God Who Says, Test Me Now

This passage deals with a time when the house of God lay in ruins because the people of Israel did not bring their tithes and offerings. God points out that the people have turned away from his ordinances and calls them to return to him. But the people ask in reply how they are to return, saying they do not know, and even deny the rebuke that they have robbed God. This shows the corrupt state of their faith: they did not fear God, and lived for the world and for themselves.

God commands them to bring the tithe into the storehouse so that there may be food, and tells them to test him by it. This is not simply a material demand but a way of showing clearly the blessing from heaven and the curse that a life of obedience brings. God promises concrete protection and abundance to those who obey, such as keeping back the locusts and not letting the fruit of the vine fall before its time. On the other hand, a curse follows those who rob God, and this is an earnest exhortation from God, who loves his people, to help them not to sin.

We must realise that what God wants is not simply an offering of money, but a sincere life and faith that obey his word. Believing God's promise that for those who bring the whole tithe he will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing with not room enough to receive it, how should we think about what testing God in this way will actually bring about?