🌿 Malachi’s Message: More Than a Tithing Talk
🌿 Malachi’s Message: More Than a Tithing Talk
A Loving Look at Scripture, Leadership, and the Remnant Who Still Believe
📖 “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it…”
—Malachi 3:16
💭 Have We Missed the Heart of Malachi?
Many of us grew up hearing Malachi quoted during tithing lessons.
We remember phrases like “Will a man rob God?” and “Open the windows of heaven.”
They’ve been etched into our minds with good intentions—to encourage faith and sacrifice.
But what if there’s more to Malachi than we’ve considered?
What if this book wasn’t just written to remind the Saints to give,
but to remind leaders to love?
⚖️ Malachi's Real Audience
If we read the book slowly—prayerfully—we notice something important.
The strongest warnings in Malachi aren’t to ordinary church members.
They’re to the priests. The teachers. The shepherds.
“Ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble...
therefore have I made you contemptible and base before all the people.”
—Malachi 2:8–9
Malachi speaks of a priesthood that’s lost its way,
that favors position over service,
and neglects the vulnerable.
It’s a sobering reminder that spiritual authority must always serve—not rule.
💰 Tithing, Yes—but For Whose Sake?
Tithing is a sacred principle.
We believe in it. We’ve practiced it.
It builds discipline and dependence on the Lord.
But Malachi’s message isn’t aimed at sincere Saints
who pay tithing even when money is tight.
Rather, he warns those who collect tithes but forget the poor.
“I will be a swift witness against...those that oppress the hireling in his wages,
the widow, and the fatherless.”
—Malachi 3:5
He calls it robbery when resources meant to lift the humble
are used to elevate institutions instead.
It’s not an attack—it’s an invitation to remember why tithing was given in the first place.
😢 What About Those Who’ve Been Hurt?
Many have given years—decades—to serving faithfully.
They’ve held callings, paid tithing, raised children in the gospel…
and yet quietly wrestle with heartbreak.
Some have seen hypocrisy.
Some have felt overlooked.
Some have wondered, “Where is the Lord in all this?”
Malachi doesn’t dismiss these feelings.
“Ye have said, It is vain to serve God...
and now we call the proud happy.”
—Malachi 3:14–15
This part of the book is tender.
It recognizes the pain of those who feel the system hasn’t matched the Spirit.
And it doesn’t shame them—it remembers them.
📖 The “Book of Remembrance” and the Quietly Faithful
Malachi speaks of a remnant.
A small, humble group who, despite confusion or sorrow, still fear God.
They keep speaking of Him.
They remember His promises.
“And a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord…”
—Malachi 3:16
This isn’t just poetic.
For some, that book might be the Book of Mormon—
a record that helps us return to the pure teachings of Christ.
For others, it might be the Nemenhah Records,
which echo Malachi’s warnings and gently guide the faithful back to simplicity, stewardship, and Zion.
“...And the Record shall go forth again, that the remnant may remember their covenants, and Zion may rise again in beauty and truth.”
— Tsihohnayah Ahkehkthihm 14:12
🌞 A Healing is Coming
Malachi ends not in rebuke,
but in hope.
“Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings…”
—Malachi 4:2
This is a promise.
For those who hold on—
not to systems, but to the Savior—
healing is coming.
We may not understand all that’s happened.
But the Lord sees.
He remembers.
And He will come.
🕊️ A Gentle Word to Those Who Lead
Even to those who’ve strayed in leadership,
Malachi extends mercy:
“Return unto me, and I will return unto you.”
—Malachi 3:7
That’s the heart of God.
Not condemnation, but invitation.
Whether we’re apostles or deacons,
mothers or bishops—
the Lord always wants our hearts back.
🛖 Where Should the Money Go?
Here’s a quiet question worth pondering.
If Malachi rebukes corrupt leadership for how they use tithes,
then what should sacred funds be used for?
The scriptures are surprisingly clear.
“The tithes shall be for the building up of the Refuge, and for the provision of food and clothing for the poor... and also for the sanctuary wherein the Peacemaker shall dwell.”
— Tsihohnayah Ahkehkthihm 13:21
The Lord envisioned temples that feed, not just impress.
Sanctuaries that house the Spirit, not financial portfolios.
Even in the Book of Mormon, the warning is strong:
“Why do ye adorn your temples and churches with gold and silver and all manner of precious things...
while you suffer the hungry, and the needy, and the naked, and the sick to pass by you?”
— Mormon 8:37–39
The true temples in the last days will not just shine—they’ll shelter.
❤️ One Last Thought
Sometimes, the scriptures speak louder when we pause.
Malachi isn’t just a tithing message.
It’s a prophetic call to lead with compassion,
to remember the brokenhearted,
to care for the poor,
and to hope in the healing that’s coming.
So if you’ve stayed, stay with love.
If you’ve stepped back, you’re still remembered.
And if you’ve led—lead now with softness and humility.
Zion begins in the heart.
And Malachi’s message?
It’s for all of us.
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