God’s Judgement on the Rich

IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

God’s Judgement on the Rich

Date: Sep. 24, 2022

Passage

James 5:1-6 (ESV)

1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. 4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV) is adapted from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. All rights reserved.

For information on how the ESV can be quoted, please visit our permission site.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 5:1

1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.

Wealth is commonly seen as evidence of blessing from the Lord. If you are wealthy, many throughout history have believed, it was proof that you were under God’s blessing. Worldly wealth can certainly be a blessing. But it can also be a snare. The wealthy, on whom James is pronouncing God’s judgment, used their wealth to edify themselves. They hoarded it, piling it up in their counting houses so they could feel good about themselves. Hoarded money is useless. It just rots away if it is not used for something good. Their hoarded wealth would be a testimony against them.

James was speaking to those who sat on their wealth or used their wealth only for themselves. Even though they owed their own workers, who went destitute! The Bible tells us that we must pay off all our debts (except the debt of love to one another). (Rom 13:8) While their workers went hungry, they lived in luxury. James likened this to murdering an innocent person. They would be harshly judged. We should use our wealth to bless others.

Prayer: Prayer: Father, help me that I may never put my trust in wealth or in anything that spoils or rots. My hope is only in you. Help me to use what I have to edify others and advance your kingdom.

One Word: One Word: Use what we have to bless others

An Angel with a Little Scroll

Revelation 10:1-11

Key Verse: 10:11

And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”

Today's Question

How is Christ a prophet?

See answer and references