Israel’s circumstances changed over the centuries. There were times of peace and prosperity, and there were times of servitude and suffering. The ungodly believed their lives were in constant flux because their gods were fickle. But in this passage, the Lord God of Israel assures his people that Israel’s changing circumstances were due not to any changes in God but to changes in God’s people. In Malachi 3:6–7a, God assures his people that it is due to his immutability and abiding faithfulness that fluctuating, faithless Israel has not been consumed in his wrath. In Malachi 3:8, God calls his people to return to the path of obedience, with the promise that he will return to them. In Malachi 3:7b, Israel asks God to explain in what way they have deviated from him. In Malachi 3:8a, God exposes their sin in general terms. But in Malachi 3:8b, Israel asks for more specifics, and God responds by exposing their sin of not giving their full tithes to the Lord. In Malachi 3:9, God explains the result of that sin, namely, that they are cursed. In Malachi 3:10a, God calls them to repentance, and shows them what repentance looks like in real terms. In Malachi 3:10b he challenges them to put his promise to the test by doing what he commands, promising them in Malachi 3:11 that he will reverse the curse, and flood them with an outpouring of blessing, to the extent that the nations will see the evidence of God’s favour towards a repentant Israel (Malachi 3:12).