Robbing God
Malachi 3:6–15 ESV
“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept 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 nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.
“Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’ ”
Introduction
We find the Israelites in a similar situation they were in all throughout the book of Judges. They’re in the weeds away from God, but yet they don’t seem to understand that. This time, though, they are robbing God, and He’s talking it out with them and correcting their heart problem.
Decoupling the OT and NT is wrong. It isn’t how God designed the Bible. It is only large story of “God With Us”, designed to talk to every generation of every age of time and history.
Discussion Questions
1. When was a time you thought you were too sinful for God to forgive you? How has He shown Himself faithful to His covenant through Christ?
2. Do you feel like you are far from the Lord right now?
3. Do you feel like maybe you have turned your back on God?
4. How have you been guilty of robbing God?
5. What does Malachi 3:6 say about God's unchanging nature, and how does that comfort you in your own life?
6. Read Lamentations 3:19–24 and Hebrews 13:8 and compare the message with Malachi 3:6. What’s the consistent message in those passages?
7. How are New Testament Christians to understand the promise that God will bless Israel if they obey? Will they have no material lack if they give generously? How have some abused this concept?
8. How had Israel sinned against God in the past? (3:7)
9. What did God promise? (3:10–12)
10. How had Israel challenged God? (3:13–15)
11. When have you clearly sensed that your fellowship with God was disrupted because of your sin?
12. In what ways do we try to rationalize our sins?
Conclusion
It is simply not ok for us to ever think we’re different than the Israelites. While we may not be under a law, God wants us to be a cheerful giver. If He already set a starting point for that giving, then why are we pushing back on Him with our own translation of 2 Corinthians 9:6-15.
“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept 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 nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.
“Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’ ”
Introduction
We find the Israelites in a similar situation they were in all throughout the book of Judges. They’re in the weeds away from God, but yet they don’t seem to understand that. This time, though, they are robbing God, and He’s talking it out with them and correcting their heart problem.
Decoupling the OT and NT is wrong. It isn’t how God designed the Bible. It is only large story of “God With Us”, designed to talk to every generation of every age of time and history.
Discussion Questions
1. When was a time you thought you were too sinful for God to forgive you? How has He shown Himself faithful to His covenant through Christ?
2. Do you feel like you are far from the Lord right now?
3. Do you feel like maybe you have turned your back on God?
4. How have you been guilty of robbing God?
5. What does Malachi 3:6 say about God's unchanging nature, and how does that comfort you in your own life?
6. Read Lamentations 3:19–24 and Hebrews 13:8 and compare the message with Malachi 3:6. What’s the consistent message in those passages?
7. How are New Testament Christians to understand the promise that God will bless Israel if they obey? Will they have no material lack if they give generously? How have some abused this concept?
8. How had Israel sinned against God in the past? (3:7)
9. What did God promise? (3:10–12)
10. How had Israel challenged God? (3:13–15)
11. When have you clearly sensed that your fellowship with God was disrupted because of your sin?
12. In what ways do we try to rationalize our sins?
Conclusion
It is simply not ok for us to ever think we’re different than the Israelites. While we may not be under a law, God wants us to be a cheerful giver. If He already set a starting point for that giving, then why are we pushing back on Him with our own translation of 2 Corinthians 9:6-15.
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