Tithes every three days: when prophetic mockery becomes reality

An awkward scene in the modern temple:

A well-dressed man, wearing an impeccable jacket, a tight tie, and a luxury watch, holds an open purse. In front of him, a frail widow, a barefoot orphan, a weary peasant, and a silent indigenous man deposit coins. In the background, a pulpit and a cross watch silently.

Does this scene reflect the spirit of tithing according to God?

Malachi: The Judgment of the Religious Leaders

 Malachi 3:10 is often cited as an unquestionable command:

 “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse…”

But the context changes everything. The entire book was addressed to the priests, not the people. From the beginning, the tone is judgmental:

“Now therefore, O priests, this commandment is for you…” (Mal. 2:1).

 Verse 3:5 points out what really provoked God's anger:

“I will be a swift witness against... those who defraud the hired worker, the widow, and the orphan of their wages, and those who do wrong to the stranger…”

In other words: when pastors enrich their ministries by demanding sacrifices from the needy, tithing becomes oppression .

Amos 4: When Worship Turns to Sarcasm

 The prophet Amos uses fierce satire against the religious leaders of his time:

“Go to Bethel and transgress… bring your sacrifices early in the morning and your tithes every three days.” (Amos 4:4)

It wasn't a spiritual exhortation. It was a prophetic taunt: "Keep doing what you enjoy most! Empty rituals and pretenses!"

In contrast, the true tithe—according to Deuteronomy 14:28–29— was collected every three years, not every week. Its purpose was to feed the Levites, orphans, widows, and foreigners, not to enrich temples or support religious luxuries.

The Seven-Year Design of Tithing: Forgotten Wisdom

 God instituted a system of economic justice based on seven-year cycles:

·        Years 1, 2, 4 and 5: The tithe was for each family to joyfully celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.

·        Years 3 and 6: Collection was made for Levites and the needy.

·        Year 7 ( sabbatical ): The land was left to rest. No sowing was done, no tithing was done. God promised to bless abundantly in year 6 (Lev. 25:20–22).

This model taught gratitude, redistribution, and dependence on divine provision . Today, ritual constancy, weekly burden, and fear of the "curse" if the 10% is not given are promoted.

Who twisted the purpose?

Religion without justice is not religion.

 Santiago makes it clear:

“Pure and undefiled religion… is this: to visit orphans and widows…” (James 1:27)

It's not about tithing more. It's about loving better . About redistributing. About caring for others. About letting the Gospel outweigh tradition.

Epilogue: The Bogeyman's Gaze

Let's go back to the scene. The elegant man watches the coins fall into his bag. Silent. Perhaps embarrassed. Perhaps awakening.

Maybe it's time to empty the bag... and sit down with them .