Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 11/1/2007

Question
Hi,

Just a quick question. Jesus said that God rains down his blessings on both the good and the evil. So the evil and the unbelievers are blessed too. Plenty of rich criminals around these days.

Do you think its possible that the promises surrounding the tithe in Malachi 3 were only for the nation of Israel as a whole, and not for individual believers, or even individual Israelites?

My personal opinion on Malachi 3:8 is that it is for the nation of Israel alone, telling the nation to pay its taxes and pay all the tithes and offerings as the Old Law demanded, so that the Levites, the poor and the Temple would be supported, and therefore God would bless the nation as a whole.

Did Daniel pay the tithes (plural) living in Bablyon? Where would it have gone if he did?

But when it comes to individuals it was different. God blesses people on an individual basis. Jesus said that as Christians we would have trials and blessed are the poor.

This whole idea that if you tithe God will bless your finances sounds like a prosperity gospel to me. If that is the case then why are there so many poor Christians around the world?

Could it be that some of the blessings will come after death?

And if the tithe passed over to the NT believers, then why don't we also give another second tithe to the poor every three years?

I'm trying to figure all this stuff out, so don't get bent out of shape by me harping on the same issue.

Thanks: Joshua

Answer
Hi again Josh,

I do not know where Daniel paid a tithe, we are not even told that he did.  As for personal or national blessing.  I think that Jesus gives us a principle that God blesses individuals based upon their individual giving.

Luke 6:38
38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

I hope that helps you.

In Christ
Pastor Don