need. No, the tithe was established as a physical, earthly demonstration of man’s commitment to God. God understood our greedy, selfish nature and provided an identifiable sign of our sincerity. By surrendering some of our physical resources, we testify to our origin, just as a farmer does when he surrenders some of his crop back to the earth from which it came. To verify this purpose, it is necessary to go back to Malachi. Malachi was a prophet sent by God to confront His people with the fact that they