The Fleecing Of America… Good Ole Boy Style

The 8th Commandment of Covenant Law

The Eighth Commandment: Show Some Respect, Y’all

“You shall not steal.” — Exodus 20:15

Now listen here, folks — when the Good Lord laid down this commandment, He wasn’t just talkin’ ‘bout pilferin’ your neighbor’s cattle or sneakin’ a few extra dollars from the collection plate. Naw, sir. At the heart of it, this here commandment is about respect — respectin’ what ain’t yours, honorin’ what the Almighty has given to others, and most importantly, not takin’ from the Lord Himself.

Even the roughest, toughest outlaws in history had some kinda law against stealin’ — it’s just common sense. But see, as with most things in the Lord’s Law, this commandment runs deeper than just what’s on the surface. The Devil’s a tricky one, always twistin’ things ‘round, makin’ folks think they’re doin’ right when they’re wanderin’ straight off the trail. So we gotta take a closer look at what this really means, ‘specially when it comes to robbin’ the Good Lord Himself.

Stealin’ from the Almighty: Now That’s a Bad Idea

**“For I, YoHeWaH, do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob (Israel), are not consumed… Return to me, and I will return to you, says YoHeWaH of hosts.

But you say, ‘How shall we return?’

Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me.

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.”**

— Malachi 3:6–12

Now, the nation of Israel was s’posed to be a shining example of how folks oughta live under the Lord’s rule — a place where the law of the land and the law of the Almighty were one and the same. That’s the kinda setup the Lord’s got planned for the future too, where the King and High Priest work hand in hand to keep everything right.

But what happened? Israel done messed up. They didn’t keep their end of the deal, and in doin’ so, they straight-up robbed the Lord.

How’d They Do That, You Ask?

Well, the Lord makes it real plain in Malachi: they robbed Him by not givin’ their tithes like they was s’posed to. But here’s where folks today really get it twisted — most churches these days think tithin’ is just about passin’ the plate ‘round every Sunday to keep the lights on and the preacher paid. That ain’t how it was meant to be.

The Real Deal on Tithin’

See, back in the day, tithin’ wasn’t about fundin’ big fancy church buildings or preacher’s salaries — it was about fundin’ the Lord’s Feasts. That’s right, them tithes were meant to make sure everybody could take part in the big celebrations the Lord set up:

• Passover / Unleavened Bread
• Feast of Pentecost (Weeks)
• Feast of Tabernacles (Ingathering)

Tithes were meant to help folks travel, set up camp, and make sure everybody could take part in the feasts, rich or poor. That’s what the Good Book teaches:

• Exodus 23:14–17 — The Lord commands His people to observe three Feasts each year.
• Deuteronomy 16:16–17 — Says nobody oughta show up empty-handed.
• Deuteronomy 14:22–27 — Lays out that tithes were for celebratin’ the Lord’s Feasts.

Now ain’t that somethin’? The Lord wasn’t askin’ folks to give so they could bankroll some big-time preacher’s mansion — He wanted ’em to use it to celebrate with Him.

The Sunday Morning Money Grab

Nowadays, churches done flipped the script. Instead of followin’ the Good Lord’s setup, they came up with their own weekly offerin’ system, one that ain’t even in Scripture. They take folks’ money week after week, claimin’ it’s for the Lord, but most of it don’t go nowhere near the Feasts He actually commanded.

And let’s talk ‘bout them holidays while we’re at it…

Christianity’s Counterfeit Celebrations

“You shall not worship YoHeWaH, your Mighty One, in that way.” — Deuteronomy 12:4

Somewhere down the line, folks traded in the Lord’s Feasts for a bunch of man-made, pagan-influenced holidays. And lemme tell ya, that don’t sit right with the Almighty. Here’s what most churches are celebratin’ instead of the Lord’s appointed times:

• Christmas — Rooted in Saturnalia, a festival of debauchery and tree worship.
• Easter — Comes from fertility rites with bunnies and eggs. Ain’t got nothin’ to do with the Messiah.
• Halloween (All Saints’ Day) — Based on old pagan death festivals.
• New Year’s — Tied up in Roman gods and planetary cycles, not the Lord’s calendar.

The Lord don’t take kindly to folks mixin’ His worship with a bunch of pagan traditions (Deuteronomy 12:1–4). Yet, that’s exactly what’s happened.

Gettin’ Back on the Right Track

If folks really wanna honor the Lord, they gotta ditch the man-made traditions and return to the Feasts He set up Himself. That means:

✔ Celebratin’ His Appointed Feasts instead of them counterfeit holidays.
✔ Usin’ tithes the right way — not to prop up institutions, but to make sure everybody can join in the Lord’s celebrations.
✔ Turnin’ away from pagan customs that done snuck into worship.

And let me tell ya somethin’ — this ain’t a burden. It’s a blessin’! The Lord’s Feasts were meant to bring joy, rest, and real community. It’s about fellowship with Him, not just sittin’ in a pew every Sunday wonderin’ where your money’s goin’.

The Cost of Gettin’ It Wrong

Now, if y’all still ain’t convinced, let’s look at what Deuteronomy 12:32 says:

“Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.”

See, the Good Lord don’t like folks messin’ with His instructions. Christianity today has added a whole mess of traditions that ain’t in Scripture and taken out the ones that are. That’s a mighty dangerous game to play.

The Bottom Line: Time to Make a Choice

The big question is: Are folks gonna do things the Lord’s way, or keep on in the ways of men?

The answer ain’t just a matter of opinion — it’s the difference between walkin’ in blessin’ or walkin’ straight into a curse. The Lord set the path clear as day. Now it’s up to folks to decide if they’re gonna follow it.

What’ll it be, y’all?

4o