The Malachi Mumbo Jumbo

The Mumbo Jumbo; "As Christians, we are to obey Malachi and tithe!"

The Mumbo Jumbo UN-Jumbo'd...

How could the Book of Malachi be directly talking to New Testament Christians commanding Christians to tithe in the light of?...

>> 1. Malachi makes no direct mention of the future New Testament Church as a group of people who are to tithe. Not one word.

>> 2. Malachi warns (speaking for God) that those disobeying God would face deadly curses from God. God is our Father, He does NOT curse His own Children, and we have been redeemed from the Curse of the Law, Jesus becoming a curse for us on the Cross.

>> 3. In chapter two of the Book of Malachi, Malachi makes it very clear that he is speaking to, and warning, the Levite-Priesthood of his day; Malachi 2:1 - "This commandment IS TO YOU, oh Priests." 

>> 4. Malachi states that the tithe was to be brought into the Storehouse by the Levites (remember; Malachi is addressing the Levite-Priesthood of his day); the New Testament Church is not the Storehouse; Ref.; Nehemiah 10:38 - "And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house."

>> 5. The tithing that God established, i.e., in the Torah (The Law), was the Law Malachi was writing under the authority of. The Law was, and is, the details of the Covenant between God and the People (or Nation) of Israel, though Gentiles would ultimately benefit from the Covenant (i.e.; Jesus our Savior), nowhere did God call or command Gentiles to tithe in The Law.

The mention of Gentiles makes no requirement of Gentiles to tithe (an offering is mentioned, but NOT a tithe)...

Malachi Chapter one...

"11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts."

>> 6. The tithes required of the tither must come from LITERALLY the Boarders of The Promise Land;

> Lev. 27:30, 32 "And 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 to the LORD.… And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passes under the rod, the tenth shall be holy to the LORD."

Trust me...  "THE LAND" was not referring to somewhere in Brazil or your garden in upstate New York. It refers to The Promise Land given forever to the Children of Israel. THAT is where God's tithes were to come from.

>> 7. The opening verse clearly states (Malachi 1:1); "The burden of the word of the Lord TO ISRAEL by Malachi" ...NOT to the New Testament Church, "TO ISRAEL." (By the way; The Church is not "Spiritual Israel;" that is Replacement Theology mumbo jumbo and ignorant false teaching.)

>> 8. Every rebuke in the Book of Malachi is directed to The Children of Israel, NOT "non-tithing Gentles" or the New Testament Church; examples...

> Malachi Chapter one...

"5 And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The Lord will be magnified from THE BORDER OF ISRAEL.

6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? 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?

7 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.

8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts."

Malachi Chapter one, verses five to eight, clearly indicate that Malachi, speaking for God, is dealing with and rebuking people of the Nation of Israel, not the New Testament Church.

> And Malachi Chapter two...

"11 JUDAH hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for JUDAH hath profaned the holiness of the Lord which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god."

Another rebuke to the the Children of Israel, in verse 11; JUDAH. Etc., etc., etc.

Where are Gentiles or The New Testament Church rebuked for not tithing in Malachi? NOWHERE!

Israel, or the people of Israel such as Jacob and the Levites (the Priests), are refereed to over and over again as the subject and target of Malachi's rebukes and commandments, but the GENTILES, or THE CHURCH, are NEVER rebuked, called out for not "bringing the tithe into the Storehouse," or warned of any curses for not tithing.

> Malachi chapter two states...

"8 But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts."

Ye who? Ye who "corrupted the covenant of Levi," LEVI. Not the New Covenant.

>>> So, next time some tithing teacher tries to get you to "pay your tithe because Malachi tells you to," read him or her the above Eight Facts concerning the Book of Malachi.

And, Malachi wasn't talking to Christians when he wrote Malachi 3:8 to 12; he clearly stated that he was talking to, and rebuking, the Aaronic Priesthood of his day who were under the Old Covenant;

Malachi 2:1 "And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you."

And the principle here is...

Text taken out of context is a pre-text to deceptive text. Text must not be taken out of textual, historic, situational or any other context, or it is a foundation for false and deceptive doctrine.

Remember, when Malachi wrote his document, there were no chapter or verse divisions. He was addressing the Priests. And, to better understand Malachi, read Nehemiah chapter 13 to know what was going on that Malachi was talking when he mentioned "men robbing God." (Nehemiah and Malachi were writing at the same time).

And, it wasn't the common (non-Levite) people that were to bring the tithe into the storehouse, it was the Priest's job to bring a "tithe of the tithe" to the storehouse...

Nehemiah 10:38 - "And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house."

Numbers 18:26 - "Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the Lord, even a tenth part of the tithe."

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