TEST GOD PER MALACHI 3:10?
Malachi 3:10 - "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove [**bâchan] me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
THE TEST CONDITION
In order to "test God" per Malachi 3:10, the following facts would also apply to the "tester"...
1. The tester would place themselves under the whole Law of Moses (the works of the Law), not merely that of testing God in the tithe only. Because...
2. The tester is told in Malachi 3:7 the following; "Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?" ...which is pursuant to tithing under the Law of Moses.
Note: "MINE ORDINANCES" which is the whole Law of Moses. The only way back to tithing per God's command in Malachi 3:10 would be through the Law of Moses as stated in Malachi 3:7, the tester would then be subject to the following...
3. Galatians 3:10 - "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." And to...
4. James 2:10 - "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." Meaning...
5. They who would test God in the tithe would also be subject to testing God in the whole Law of Moses as stated in...
6. Nehemiah 10:29 - "They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;"
And...
Malachi 4:4 - "Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments."
7. The tester would be involved in wickedness; Malachi 3:15 - "And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt [**bâchan] God are even delivered."
Note: Malachi 3:10 and Malachi 3:15 BOTH employ the same Hebrew word "bâchan" translated "prove" in Malachi 3:10 and "tempt" in Malachi 3:15 which calls it "wickedness." (See ref. below.)
8. The tester would be wasting their time because Malachi 3:10 was addressed only to Old Covenant national Israel and the nation's Levite Priesthood, NOT to New Covenant Christians...
Malachi 1:1 - "The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi."
Malachi 1:6 - "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?"
Malachi 2:1 - "And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you."
9. The Christian tester is not under or subject to the Law of Moses, it's abolished relative to New Testament Christians...
Hebrews 7:18 - "For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof."
Romans 6:14 - "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace."
10. The tester would also be subject to this rebuke...
Galatians 3:1-5 - "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?"
CONCLUSION
Test God in the tithe? Not a very wise Idea for a New Testament Christian.
>> Ref.;
** Original: בּחן
Transliteration: bâchan
Phonetic: baw-khan'
Definition: A primitive root; to test (especially metals); generally and figuratively to investigate: - examine, prove, tempt, try (trial).
>> FOOTNOTE; TEST GOD?
Yes, God told the nation of Israel it was permitted to test Him in the tithe...
Malachi 3:10 - "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove [bâchan] me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
But notice; God DID NOT recommend it when seen in the context of the whole council of God's Word...
Malachi 3:15 - "And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt [bâchan] God are even delivered."
Matthew 4:7 - "Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."
Deuteronomy 6:16 - "Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah."
Psalms 78:41 - "Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel."
1 Corinthians 10:9 - "Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents."
Tithing teachers love to read Malachi 3:10, but for some reason avoid Malachi 3:15, Matthew 4:7, Deuteronomy 6:16, Psalms 78:41 and 1 Corinthians 10:9.
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