Now that you all have been into your dictionaries and know what “rich” is, what do you think the Bible has to say about it? Does the Bible condone wealth, affluence, opulence?? ☐ Yes it does, ☐ No it doesn’t, ☐ Sometimes, ☐ Depends on the circumstances, ☐ Maybe, ☐ Usually not, ☐ Once in a while.
Certainly the Bible identifies a number of people as well-to-do. Take a look at these passages and see if you can identify who these people are.
Gen 13:2 _________________________________________________
Gen 26:12-14 _________________________________________________
Gen 30:43 _______________________________________________
Gen 31:1 _______________________________________________
Math 27:57-60 _______________________________________________
Luke 19:2 _________________________________________________
I Kings 3:10-14 _______________________________________________
I Kings 10:23 ________________________________________________
I Chron 29:26-28 _______________________________________________
II Chron 17:5-6 ________________________________________________
II Chron 32:27-29 ______________________________________________
Ruth 2:1 ________________________________________________
Job 1:3 _________________________________________________
Job 31:25 ________________________________________________
Phil 4:11-12 _________________________________________________
So what’s the big deal? What’s the problem? It’s an inanimate object for cryin out loud. It’s only money. It’s just a medium of exchange. It’s a measure of value. It’s a store of value. It’s a standard of deferred payment. My son and I have this discussion every once in a while. He considers it just a tool for living life and operating his businesses.
You know what the problem is don’t you? Money isn’t really just an inanimate object. It has power far beyond its four basic functions doesn’t it.
- It determines where we live.
- It determines what kind of car we drive and how many we have.
- It determines where we go on vacation and what we do.
- It determines who our friends are.
- It determines what we do for a living. I’ll bet you thought it was the other way around.
- It determines where we eat.
- It determines what we eat.
- It determines how much we eat.
- It determines why we eat.
- It determines how many possessions we have.
- It determines what kinds of possessions we have.
- It determines the health of our relationships.
- It determines our social standing.
- It determines our lifestyle.
- It distracts us.
- It deceives us.
- It breeds discontent.
- We judge people by how much money they have.
- It controls almost every part of our lives.
You say so what (again). So take a look at Rev 3:15-17 where Jesus speaks to the Church at Laodicea. What does He have to say?
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Uh-oh. And Yikes!!
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Genesis 13:2 Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold. NASB
Genesis 26:12-14 Now Isaac sowed in that land and [a]reaped in the same year a hundredfold. And the Lord blessed him, 13 and the man became rich, and continued to grow [b]richer until he became very [c]wealthy; 14 for he had possessions of flocks [d]and herds and a great household, so that the Philistines envied him. NASB
Genesis 30:43 So the man [a]became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks and female and male servants and camels and donkeys. NASB
Genesis 31:1 Now [a]Jacob heard the words of Laban’s sons, saying, “Jacob has taken away all that was our father’s, and from what belonged to our father he has made all this [b]wealth.” NASB
Matt 27:57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. NASB
Luke 19:2 And there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich. NASB
1 Kings 3:10-14 [a]It was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself [b]long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself [c]discernment to understand justice, 12 behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you. 13 I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days. 14 If you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and commandments, as your father David walked, then I will prolong your days.” NASB
1 Kings 10:23 So King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. NASB
1 Chronicles 29:26-28 Now David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27 The period which he reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned in Hebron seven years and [a]in Jerusalem thirty-three years. Then he died in a [b]ripe old age, full of days, riches and honor; and his son Solomon reigned in his place. NASB
2 Chronicles 17:5-6 So the Lord established the kingdom in his [a]control, and all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor. 6 [b]He took great pride in the ways of the Lord and again removed the high places and the Asherim from Judah. NASB
2 Chronicles 32:27-29 Now Hezekiah had immense riches and honor; and he made for himself treasuries for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuable articles, 28 storehouses also for the produce of grain, wine and oil, pens for all kinds of cattle and [a]sheepfolds for the flocks. 29 He made cities for himself and acquired flocks and herds in abundance, for God had given him very great [b]wealth. NASB
Ruth 2:1 Now Naomi had [a]a kinsman of her husband, a [b]man of great wealth, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. NASB
Job 1:3 His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the [a]men of the east. NASB
Job 31:25 If I have gloated because my wealth was great, And because my hand had secured so much; NASB
Philippians 4:11-12 Not that I speak [a]from want, for I have learned to be [b]content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. NASB
Revelation 3:15-17 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will [a]spit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, NASB