Many ancient peoples observed the practice of tithing—that is, giving a tenth of their earnings (or produce, harvest, etc.) back to a leader or a god. Malachi reminded the people of God’s command to tithe. The first instance is Abraham’s tithe to Melchizedek.
| The Israelites were required to tithe of their crops, fruit, and herds. | Leviticus 27:30-32 |
| The tithe was received by the Levites to support them. | Numbers 18:21, 24 |
| The Levites, in turn, gave “a tithe of the tithe” to support the priests. | Numbers 18:26-29; Nehemiah 10:39 |
| The Israelites were to bring their tithes to Jerusalem, and offering them came in the form of a ritual meal in which Levites were invited to share. If Jerusalem was too far for a person to transport the tithe, he could take the tithe there in the form of money. Every third year the tithe could be offered in one’s local area, but the person was still to go to Jerusalem to worship. | Deuteronomy 12:5-7, 11-19; 14:22-29; 26:12-15 |
| God promises blessings for those who faithfully tithe, and he says that refusing to tithe is like robbing him. | Malachi 3:8-12 |
| Tithing, without love for or obedience to God, amounts to nothing more than a meaningless ritual. | Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42 |