Malachi 3:8-10
Lessons
1. The Levites had no land in Israel but were given city homes and pasture lands in exchange for taking care of the temple service and for teaching God’s law to the people (Lev. 25:32-34)
2. there was a 3 tithe system in place for the Levites, festivals, and the poor (Lev. 27:30-34, Deut. 12:5,7, 14:22-27, 14:28,19;26:12)
3. Jesus had an expectation for His pastors/teachers to be provided for from the people they were teaching as in the tithe principle (1 Cor.9:14, Matt. 10:9,10, Genesis 14)
4. Giving to the needy within the Christian community was standard in the early church (Matt. 25:31-40, Acts 6, 11:28-30, 1 Tim. 5)
5. All Christians from all economic levels are to give of their financial resources to God (Luke 21, 1 Cor. 9)