for My name is great among the Gentiles, saith the Lord of hosts." 8 "Will a man rob God? yet ye rob Me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with the curse; for ye rob Me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring ye the whole tithe into the storehouse, 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. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. 12 And all nations shall call you happy; for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts." Golden Text: "God loveth a cheerful giver." (1) What had a father a right to expect from a son, or a master from a servant? What question does the Lord ask the people concerning their relation to Him? Of what unworthy conduct were the priests guilty? Yet what question did they ask concerning it? Verse 6. (2) What had they done which showed they were not honoring God? What question did they ask about this? How does the Lord say they had dishonored Him? V. 7. Note 1. (3) What had they been really saying in offering the blind and lame and sick for sacrifice? What test did the Lord propose to them to convince them that they were not honoring Him? V. 8. (4) What does the prophet entreat them to do for their own sakes? Who alone were responsible for this condition of things? What question does the Lord Himself ask? V. 9. Note 2. (5) What wish does the Lord express in reference to His people? What does He say of those who had been thus doing? V. 10. Note 3. (6) What pointed question does the Lord ask of every one who professes His name? What does God say of His people? What question do the people ask? How does the Lord answer such a question now, as well as then? Chapter 3, verse 8. Note 4. (7) What is the result of this robbery? How extensive is it? V. 9. (8) After plainly telling the faults of the people, and the result, what command does the Lord give? What could the people do in obeying this command? What would be the result to the people? V. 10. (9) What protection did He guarantee them? V. 11. (10) Having cheered the Lord in this matter and received His blessing, what assurances does the Lord give? V. 12. 1. The table of the Lord is contemptible.—This was the language of inference from the manner in which the table had been treated by the people. Instead of bringing the best for a sacrifice or an offering, they brought of the very poorest, that which was worthless, or measurably so, that which was polluted and unfit for their own use. Christians to-day are doing the same thing in effect when only the "small change" is given to the work of the Lord, and dollars are squandered in self-pleasing. He who gives little to the Lord has little treasure above, and consequently has little heart interest there and little spiritual growth here. The spiritual dearth of the present time is due in large measure to the smallness of offerings for the Lord's work, and vice versa. 2. Will He accept any of your persons?—After what has gone before, the answer is plain that He will not accept either them or their offerings. Such offerings could not have been given with a heart that was pure or acceptable in the sight of God; and the acceptable heart is the most precious gift we can offer. Such a heart could not dictate the offering of such things as the Lord condemns in these chapters. 3. Shut the doors.—The Lord would rather have the doors of His sanctuary closed than he have such offerings placed upon the altar or brought within His house. It were better to refrain from any pretense of offering than offer that which is dishonoring to His cause. 4. Tithes and offerings.—In these things the people had committed robbery against God. The Lord has never given His people the control or use of more than nine-tenths of their income. The one-tenth He reserved for His own work. When the whole ten-tenths of our earnings or products are used for ourselves, we are making use of that to which God has never given us a title or claim. "All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's; it is holy unto the Lord." "The tenth shall be holy unto the Lord." Lev. 27:30, 32. The Saviour recognizes tithing as a God-appointed institution even in His day. See Matt. 23:23. While condemning the Jews for lack of faith and for perverting judgment and refusing mercy, the Saviour tells them that the paying of tithes (which they did) is only what they ought to do.