what blessing is there in a tithe?

 We are taught in some places that as followers of Christ we need to bring our tithes and offerings into the storehouse, where the storehouse today is the local church or congregation.  Why?  By paying your tithes and offerings we are taught that we will personally receive blessings and provisions, eve rebuke Satan.  Some even teach that not doing this will cause the person who holds back to be cursed.
This teaching comes from the Book of Malachi, specifically select parts of versus 3:8-11.  Excluded parts are highlighted red.

God asks: “Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me!  You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me.You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me.Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,”

But is this who we should understand it?  What is the context?

Speaking to the Levitical priests of Israel, God asks: Isn’t it wrong for you (Levitical priests) to give blind animals as sacrifices?  And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!” (Malachi 1:8)

So what is the context?  The priests of Israel were being disobedient to God in that they were offering sick and injured animals to God.  Consequently, by bringing this quality of animal, they were preventing the requirements of the law to be fulfilled.  And this is significant because animals being brought into the Temple was so the priests could perform their duties in the ritual that enabled Israel’s sins to be cleansed.

It is the cleansing of sin which is the blessing, and the not offering of healthy animals that was the robbing of God.

But we don’t need to do this anymore.  We bring money so God can use it to bless the church, visiting speakers, and help the community.

Ok. But the point is not a replacement of animals for money or the Temple for the church or even the priests for pastors.  The point is the only way to have your sins cleansed was through this sacrificial ritual.  The tithes of animals was a key element.  However, now there is Jesus who was sacrificed and was resurrected.  His sacrifice is perfect, eternal, and perpetual (occurring every moment).  It is his blood that causes us to be forgiven for our sins.  His blood that rebukes the devil because he conquered death (the devil’s power over us).  His blood that created a door through which God can pour out blessings without end and with every single moment.

In other words, are the claims we are taught through the use of Malachi accurate?  Does it create hope or instill fear?  How does its current use cause people to understand and celebrate Jesus, the one who made us clean?