Thieves in the Treasury

The auditorium was almost packed; no one counted, but at least four hundred people attended that night’s performance about the gates of heaven and the flames of hell. Per the agreement with the play’s director, the offering taken each night would go to him for putting on the production. One evening, as the offering plate reached the third-to-last row of pews in one section, a woman unashamedly emptied the pile of bills into her open purse. Taken aback by such an action, no one around her knew what to do without causing a scene, leaving the matter in God’s hands to deal with her. But that evening, she went home with hundreds of dollars that belonged to someone else.

God called His people to repent for not obeying His ordinances, taking advantage of the less fortunate, and withholding from Him His due, calling it robbery: “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me. But ye say, ‘Wherein have we robbed Thee?’ In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation.” Malachi 4:8–9

The Bible discloses that Judas (the disciples' treasurer), tax collectors, the selfish rich, and the government often unfairly took from others. Taking money or anything that belongs to someone else is nothing new, and not giving God His due is still robbery. Malachi writes that God said, “Test Me.” God said He would rebuke the destroyer of the Israelite’s crops, and nations would call them blessed if they acted rightly (vs. 10–12). God overflows us with blessings when giving our tithes and offerings for His work. His benefits, not always financial, provide for our needs. He says to us today: Test Me and see.

Has our nation failed to keep God’s laws, taken advantage of the less fortunate, and withheld from God His due (not only finances but respect and reverence)? Yes. Is our nation cursed? What do you think?