Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
Your words have been strong and defiant against God in arrogant opposition, yet those charged refuse to see it and answer back by asking what wrong they have done. Their complaint is that serving Him and keeping His requirements brings no profit, that their mournful walk before Him was useless while the proud and wicked are called happy, prosper and escape. The charge belongs with withholding the tithe and offerings He reserved for His work and using His entrusted goods selfishly, though His plan is that all bring tithe into His storehouse so His cause is supplied and the gospel is spread through the world. In contrast those who fear Him speak sincerely to one another with thoughts on His name, without complaint and murmuring, and He hears them, records them for remembrance, and claims them as His own. The record of ingratitude therefore calls not for blaming His work but for honest self-examination, repentance, prayer and return to Him, with ceasing from robbery and serving Him in sincerity and self-denial.
Charge and Denial
The charge is that words spoken against the Lord are stout, that is strong, firmly set in opposition to Him, defiant and arrogant in spirit. Such speech is an offense against Him, whether uttered openly or cherished as unspoken thoughts by those who prize worldly advantage. It weighs His actions by human standards, seeks to justify self, dishonors Him, and fosters an evil influence in the life.
Those charged answer with denial, asking what they have spoken against Him. The question is itself defiant and self-justifying, asking what wrong was done instead of examining duties neglected. Even while denying opposition, they speak against Him in disobedience, doubt, and blindness to His ways and works.
Content of the Complaint
The stout words are the charge that serving God is vain and useless and that keeping His ordinances, commands and requirements brings no profit or gain. Those who speak so have turned from God and, blinded by the enemy, cannot discern His ways and works, envying the apparent success of the proud and wicked. Their complaint grows out of withholding what belongs to God and using His entrusted goods selfishly, hindering His work, then blaming Him for hardship they brought upon themselves through disloyalty. They use adversity and poor crops as excuses despite having withheld the resources meant for His work, and their failure to serve as His helping hand in good works, self-denial, love for others and care for the needy exposes the selfishness behind their words. God permits the spoiler to damage their crops and calamities to come upon them, and such claims contradict the duty owed to Him and reveal a poor spiritual condition whatever is professed. The same complaint means bringing worldly plans and business methods into the church, unholy trading in sacred things which He hates, selfishness and greed turning souls purchased by blood into merchandise, the church selling itself to the world by taking up worldly principles, and the triumph of ungodliness, whereas those accepted as His subjects must cherish high holy uplifting sanctifying principles and hold them before the world without changing the church to fit worldly policy.
They add that they have walked mournfully before Him in vain, while the proud and wicked are called happy, prosper, are built up, and those who tempt God escape punishment and are delivered. Though separated from God they deny that their words have been against Him, yet those complaints accuse Him of failing to reward faithfulness and to judge evil. Their words weigh His actions by human standards, attempt to justify themselves, dishonor Him, and foster an evil influence within. Even unspoken thoughts that prize worldly advantage are an offense against Him. In contrast to those who fear Him and speak sincerely to one another without deceit, guile, complaint against God or evil-speaking against fellow believers, whom He hears, records for remembrance, claims as His own, spares, and at last distinguishes from the wicked, these speakers resent the apparent success of evil and call it happiness.
Their mournfulness was not required but arose from their own will and chosen course, expressing opposition and revealing an unsanctified spirit. No one is told to walk gloomily or mournfully before God. He wants His people to walk in the light of the Sun of Righteousness, reflect heaven's light, and rejoice because redemption draws near. Those joined to Him in obedience find gladness and cheerfulness and eat of the leaves of the tree of life. The speakers instead work out their own plans and follow their own chosen course, complain because He does not bless them yet will not place themselves where He can bless them, find fault with Him and with their brethren, and keep lamenting over their own wretched condition.
Tithe Context and Claims
Malachi 3:13 stands within the plain requirement of the whole third chapter that all pay tithe because the Lord Himself requires it as heaven's plan for teaching that His people are subjects of Christ's kingdom. It belongs to the call to stand upon the Lord's word and be faithful in paying the tithe into His treasury and storehouse, with systematic contributions and gifts and offerings, with all whose names are on the church books giving a tenth of increase as prospered, and with even the poorest giving small gifts in acknowledgment of mercy in supplying necessities. That faithfulness is honesty in relation to the Lord and His work, using His entrusted means and property and talents in His service for the reckoning and judgment of how gifts are used, and for spreading the gospel throughout the world. Faithfulness gives abundant supply in the treasury so that more laborers are encouraged to take up ministerial work and give themselves to the ministry instead of being held back by a depleted treasury, while selfish hearts and hands withholding the tithes or using them to support other lines of work leave the treasury empty.
The stout complaints belong with withholding what God reserved and specified for His work and with selfish use of His entrusted goods that hinders His cause. Those who kept back what belonged to Him blamed God for their adversity and hardship, though their disloyalty brought the loss upon themselves, and they used adversity and poor crops as excuses despite having withheld the resources meant for His work. Their words claim that serving Him and keeping His ordinances and commands bring no benefit or profit, especially while the wicked are seen to prosper, and they resent His not recognizing them as they expect. Their failure to serve as His helping hand in good works, self-denial, love for others and care for the needy exposes the selfishness behind the words and reveals a poor spiritual condition whatever is professed. God still tests whether they will prove faithful servants by considering His goodness, responding to His mercy, and giving proof of loyalty by bringing all the tithes into His storehouse, but disloyalty that appropriates the reserved portion proves unfaithful stewardship, and He permits the spoiler to damage crops and calamities to come, with curse and loss of both what was withheld from God and what was committed as one's own.
The chapter is warning and instruction in righteousness for every soul that must be carefully read and its instruction followed for one's own good and for the help of others by example, and must be studied and practiced through love and fear of God by following out every specification in His Word. It states God's claims on His people, states duties the church was failing to see because spiritual perceptions were clouded, warns that He will judge false dealing with Him and with others, and calls the people to do the work essential for His approval because withholding brings a curse. It lifts a danger signal cautioning against every species of self-indulgence, for yielding to selfishness by withholding from the Lord the portion He claims as His own leaves undone what He requires and makes a record unwelcome to meet, while neglecting the chapter brings sure visitation leaving the neglectful found committing robbery toward God. Those whose attention has been called to this subject and still refuse to comply and disregard it as non-essential will be dealt with in the manner described in the chapter, with spiritual failure and the church left without His blessing. Strict obedience to return to God His own is to be impressed by parents upon children, teaching them to deny self, to pay tithe, to bring even small offerings, to deny worldly pleasures in order to help advance His work, and thus to become fruitful in good works bearing fruit to the glory of God and unto eternal life.
Obedience in bringing all the tithes and proving Him carries the fulfilled promise that He will act for them when they do their part, open the windows of heaven, and give blessing without room to receive it. Funds so given in systematic liberality will be abundantly blessed and will swell the revenues of the church.
The third chapter was set forth on the Sabbath to meet determined apostasy when laborers gave up their position on truth, went in for holiness altogether, came out against the testimonies of the Spirit of the Lord, accepted some other light than the third angel's message, and claimed they would have nothing to say against Adventists.
Contrast with the Faithful
Set against those separated from God who deny speaking against Him, are those who fear the Lord and speak sincerely to one another with their thoughts upon His name. Their speech is without deceit and guile, without complaint and murmuring and lamentation against God, and without evil-speaking against fellow believers. God hears them and records them in a book of remembrance, claims them as His own, and spares them. While the disaffected complain that serving God is useless, the faithful value His commandments all the more. Because the Lord is soon to come there must be a refining, winnowing process in every church and a transformation of character, in which the church arises to put on her beautiful garments, the righteousness of Christ. Then it will be seen who are vessels unto honor, for they will receive the latter rain, and there will be a return and a discerning between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that serves Him not, revealing the difference between them.
Hearts Behind the Words
The speakers are those separated and turned away from God, found even among His professed people, blinded by the enemy and by continuing in sin while light is shining, so that they cannot discern His ways and works. Their condition is one of spiritual darkness, disobedience, doubt, and poor spiritual state whatever they profess, refusing instruction while denying that they speak against Him. They do not love the truth or honor Him, and every soul who continues in sin under present light becomes blinded and accepts delusions from Satan, making a refining, winnowing process and transformation of character necessary in every church. When the church arises to put on her beautiful garments, the righteousness of Christ, it will be seen who are vessels unto honor receiving the latter rain, with a return and discerning between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that serves Him not.
They weigh God's actions by human standards, attempt to justify themselves, dishonor Him, and foster an evil influence within their own lives. The mouth speaks from the abundance of the heart, so such speech reveals the heart. Words can justify or condemn, and in the final reckoning each receives according to deeds.
Their words expose selfishness in withholding what God specified and reserved for His work, contradicting the duty owed to Him. They fail to serve as His helping hand in good works, self-denial, love for others, and care for the needy, and this failure lays bare the selfishness behind the complaint that serving Him brings no profit. They work out their own plans and follow their own chosen course, complain because God does not bless them yet will not place themselves where He can bless them, find fault with God and with their brethren, and keep lamenting over their own wretched condition. Neglect of His mercies and turning away from His love are added to the record of words and actions set against Him.
Their chief business becomes murmuring and complaining, accusing God by accusing the children of God, seeing nothing defective in themselves but very much to displease in others. This occurs in the crisis when wicked men and the church harmonize in hatred of God's law, through a company of disaffected professed Christians. Though they should have represented the truth well and been examples to new believers, they give a testimony that misrepresents His gracious paternal character. Their complaint is a dark picture presented by Satan, and it may exist even as unspoken thoughts prizing worldly advantage, yet it remains an offense against God.
The complaint means bringing worldly plans and business methods into the church, unholy trading in sacred things which He hates. It is selfishness and greed turning souls purchased by blood into merchandise, the church selling itself to the world by taking up worldly principles, and the triumph of ungodliness. It dwells on the great advantages to be gained by worldly association while calling the proud happy and holding that workers of wickedness are built up and those who tempt God are delivered. Those accepted as His subjects must instead cherish high and holy, uplifting and sanctifying principles of truth and hold them up before the world, and the church must not be changed to fit worldly policy.
Warning and Call to Return
The charge exposes a defiant self-justifying response that asks what wrong has been done instead of examining what duties have been neglected, and it calls for honest self-examination rather than blaming His work or judging others. Neglecting His mercies and turning from His love adds to the record of words and actions set against Him, and that record of ingratitude and disregard for His claims calls for repentance, prayer, and return to the heavenly Father.
The third chapter plainly points out the need and importance of paying tithe as the Lord's own requirement and heaven's plan to teach that His people are subjects of Christ's kingdom, and it must be carefully read and its instruction followed for one's own good and for the help of others by example. It must be studied and practiced through love and fear of God by following out every specification in His Word, for neglecting it brings the sure visitation of God, leaving the neglectful found committing robbery toward Him, a result that cannot be afforded. Church members who refuse to give tithes and offerings are urged to read the chapter as a warning that disregarding God's requirements brings spiritual failure and leaves the church without His blessing. Those whose attention has been called to this subject and still refuse to comply and disregard it as non-essential will be dealt with in the manner described in the chapter. Speaking as though serving God is vain and obedience brings no profit is speaking stoutly against Him, such words reveal the heart since the mouth speaks from its abundance, and they will be judged, for words can justify or condemn and in the final reckoning each receives according to deeds.
The chapter lifts a danger signal cautioning against every species of self-indulgence, for yielding to selfishness by withholding from the Lord the portion He claims as His own leaves undone what He requires and makes a record unwelcome to meet. The warning therefore calls for ceasing robbery in tithes and offerings and instead serving Him in sincerity, cooperating with Him in the saving of souls, practicing self-denial, and laying out no money unnecessarily. Strict obedience to the command to return to God His own is to be impressed by parents upon children, teaching them to deny self, to pay tithe, to bring even small offerings, and to deny themselves worldly pleasures in order to help advance His work, and thus to become fruitful in good works bearing fruit to the glory of God and unto eternal life. That return is made in gratitude for the life He gave by helping plant His standard in places that have never heard the truth and by forwarding the work in foreign fields.
Your words have been strong and defiant against God in arrogant opposition, yet those charged refuse to see it and answer back by asking what wrong they have done.
Their complaint is that serving Him and keeping His requirements brings no profit, that their mournful walk before Him was useless while the proud and wicked are called happy, prosper and escape.
The charge belongs with withholding the tithe and offerings He reserved for His work and using His entrusted goods selfishly, though His plan is that all bring tithe into His storehouse so His cause is supplied and the gospel is spread through the world.
In contrast those who fear Him speak sincerely to one another with thoughts on His name, without complaint and murmuring, and He hears them, records them for remembrance, and claims them as His own.
The record of ingratitude therefore calls not for blaming His work but for honest self-examination, repentance, prayer and return to Him, with ceasing from robbery and serving Him in sincerity and self-denial.
Charge and Denial
The charge is that words spoken against the Lord are stout, that is strong, firmly set in opposition to Him, defiant and arrogant in spirit. Such speech is an offense against Him, whether uttered openly or cherished as unspoken thoughts by those who prize worldly advantage. It weighs His actions by human standards, seeks to justify self, dishonors Him, and fosters an evil influence in the life.
Those charged answer with denial, asking what they have spoken against Him. The question is itself defiant and self-justifying, asking what wrong was done instead of examining duties neglected. Even while denying opposition, they speak against Him in disobedience, doubt, and blindness to His ways and works.
Content of the Complaint
The stout words are the charge that serving God is vain and useless and that keeping His ordinances, commands and requirements brings no profit or gain. Those who speak so have turned from God and, blinded by the enemy, cannot discern His ways and works, envying the apparent success of the proud and wicked. Their complaint grows out of withholding what belongs to God and using His entrusted goods selfishly, hindering His work, then blaming Him for hardship they brought upon themselves through disloyalty. They use adversity and poor crops as excuses despite having withheld the resources meant for His work, and their failure to serve as His helping hand in good works, self-denial, love for others and care for the needy exposes the selfishness behind their words. God permits the spoiler to damage their crops and calamities to come upon them, and such claims contradict the duty owed to Him and reveal a poor spiritual condition whatever is professed. The same complaint means bringing worldly plans and business methods into the church, unholy trading in sacred things which He hates, selfishness and greed turning souls purchased by blood into merchandise, the church selling itself to the world by taking up worldly principles, and the triumph of ungodliness, whereas those accepted as His subjects must cherish high holy uplifting sanctifying principles and hold them before the world without changing the church to fit worldly policy.
They add that they have walked mournfully before Him in vain, while the proud and wicked are called happy, prosper, are built up, and those who tempt God escape punishment and are delivered. Though separated from God they deny that their words have been against Him, yet those complaints accuse Him of failing to reward faithfulness and to judge evil. Their words weigh His actions by human standards, attempt to justify themselves, dishonor Him, and foster an evil influence within. Even unspoken thoughts that prize worldly advantage are an offense against Him. In contrast to those who fear Him and speak sincerely to one another without deceit, guile, complaint against God or evil-speaking against fellow believers, whom He hears, records for remembrance, claims as His own, spares, and at last distinguishes from the wicked, these speakers resent the apparent success of evil and call it happiness.
Their mournfulness was not required but arose from their own will and chosen course, expressing opposition and revealing an unsanctified spirit. No one is told to walk gloomily or mournfully before God. He wants His people to walk in the light of the Sun of Righteousness, reflect heaven's light, and rejoice because redemption draws near. Those joined to Him in obedience find gladness and cheerfulness and eat of the leaves of the tree of life. The speakers instead work out their own plans and follow their own chosen course, complain because He does not bless them yet will not place themselves where He can bless them, find fault with Him and with their brethren, and keep lamenting over their own wretched condition.
Tithe Context and Claims
Malachi 3:13 stands within the plain requirement of the whole third chapter that all pay tithe because the Lord Himself requires it as heaven's plan for teaching that His people are subjects of Christ's kingdom. It belongs to the call to stand upon the Lord's word and be faithful in paying the tithe into His treasury and storehouse, with systematic contributions and gifts and offerings, with all whose names are on the church books giving a tenth of increase as prospered, and with even the poorest giving small gifts in acknowledgment of mercy in supplying necessities. That faithfulness is honesty in relation to the Lord and His work, using His entrusted means and property and talents in His service for the reckoning and judgment of how gifts are used, and for spreading the gospel throughout the world. Faithfulness gives abundant supply in the treasury so that more laborers are encouraged to take up ministerial work and give themselves to the ministry instead of being held back by a depleted treasury, while selfish hearts and hands withholding the tithes or using them to support other lines of work leave the treasury empty.
The stout complaints belong with withholding what God reserved and specified for His work and with selfish use of His entrusted goods that hinders His cause. Those who kept back what belonged to Him blamed God for their adversity and hardship, though their disloyalty brought the loss upon themselves, and they used adversity and poor crops as excuses despite having withheld the resources meant for His work. Their words claim that serving Him and keeping His ordinances and commands bring no benefit or profit, especially while the wicked are seen to prosper, and they resent His not recognizing them as they expect. Their failure to serve as His helping hand in good works, self-denial, love for others and care for the needy exposes the selfishness behind the words and reveals a poor spiritual condition whatever is professed. God still tests whether they will prove faithful servants by considering His goodness, responding to His mercy, and giving proof of loyalty by bringing all the tithes into His storehouse, but disloyalty that appropriates the reserved portion proves unfaithful stewardship, and He permits the spoiler to damage crops and calamities to come, with curse and loss of both what was withheld from God and what was committed as one's own.
The chapter is warning and instruction in righteousness for every soul that must be carefully read and its instruction followed for one's own good and for the help of others by example, and must be studied and practiced through love and fear of God by following out every specification in His Word. It states God's claims on His people, states duties the church was failing to see because spiritual perceptions were clouded, warns that He will judge false dealing with Him and with others, and calls the people to do the work essential for His approval because withholding brings a curse. It lifts a danger signal cautioning against every species of self-indulgence, for yielding to selfishness by withholding from the Lord the portion He claims as His own leaves undone what He requires and makes a record unwelcome to meet, while neglecting the chapter brings sure visitation leaving the neglectful found committing robbery toward God. Those whose attention has been called to this subject and still refuse to comply and disregard it as non-essential will be dealt with in the manner described in the chapter, with spiritual failure and the church left without His blessing. Strict obedience to return to God His own is to be impressed by parents upon children, teaching them to deny self, to pay tithe, to bring even small offerings, to deny worldly pleasures in order to help advance His work, and thus to become fruitful in good works bearing fruit to the glory of God and unto eternal life.
Obedience in bringing all the tithes and proving Him carries the fulfilled promise that He will act for them when they do their part, open the windows of heaven, and give blessing without room to receive it. Funds so given in systematic liberality will be abundantly blessed and will swell the revenues of the church.
The third chapter was set forth on the Sabbath to meet determined apostasy when laborers gave up their position on truth, went in for holiness altogether, came out against the testimonies of the Spirit of the Lord, accepted some other light than the third angel's message, and claimed they would have nothing to say against Adventists.
Contrast with the Faithful
Set against those separated from God who deny speaking against Him, are those who fear the Lord and speak sincerely to one another with their thoughts upon His name. Their speech is without deceit and guile, without complaint and murmuring and lamentation against God, and without evil-speaking against fellow believers. God hears them and records them in a book of remembrance, claims them as His own, and spares them. While the disaffected complain that serving God is useless, the faithful value His commandments all the more. Because the Lord is soon to come there must be a refining, winnowing process in every church and a transformation of character, in which the church arises to put on her beautiful garments, the righteousness of Christ. Then it will be seen who are vessels unto honor, for they will receive the latter rain, and there will be a return and a discerning between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that serves Him not, revealing the difference between them.
Hearts Behind the Words
The speakers are those separated and turned away from God, found even among His professed people, blinded by the enemy and by continuing in sin while light is shining, so that they cannot discern His ways and works. Their condition is one of spiritual darkness, disobedience, doubt, and poor spiritual state whatever they profess, refusing instruction while denying that they speak against Him. They do not love the truth or honor Him, and every soul who continues in sin under present light becomes blinded and accepts delusions from Satan, making a refining, winnowing process and transformation of character necessary in every church. When the church arises to put on her beautiful garments, the righteousness of Christ, it will be seen who are vessels unto honor receiving the latter rain, with a return and discerning between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God and him that serves Him not.
They weigh God's actions by human standards, attempt to justify themselves, dishonor Him, and foster an evil influence within their own lives. The mouth speaks from the abundance of the heart, so such speech reveals the heart. Words can justify or condemn, and in the final reckoning each receives according to deeds.
Their words expose selfishness in withholding what God specified and reserved for His work, contradicting the duty owed to Him. They fail to serve as His helping hand in good works, self-denial, love for others, and care for the needy, and this failure lays bare the selfishness behind the complaint that serving Him brings no profit. They work out their own plans and follow their own chosen course, complain because God does not bless them yet will not place themselves where He can bless them, find fault with God and with their brethren, and keep lamenting over their own wretched condition. Neglect of His mercies and turning away from His love are added to the record of words and actions set against Him.
Their chief business becomes murmuring and complaining, accusing God by accusing the children of God, seeing nothing defective in themselves but very much to displease in others. This occurs in the crisis when wicked men and the church harmonize in hatred of God's law, through a company of disaffected professed Christians. Though they should have represented the truth well and been examples to new believers, they give a testimony that misrepresents His gracious paternal character. Their complaint is a dark picture presented by Satan, and it may exist even as unspoken thoughts prizing worldly advantage, yet it remains an offense against God.
The complaint means bringing worldly plans and business methods into the church, unholy trading in sacred things which He hates. It is selfishness and greed turning souls purchased by blood into merchandise, the church selling itself to the world by taking up worldly principles, and the triumph of ungodliness. It dwells on the great advantages to be gained by worldly association while calling the proud happy and holding that workers of wickedness are built up and those who tempt God are delivered. Those accepted as His subjects must instead cherish high and holy, uplifting and sanctifying principles of truth and hold them up before the world, and the church must not be changed to fit worldly policy.
Warning and Call to Return
The charge exposes a defiant self-justifying response that asks what wrong has been done instead of examining what duties have been neglected, and it calls for honest self-examination rather than blaming His work or judging others. Neglecting His mercies and turning from His love adds to the record of words and actions set against Him, and that record of ingratitude and disregard for His claims calls for repentance, prayer, and return to the heavenly Father.
The third chapter plainly points out the need and importance of paying tithe as the Lord's own requirement and heaven's plan to teach that His people are subjects of Christ's kingdom, and it must be carefully read and its instruction followed for one's own good and for the help of others by example. It must be studied and practiced through love and fear of God by following out every specification in His Word, for neglecting it brings the sure visitation of God, leaving the neglectful found committing robbery toward Him, a result that cannot be afforded. Church members who refuse to give tithes and offerings are urged to read the chapter as a warning that disregarding God's requirements brings spiritual failure and leaves the church without His blessing. Those whose attention has been called to this subject and still refuse to comply and disregard it as non-essential will be dealt with in the manner described in the chapter. Speaking as though serving God is vain and obedience brings no profit is speaking stoutly against Him, such words reveal the heart since the mouth speaks from its abundance, and they will be judged, for words can justify or condemn and in the final reckoning each receives according to deeds.
The chapter lifts a danger signal cautioning against every species of self-indulgence, for yielding to selfishness by withholding from the Lord the portion He claims as His own leaves undone what He requires and makes a record unwelcome to meet. The warning therefore calls for ceasing robbery in tithes and offerings and instead serving Him in sincerity, cooperating with Him in the saving of souls, practicing self-denial, and laying out no money unnecessarily. Strict obedience to the command to return to God His own is to be impressed by parents upon children, teaching them to deny self, to pay tithe, to bring even small offerings, and to deny themselves worldly pleasures in order to help advance His work, and thus to become fruitful in good works bearing fruit to the glory of God and unto eternal life. That return is made in gratitude for the life He gave by helping plant His standard in places that have never heard the truth and by forwarding the work in foreign fields.