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Tithes and offerings were not simply money or the fruit of the land. They were a reflection of the spiritual character of the tither and giver. They stood for, and continue to stand for, honour, respect and, above all, submission to the supreme rule of the Lord of Hosts. An unbelievers’ disregard for this is understandable, given his ignorance. But this was not at all acceptable from people who had gone through extraordinary experiences with God and His power.
Israel went from slaves to a powerful nation, because of the intervention of the God of their fathers. And now they would rob Him of His Lordly position and install themselves in His place?
When Israel stopped honouring the Lord with their tithes and offerings, it meant that they were trying to illegally seize God’s Authority and make themselves lords and gods.
In the Garden of Eden, God’s Authority was represented by the tree. Today, this same authority is represented by people’s tithes.
When a person uses the tithe on himself, consciously or unconsciously, he is taking the place of God in his own life, and will never find happiness in this world.
Even worse, he draws a curse upon himself.
God never canceled the law of tithing. It was established at the creation of man.
The Lord made man in His image and likeness;
Gave him dominion over all the animals on earth, in the skies and in the seas;
Gave him authority over all the earth;
Gave him the right to multiply. At that time there were only two, today there are seven billion…
Not even angels, archangels, cherubim or seraphim have this right… much less the devil and his demons. Humans were the only living entity to receive the gift of bringing into existence intelligent beings like themselves.
What did humanity lack when it came to equality with God?
He was made a little lower than God, and, the Lord crowned him with glory and honor. Psalms 8.5
Was this too little?
In order to establish boundaries for man and induce him to acknowledge the LORD AS THE ONE AND ONLY CREATOR AND GOD, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was placed in the middle of the Garden of Eden. It was the symbol of the Most High’s supreme authority that could not be violated.
This tree was the tithe.
Adam and Eve had complete freedom over all trees, except one.
The same holds true in this day and age. Humans have complete freedom over all the earth, and yet deep within, when it comes to their free will, they are free to obey or disobey, to honor or to dishonor, to submit to the Creator or to rebel.
Adam and Eve settled for disobedience, crossed the boundaries established for them and craved to BE EQUAL WITH GOD. In so doing, they brought a curse upon themselves, which then extended to all humanity.
Lucifer was transformed into Satan for the exact same reasons. He insisted on the right to be equal with God. Read Isaiah 14.13,14
But for humanity to restore fellowship with God, the one Entry Way is to accept Him as Lord and Creator of all things.
This cannot be a theoretical recognition! What use is it to confess Jesus as Lord and Savior, when in real life you don’t bother to obey His Word?
In order to return to Him, you must first be a faithful tither. If not, you will be kept at a distance from Him, which effectively means, you will be cursed.
Meditate on and verify these things in the passage below:
“Yet from the days of your fathers you have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you”, says the Lord of Hosts. “But you said, ‘In what way shall we return?’
“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation.” Malachi 3.7-9
And so, those who are unfaithful in their tithe reject the lordship of Jesus Christ, and rob him of His rightful place by making themselves their own master.
This is why the Lord considered the nation of Israel cursed, when He said:
“You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation.” Malachi 3.9
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