But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.

Malachi 3:6-10a

But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Malachi 3:8-10a

I return to my study of the last four books of the Old Testament, having already covered Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and most of Malachi.  My study leans on the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series volume which covers these books.  Given a long pause of my study in Malachi, I first review the commentary's introduction for this book and then read Malachi 3:6-10a which cover the first two divisions per the commentary for the text 3:6-12. Here are a few key excerpts from the commentary's introduction for Malachi:

• "Throughout Malachi we will see how God, as a loving Father, confronts, corrects, and challenges the people of Israel about straying from Him. No one is excluded."
• "Malachi is a call for Israel to return to God before the Messiah comes to earth, for it was written to a people who lived in expectation of Him, but who had not yet seen Him."
• To understand the audience for this book, "we can assume that the nation of Israel has returned from the Babylonian captivity by the time of this book’s writing. By addressing the book “to Israel” rather than “to Israel and Judah,” he is stating that there are no longer two separate kingdoms and that they have returned to their unified state."
• "As will be demonstrated, moral degradation was at an all-time high, with adultery, divorce, falsehood, fraud, and sorcery running rampant throughout the city; the source of much of the corruption was the priests themselves."
• "Malachi, like the prophets before him, looks forward to the Messiah’s coming. He prophesies about the forerunner of the Messiah, John the Baptist, who will prepare the way for Jesus. In the same passage, he also predicts the coming of the Lord Christ Himself[.]
• "The prophecies and warnings that will be exposited in this book bear a special weight also because Malachi is the final canonical work of the OT before the coming of Christ. A 400-year silence from God will be broken by Gabriel’s prediction of John’s and Jesus’ birth in Luke[.]" 

Vv3:6-10a contains both an encouragement and a rebuke from God.  V6 shares an attribute of God and how He does not change - He is our Rock - and how this will save Israel from destruction despite their disobedience and sin.  The verse shares how the children of Jacob are not consumed - this is of course good news for Israel because God made promises to make Israel a great nation through Abraham, Jacob, David, and others (including Jeremiah) and when God makes promises He does not change His mind.  Incredible promises by God are made throughout scripture and believers can take comfort in knowing that all of God's promises find their "Yes" in Christ (see 2 Corinthians 1:20).  The text continues in v7 with God going back and forth with Israel in dialogue exploring how Israel can "get right" with God.  God shares how Israel can "return to [God]" which will in turn result in God returning to Israel.  This same reconciliation applies to everyone (since the Fall, all of humanity is broken and sinful - see Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8) and it requires confession of sin, request of forgiveness and belief and faith in Jesus as Savior (see Romans 10:10).  In v8, God then shares a response with Israel how they can return to Him by refraining from the sin of which they are guilty (one sin of many - God using His discretion to emphasize what He feels needs calling out).  Israel was not giving to God their tithes and God refers to this as "robbing" Him.  This of course is not just a sin of Israel, but of believers today who do not appropriately tithe.  This is a sensitive topic for most but an important one - see also Matthew 6:21.  Important words from God today!

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My Prayer: Father God, You are a God that makes promises that always come to pass!  Thank You for the incredible promises You make and how I can have peace that they always come to pass.  I am not deserving of the promises of salvation and blessing You make to me as well as other promises.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.