Will a man rob God?

As many of you know, this is one of my favorite parts of scripture.  I've written about it in the past.  It's one of the scriptural subjects that I am very passionate about. 

I've highlighted the relevant parts but let me summarize.  We steal from God by not tithing (not only tithing our money but our time as well!).  God dares us to tithe and He tells us that if we tithe He will bless us beyond measure.  God even goes so far as to say "try Me now in this".  It's like God is saying I dare you, I double dog dare you!

One of the things that I just love about studying God's Word is that you get new meanings all of the time.  As I read over this chapter today, a chapter I've read dozens of times, I got something new out of it and I'd like to share that with you.

Malachi 3:8-10(NKJV)

8    “Will a man rob God?      Yet you have robbed Me!     But you say,     ‘In what way have we robbed You?’     In tithes and offerings.

9    You are cursed with a curse,     For you have robbed Me,     Even this whole nation.

10    Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,     That there may be food in My house,     And try Me now in this,”     Says the Lord of hosts,     “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven     And pour out for you such blessing     That there will not be room enough to receive it.

Why exactly are we to bring the tithes into the storehouse?  "That there may be food in my house,".  I had never noticed this before.  What is God's house?  The church.  And what food is God talking about?  How about God's Word?

There are many places in the Bible that equates God's Word to food and nourishment.  So not only does God dare us to tithe but He tells us why it is so important that we tithe.  It is so the church has the resources to spread God's Word far and wide to provide spiritual nourishment.  Pretty cool!

Now let's take a look at another verse from chapter 3.

Malachi 3:12(NKJV)

12    And all nations will call you blessed,     For you will be a delightful land,”     Says the Lord of hosts.

Not only will we be blessed individually by tithing but we will be blessed as a nation the more we tithe.  "For you will be a delightful land".  Just think what it would be like if our whole country was so giving oriented that they all tithed.      Let's pray for that to occur!