Gen. 14:18-20; Mal. 3:10; Deut. 12:5-14; Lev. 27:30; 1 Kings 17:9-16; 1 Cor. 4:1, 2.

 “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10, NKJV).

 In Genesis 14, Abram had returned from a successful hostage rescue mission in which he had saved his nephew Lot, Lot’s family, and the other people taken from Sodom. The king of Sodom was so grateful for the rescue that he offered Abram all the spoils of the battle. Abram not only refused the offer but gave a tithe of all that he possessed to Melchizedek.

 Immediately after Abram’s tithing experience, the Lord said, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward” (Gen. 15:1, NKJV). In effect, the Lord was telling Abram, “Don’t worry. I will be your protector and provider.” Then, much later, Moses told Israel as they were about to enter Canaan, “You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year ... that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always” (Deut. 14:22, 23, NKJV).

 Ellen G. White wrote: “Men were required to offer to God gifts for religious purposes before the definite system was given to Moses, even as far back as the days of Adam.” — Testimonies for the Church,vol. 3,p. 393.

 What does all this mean for us today?

 Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 21.