A number of years ago Americans were shocked to hear the news that armed robbers had stolen money from a church in McCloud, Oklahoma. In that more innocent time, stealing from a church was just unthinkable to most folks. But the Lord brought an even more serious accusation against Israel, "Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me!" (Malachi 3:8) How could this shocking charge apply to us?

Would a Man Really Rob God?

The Scriptures contain a number of heart-searching inquiries. After the first sin, God probed Adam’s conscience by asking, "Where are you?" (Genesis 3:9) Later, He used the same teaching method with Cain by inquiring, "Where is Abel your brother?" (Genesis 4:9) Just as incisively, He inquired of Israel, "Will a man rob God?" and then answered His own question by asserting, "Yet you have robbed Me!" The question shows how brazen and shocking their sin was. Will a man actually be so ungrateful and audacious that he would rob the living God?

Such an act is supremely ungrateful. I have for years admired my friends Ken and Kester Hogan, identical twins from Arkansas. They so loved and appreciated their mother. They made sure all her needs were abundantly met. But how could they do otherwise? As a widowed mother she worked in a saw mill to raise them and to see that they got an education. Each became very successful in his chosen field. They would have been monumental ingrates to be ashamed of their mother for doing hard, dirty, manual labor associated with tough men.

But what does God do for us? He is our Father (1Corinthians 8:6) and always gives us what is best (Matthew 7:9-11). He gave His only begotten Son to die for us (John 3:16), thus becoming our Savior (1 Timothy 2:3-4). He is our greatest Benefactor. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (James 1:17). How could anyone be so ungrateful that he would rob God?

And such a hopeless crime! How could one think he would not be caught? God knows all our ways (Psalm 139:3), even our thoughts (verse 2). He will surely punish those who sin against Him (Exodus 34:6-7).

How could I rob God?

Rebellious Israel audaciously talked back to God by challenging, "In what way have we robbed You?" (Malachi 3:8). The Lord replied, "In tithes and offerings" (ibid).

The Lord commanded Israel to tithe for the support of the Levites who did the service of God in the Temple (Numbers 18:21-24; Deuteronomy 14:22). They were to give a tenth of all their produce, without dividing between good and bad (Leviticus 27:30-33). The Levites were to give as an offering "a tenth of the tithe," the best from that tithe they had received, for the support of the priests (Numbers 18:25-29). But they were bringing as an offering to God the blind, lame, and sick of their flocks, offerings they would not dared to have brought to their rulers (Malachi 1:8). Because of their stingy giving, the Levites had to leave their Temple work to labor in their fields (Nehemiah 13:10). By failing to obey the law of tithes and offerings, Israel was robbing God of what was His by covenant right.

Would the government refuse to accept as sufficient what we give to God? Are preachers of the gospel forced to leave the Lord’s work for secular work because Christians don’t give as we should? Are we robbing God by failing to contribute as we should each first day of the week (1 Corinthians 16:1-2; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7).

Why would a man rob God?

Israel robbed God because they were ungrateful. He had taken them to be His people, given them the land of Canaan, blessed them in the land, and restored them to the land, not because of their righteousness, but because of His love for them (Deuteronomy 9:6; 7:7-8). They ungratefully refused to acknowledge this great love He had shown them (Malachi 1:2).

I once spoke to a teenage girl about the love a couple had shown her by taking her into their home when her mother had thrown her out. She replied, "It don’t mean a thing." I have never been more disgusted.

God has given us abundant material blessings (Acts 14:17) and "every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). It’s not because we were so good. "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly" (Romans 5:6). Do we appreciate what He has done and is doing for us enough to give as we should?

What are the consequences of robbing God?

The Lord warned Israel:

You are cursed with a curse,
For you have robbed Me,
Even this whole nation (Malachi 3:9).

They were cursed in that their land was unproductive, their savings were depleted, and they were smitten with natural disasters (Haggai 1:6; 2:15-17). They lived under a covenant that emphasized material blessings and curses, and, for having violated it, they were reaping the physical curses (cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28).

The blessings in Christ are spiritual (Ephesians 1:3), but the Lord does promise to meet our material needs if we put Him first (Matthew 6:33).

What are the consequences of giving properly?

The Lord graciously promised Israel:

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.
And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,
Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,
Says the LORD of hosts;
And all nations will call you blessed,
For you will be a delightful land,
Says the LORD of hosts (Malachi 3:10-12).

He promises us:

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written:
He has dispersed abroad,
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever.

Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God (2 Corinthians 9:8-11).

Conclusion

The Lord challenged Israel to try Him and see if He would fulfill His promise. Of course He will! He cannot lie! (Numbers 23:19) Try the Lord and see that He always keeps His promise.