From the Poor House to the Storehouse

By Pastor Jeff Wolfe

Malachi 3:8-12

Introduction

We have read and studied this Malachi passage numerous times, and perhaps feel there is no more knowledge to gain from its contents. But I want to take a closer look at it one more time. This may seem untimely for a revival message, but I want to show you why the subject of stewardship is important to the arrival of revival.

The prophet Malachi was dealing with a subject far deeper than financial blessing alone. In fact, the combined purposes of this prophecy we often miss altogether. If we see nothing more than a call to stewardship in this particular text, we have not grasped the complete word of God contained therein. We must look beyond our first impressions and hear the word of the Lord to His people concerning tithe.

The God Robbers

The Lord begins by asking the riveting question, "Will a man rob God?" This brings to the surface many references in His Word, such as:

What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Psalm 8:4

But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? Or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of they hands:
Hebrew 2:6-7

Who is man that he would have the audacity to take from the creator of the universe and all that is therein. This is the question that God was asking His people. Yet we live in a world full of God robbers, men that steal what belongs to God. May I even go so far as to say that the church is full of God robbers.

The Lord continued by saying, "Yet you have robbed me. " He rightfully accused His people of robbing Him. What a harsh accusation, and what serious consequences it must carry. Who of God’s people would purposefully rob Him of what belongs to Him?

When asked, "wherein have we robbed thee," The Lord replied, "In tithes and in offerings." God is unhappy with His chosen people because they have failed to give Him what belongs to Him. They are God robbers. I want you to ask yourself this question, am I a God robber?

The Curse

The Lord pronounced harsh judgment on those that fall under this sin. He said, "You are cursed with a curse." Often when we read this verse, we connect it to a financial curse only. But this curse goes farther than your finances. This word "curse" in the original Hebrew literally means to execrate, or detest as abominable! When God’s people don’t tithe, He denounces or detests them as abominable to Him. What a heavy punishment!

Before we write God off as an unjust God, let us consider the severity of the sin that has been committed against Him. In the original law of Moses. God commanded, "Thou shalt not steal!" This law is one of the big ten, if you will." Not only does this pertain to stealing from our brothers and sisters, but also to robbing God. The severity of the sin goes beyond robbing man, and has entered the dangerous ground of robbing God.

Thus many of God’s people are in the poor house. Please interpret this term to mean more than a financial poor house. By using this term, I am referring to the spiritually poor, the physically poor, the mentally poor, the emotionally poor, and the financially poor. Their lives are in the poor house. But I came to tell you that you can go from the poor house to the storehouse if you will obey God.

The people that fall under this curse are subject to more than a financial curse. But they are cursed in every area of their lives. Their finances are cursed, their homes are cursed, their families are cursed. They are living under a curse. Is it worth being under the curse of God to keep the ten percent that belongs to Him?

I am not, however, referring to those of less financial means as sinful and classifying them as God robbers. But there are those that are financially poor because of their act of robbery against God. Thus, the prophecy of Malachi speaks of more than just financial matters.

The Test

The Lord is inviting His people to put Him to the test. He said, "Prove me now herewith saith the Lord of hosts." In the Revised Standard Version it reads, "Put me to the test.: In the NIV it reads, "Test me in this." In the Living Bible it reads, "Try it! Let me prove it to you!" He is inviting us to allow Him to prove himself to us that there may be meat in mine house, and see if I will not open up the windows of Heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

This is a glorious promise. Listen to it in two other versions. The Revised Standard version says, "An overflowing blessing." The NIV says, "I will open the flood gates of Heaven." The bottom line is if we will obey the Lord in bringing our tithe to Him, the blessing that He will give us is immeasurable!

The Blessing On Your House

This commanded blessing goes beyond your finances, and reaches into every corner of your life. As a result of your obedience, the blessing of God will flow into your finances, your marriage, your family, your home, and your job. Every area of your life will be blessed.

So many people in the church are wondering why the blessing of God is not on their lives! It’s because they’re in a spiritual poor house because they have committed the earthshaking sin or robbery against God Himself.

If you feel like your are in that poor house tonight, I came to tell you that if you obey the Lord, you can get out of that poor house and go to the store house, where the blessings of God are plenty!

He Rebukes the Devourer For Your Sake

A second promise comes from the Lord in verse 11. After he pours out your blessing, He said, "I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground." He will guard the blessing after He gives the blessing.

There’s one fact we must continually remember, What we have belongs to God, not us. We are simply stewards of the possessions of the Lord. I heard one preacher describe the guarding of the Lord this.

God climbs up on the fence of our lives and points his finger at the devil and says, "This is not theirs, it belongs to me. They are just taking care of it for me. Since it is mine, you can not have it, get away!"

This is not just a guarding of your finances, but of your whole life! He will protect and guard every corner and closet of our lives, and rebuke the devourer on our behalf!

If we tithe, the Lord will rebuke the devourer away from our lives. We can not be devoured by the devil when the Lord is rebuking him!

Conclusion

This whole revelation of protected blessing revolves around the obedience of the child of God with regard to tithe. It is very simple. If we tithe, God will bless. If we rob Him, we are cursed! A cursed people cannot experience revival. Only obedient, blessed people can experience revival.

Do you see why tithe is vital to the arrival of revival? If we are God robbers, He surely will not command a blessing on us! But if we test Him, he will prove his faithfulness to us in an immeasurable fashion!

You can go from the poor house to the store house!