GOD’S JUDGEMENT ON THE RICH

Passage: James 5:1-6

Key verse: 1

NIV

Warning to Rich Oppressors

5 Now listen,(A) you rich people,(B) weep and wail(C) because of the misery that is coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.(D) 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.(E) 4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers(F) who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries(G) of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.(H) 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves(I) in the day of slaughter.[a](J) 6 You have condemned and murdered(K) the innocent one,(L) who was not opposing you.

Read full chapter
Footnotes
  1. James 5:5 Or yourselves as in a day of feasting
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Warning to the Rich

5 Come now, (A)you rich, weep and howl for the (B)miseries that are coming upon you. 2 (C)Your riches have rotted and (D)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. (E)You have laid up treasure (F)in the last days. 4 Behold, (G)the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and (H)the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of (I)the Lord of hosts. 5 (J)You have lived on the earth in luxury and (K)in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in (L)a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and (M)murdered (N)the righteous person. He does not resist you.

Read full chapter
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

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: 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: Use what we have to bless others