Malachi 1:14
But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen. But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.
The verse pronounces a curse on the deceiver who has a fit male animal in his flock, yet vows to give to God and then sacrifices a corrupt thing instead. The wrong is keeping the best for self while bringing what is blemished, defective, stinted and lame. Such a substitution is deceit that treats His offering with contempt.
The reason given is that the Lord is a great King, and His name is dreadful and to be revered, feared and held in awe among the nations and the heathen. Because He is so great He deserves the best rather than a grudging or inferior gift. A lame or grudging gift dishonors the majesty that the nations are to reverence.
A vow made to God is sacred and must be honored with what was promised, not with an inferior substitute. To break it in this way is deceit and contempt toward His offering. What was vowed as sound and acceptable cannot be replaced by what is blemished and defective.
An acceptable offering must be without blemish, the best of the flocks and the best fruits of the fields. It must be given as a free-will offering and not as what is lame or grudging. Only then will His blessing rest on families and possessions.
Though first spoken to priests, the warning extends to all unfaithful work for God. It reaches those entrusted with His money who do their trust negligently, and ministers and doctors who falsely claim faithfulness while profaning holy things entrusted to them. Work for Him must be done carefully and with precision, not negligently, by those who should fear Him.
Covetous withholding of the suitable proportion due to God is recorded in heaven and brings a curse. The curse falls in kind upon harvests and flocks and in affliction upon families. Such stinted offerings and lame sacrifices reveal a false-hearted profession, for works show the measure of faith, and God knows and rejects them.
Applied to providing a house of worship, the verse requires giving the best out of gratitude and care for His work. As Israel was required to bring unblemished animals, so His people are to give their best rather than offer what is lame. Resources spent on worship are not to be treated as wasted, nor is the gift to be grudging.
Offerings raised through church entertainments that encourage indulgence and gambling are lame and diseased. They are unacceptable and under His curse even when intended for church work. A corrupt method of raising the gift makes the offering itself corrupt and defective.
The picture of a lame offering also applies to neglecting prayer to entertain guests. Devotion dishonors Him when reduced to a hurried or weary afterthought instead of being offered with care and gratitude. To keep the suitable offering of time and heart for self while giving Him what is defective is the same deception.