The Wicked Prosper Because They Live For This Age
The wicked prosper because they don’t invest in eternal life. Anyone who does not believe that they must give up all for the kingdom of heaven, falls into the category of the ‘wicked and the rich’.
This study will give clear evidence of the requirement for every follower of Jesus, to accept the fact that they must give up all their earthly wealth in order to inherit the kingdom of heaven.
Job 21 is a breakdown of how those who do not follow God’s ways, prosper in this age. The wealthy go on enjoying life to the fullest, without a care in the world.
God does not stop people from gaining wealth in this age. Instead, He asks us to freely give it up out of love for him.
Proverbs 13:6-9 Righteousness keeps him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthrows the sinner. 7There is one that makes himself rich, yet has nothing: there is one that makes himself poor, yet has great riches. 8The ransom of a man’s life are his riches: but the poor hears not rebuke. 9The light of the righteous rejoices: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
We are free to gain wealth and make ourselves rich. We are also free to give away our wealth and make ourselves poor. God does not force either one upon us in this age.
However, the ransom for our eternal life, will be our wealth and riches. Our money and possessions will have to be given away to assist the poor, if we are to enter the kingdom of heaven.
The poor man will not hear such a rebuke because he has nothing to give up. The righteous shall rejoice in the accepting of this truth. But those who do not accept the concept of giving up all shall be cast into eternal damnation.
God will not punish us for choosing to trust in money rather than Him during this age. Punishment will happen in the age to come.
Suffering Is A Necessary Part Of The Christian Journey
As children of God, our lives are rife with suffering, poverty and struggle. However, the troubles we face now are nothing compared to the reward we will receive in the age to come.
Romans 8:18 – I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
Revelations 21:4 – He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
Corinthians 4:17 – For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
Romans 5:3-5 – Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
James 1:2-4 – Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Psalm 34:19 – Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
2 Timothy 3:12 – In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…
Phillipians 1:29 – For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him..
Phillipians 3:10 – I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death…
1 Peter 4:1 – Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.
1 Peter 3:14 – But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”
1 Peter 4:12-19 – Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice in as much as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.
17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
18 And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” 19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
1 Peter 2:21 – To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
2 Corinthians 1:5 – For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.
1 Peter 1:6-7 – In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Matthew 5:10-12 – Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Collosians 1:24 – Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
Psalm 119:81 – My soul faints with longing for your salvation, but I have put my hope in your word.
Psalm 119:67 – I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word.
Acts 5:41 – The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
1 Peter 2:19 – For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.
Psalm 119:50 – My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.
Acts 14:22 – strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
2 Timothy 1:8 – So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.
John 15:18-20 – “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’[a] If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.
Matthew 10:22 – You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Job 36:15 – But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 – But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Romans 12:14 – Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
John 16:33 – “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
If you think that you are the exception; that you are loved and praised by many and not suffering now of poverty, reviling and persecution, know that there are no exceptions and you must examine yourself to see if you are even of the faith. Through compromise, you are believing an entirely different (false) gospel.
2 Corinthians 13:5 BSB – Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you actually fail the test?
Here is a glimpse into the first century church in the book of Acts:
Acts 1:14 – All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
Acts 2:42-47 – And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Acts 4:34-37 – that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
As we can see, all of the believers in the first century church were of the same beliefs and there were no exceptions. They were selling their possessions, giving them away and not acquiring wealth.
The Wicked Prosper Because They Are Not Content
Job explains that we must not wish to follow the quest for more. We must be content with whatever we have and not have a singular focus of maintaining or earning more wealth.
Check out the American Dream: A Biblical Perspective
Ecclesiastes 6:9 – It’s better to enjoy what we have than to always want something else, because that makes no more sense than chasing the wind.
Philippians 4:11 – I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
Luke 3:14 – Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”
Hebrews 13:5 – Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you
1 Timothy 6:8 – But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
Do Not Be Discouraged When You See The Wicked Prosper
For those who are already at this point in their life, Job 21 encourages you to maintain your course. Do not feel discouraged that the wealthy, who want nothing to do with God’s wisdom, laws and ways, are never punished during this age. We must have faith in the word of God which states that we will indeed witness it in the age to come.
Do not fret over those who do evil; do not envy those who do wrong. 2For they wither quickly like grass and wilt like tender plants. 3Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. 4Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.
When you delight in God, the desires of your heart will be to do the will of God in your life.
John 4:32-34 – But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about. 33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” 34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.
Psalm 40:8 – I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.
John 8:29 – The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.
John 6:38 – For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.
Psalm 37 continued…
5Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it. 6He will bring forth your righteousness like the dawn, your justice like the noonday sun. 7Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men prosper in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes. 8Refrain from anger and abandon wrath; do not fret—it can only bring harm. 9For the evildoers will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. 10Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.
The life of this age is short.
15But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. 16Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of many who are wicked. 17For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous. 18The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their inheritance will last forever. 19In the time of evil they will not be ashamed, and in the days of famine they will be satisfied. 20But the wicked and enemies of the LORD will perish like the glory of the fields. They will vanish; like smoke they will fade away
The wicked will only laugh during this age and this life is short. The righteous, however, will enjoy for eternity.
21The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving. 22Surely those He blesses will inherit the land, but the cursed will be destroyed. 23The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD who takes delight in his journey. 24Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, for the LORD is holding his hand. 25I once was young and now am old, yet never have I seen the righteous abandoned or their children begging for bread. 26They are ever generous and quick to lend, and their children are a blessing.
God considers us righteous when we are quick to lend and help the poor. He will not leave us destitute. We must have faith that God will add unto us and provide for our needs.
27Turn away from evil and do good, so that you will abide forever. 28For the LORD loves justice and will not forsake His saints. They are preserved forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off. 29The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever. 30The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
31The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not falter. 32Though the wicked lie in wait for the righteous, and seek to slay them, 33the LORD will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned under judgment. 34Wait for the LORD and keep His way, and He will raise you up to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
This verse is the basis for why I have included this psalm. We will see the condemnation of the rich but it will be in the age to come and not this age. It is important to note that the rich in this age are anyone who does not believe they must give up all in order to enter the kingdom of heaven.
35I have seen a wicked, ruthless man flourishing like a well-rooted native tree, 36yet he passed away and was no more; though I searched, he could not be found.
Though the rich flourish in this age, they will pass away and die like anyone else. They are not immortal and they will all be judged.
37Consider the blameless and observe the upright, for posterity awaits the man of peace. 38But the transgressors will all be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off.
39The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their stronghold in time of trouble. 40The LORD helps and delivers them; He rescues and saves them from the wicked, because they take refuge in Him.
Proverbs 29:16 – When the wicked thrive, so does sin, but the righteous will see their downfall.
We must follow the word of God and keep the faith regardless of there being no evidence of punishment for those who ignore and reject God’s ways in this age. We must have faith in God’s word.
Job 21 Continued
1 Then Job replied: 2 “Listen carefully to my words; let this be the consolation you give me. 3 Bear with me while I speak, and after I have spoken, mock on.
When you believe like Job that seeking after money is wrong and that the wicked/rich will be punished eventually in the next age, you will be mocked.
Luke 16:14 – But when the Pharisees heard all these things, they were mocking him because they loved money.
The Pharisees did the same thing to Jesus. To the rich who are not spiritual, the thought of giving up their money, makes no sense to them due to their lack of faith and limited vision.
1 Corinthians 1:25 – For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
John 8:43-45 – Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you are unable to accept My message. 44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies. 45But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me!
1 Corinthians 2:13-14 – And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.14The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
John 14:17 – even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
I Corinthians 1:18 – For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Job 21 continued
4 “Is my complaint directed to a human being? Why should I not be impatient?
5 Look at me and be appalled; clap your hand over your mouth.
6 When I think about this, I am terrified; trembling seizes my body.
7 Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?
Verse 7 is the basis of this whole chapter.
It is a valid view that holds true even today. It seems that the people who love money and make their life about seeking wealth, have the easiest and best quality of life.
Psalm 10 – Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble? In pride the wicked hotly pursue the afflicted; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.
3 For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire, And the greedy man curses and spurns the Lord. 4The wicked, in the haughtiness of his countenance, does not seek Him. All his thoughts are, “there is no God.” 5His ways prosper at all times; Your judgments are on high, out of his sight; As for all his adversaries, he snorts at them.
6He says to himself, “I will not be moved; Throughout all generations I will not be in adversity.”
Another translation: He says to himself, “I shall not be moved; from age to age I am free of distress.”
In this translation, we can clearly see that the rich man believes he will be safe in this age and the next.
7His mouth is full of curses and deceit and oppression; Under his tongue is mischief and wickedness. 8He sits in the lurking places of the villages; In the hiding places he kills the innocent; His eyes stealthily watch for the unfortunate. 9He lurks in a hiding place as a lion in his lair; He lurks to catch the afflicted; He catches the afflicted when he draws him into his net. 10He crouches, he bows down, And the unfortunate fall by his mighty ones.
Another translation: Their helpless victims are crushed; they fall beneath the strength of the wicked.
11He says to himself, “God has forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see it.” 12Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up Your hand. Do not forget the afflicted. 13Why has the wicked spurned God? He has said to himself, “You will not require it.” 14You have seen it, for You have beheld mischief and vexation to take it into Your hand. The unfortunate commits himself to You; You have been the helper of the orphan.
15Break the arm of the wicked and the evildoer, Seek out his wickedness until You find none. 16The Lord is King forever and ever; Nations have perished from His land. 17O Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear 18to vindicate the orphan and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth will no longer cause terror.
These actions and judgment will take place in the age to come. We must believe the word of God and not follow the ways of the rich because we see no such punishment here in the present age.
8 They see their children established around them, their offspring before their eyes. 9 Their homes are safe and free from fear; the rod of God is not on them.
When Job mentions the ‘rod of God’, He means the disciplinary action of God.
Proverbs 22:15 – Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
Why doesn’t God intervene and discipline the wicked? Everything they possess is kept safe.
It seems like the rich never get the ‘short end of the stick’. After all the wickedness they do to gain their riches, in return, they receive no discipline in this age. This is true, but not so in the age to come.
Proverbs 16:4-5 – The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble. 5 Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.
Proverbs 11:20-21 – The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse, but he delights in those whose ways are blameless. 21 Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.
Proverbs 11:4-6, 8, 16, 18-19, 23, 28 – Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. 5 The righteousness of the blameless makes their paths straight, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness. 6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires…
16 A kindhearted woman gains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth… 18 A wicked person earns deceptive wages but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward. 19 Truly the righteous attain life, but whoever pursues evil finds death…23The desire of the righteous ends only in good,but the hope of the wicked only in wrath…28Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
The rich need to give up all that they have and give it to the poor. But this is very difficult for anyone, let alone a man with many possessions and wealth.
Luke 18:22 – When Jesus heard his answer, he said, “There is still one thing you haven’t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.
Luke 12:33 – Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.
Luke 16:9 – Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home
Luke 16:11 – So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?
If we cannot be trustworthy with our earthly money and possessions, who will trust us with the riches of the Holy Spirit?
James 5:1-6 – Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 2 Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 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. 4 Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5 You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.
Job 31:24-25 & 28 – If I have put my trust in gold or called pure gold my security, 25if I have rejoiced in my great wealth because my hand had gained so much…28this would also be an iniquity to be judged, for I would have denied God on high.
The Wicked Prosper Because They Love Money And Not God
The wickedness of the rich is that they love their money and not God. They worship and trust in their riches and not in God. They claim to love God with their lips (lip service), but they truly don’t love God through their actions.
Matthew 15:7-9 – You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
Isaiah 29:13 – The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.
Mark 7:6 – He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
This undertaking is not just something the rich man has to do. Anyone who wishes to be a disciple of Jesus and enter the Kingdom of Heaven must give up their possessions by selling them and giving it to the poor.
Luke 14:33 – In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
Another translation says:
Luke 14:33 (NASB) – So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.
God Does Not Discipline The Wicked Or The Greedy In This Age
God disciplines his children only. Through a conviction from God’s Holy Spirit, we experience guilt and shame which is repentance. This is the discipline of God which the rich and greedy do not feel.
Revelations 3:19 – Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.
Rebuke definition: to express sharp disapproval or criticism because of their behavior or actions. An expression of strong, stern disapproval. To admonish or tell off, to scold, chasten or chastise, reprimand.
God’s children are disciplined like this when they do wrong. Whilst the wicked do not feel any sense of conviction since they are never repentant. They cover up their sin with excuses, exceptions and justifications for their false philosophies from the world. The wicked do this so that they never have to see themselves as wrong, which would have caused them to feel bad and change.
This seared conscience is of great benefit to the rich because they can do ruthless things for the love of money and not feel any guilt. This guilt and shame is seen as a liability to the rich. A conscience is a liability that the rich see as a weakness.
Proverbs 11:16 – A kindhearted woman gains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth.
Ephesians 4:19 – Having lost all sense of shame, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity, with a craving for more.
1 Timothy 4:1-2 – Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared.
Hebrews 12: 5-11 – And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live!
10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
If we are not disciplined through a conviction of shame and guilt resulting in repentance, then we are not children of God but rather illegitimate children. This is a clear indication that we do not have the Holy Spirit.
Deuteronomy 8:5 – Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.
Psalm 94:12 – Blessed is the one you discipline, LORD, the one you teach from your law
Proverbs 3:11-12 – My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, 12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.
As children of God, we must appreciate the conviction and disciplinary action of God. This is proof that we are His children. Without it, we are of the world and we are not saved.
Job 21 continued
10 Their bulls never fail to breed; their cows calve and do not miscarry. 11 They send forth their children as a flock; their little ones dance about. 12 They sing to the music of timbrel and lyre; they make merry to the sound of the pipe. 13 They spend their years in prosperity and go down to the grave in peace.
It is an undeniable fact that those who are covetous, greedy and wicked, prosper in this world. The more ruthless and single-minded you are, the better and more successful you will be in life, financially speaking.
Proverbs 11:16 – A kindhearted woman gains honor, but ruthless men gain only wealth.
Ruthless men gain earthly wealth and that is all that they gain. They do not gain wisdom, the Holy Spirit (the fruits of the Spirit) or the kingdom of Heaven. All they gain is earthly wealth which will pass away.
Knowledge truly is power in this world. The more knowledge you have about a worldly subject such as business, architecture, medicine or man’s law for example, the more financially successful you will become.
This is why parents urge their children to do well in school and pursue higher learning through university. It is common knowledge that the more educated we are, the more financially stable we will be. The world respects knowledge.
Some may be rich in this age but in the age to come, they will be poor and wretched.
Revelation 3:17 – You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.’
Luke 6:24-25 – But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. 25 Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
Proverbs 22:22-23 – Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, 23 for the Lord will take up their case and will exact life for life.
James 2:5 – Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?
The rich do not suffer like those who are poor in this age. But Jesus said in Luke Luke 6:20 “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” The poor who have given up all for Jesus are rich in faith and will be rewarded with eternal life. They may suffer here but they will be comforted in the age to come.
God’s word teaches us not to seek the knowledge of this world, but to pursue the wisdom from above. God’s way will not make us rich in this age.
1 Timothy 6:4-10 – they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
1 Timothy 6:17-19 – Command those who are rich in this present world (another translation says ‘as for the rich in this present age’) not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
Paul is confirming Jesus’ teaching to give away and share our riches. We must pursue the wisdom from God and not the knowledge of this world. Invest and live by the wisdom from above and not by worldly principles.
Luke 16:9 – Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.
1 Corinthians 3:18-20 – Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; 20 and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.
This means that we must not follow the knowledge and ways of this world. This is how we become ‘fools’ by the standards of this age.
According to the world, it is wise to save your money. However, in Luke 16:9, Jesus says ‘I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.’
The world’s saying goes ‘A fool and his money are easily parted’. But Jesus says in Luke 6:30 “Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.”
Matthew 5:42 – Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
By following the ways of Jesus, we become ‘fools’ by the standards of this age (the world). But by the standards of the next age (the kingdom of heaven), we become wise!
We must make a choice on who we will follow. Sitting on the fence is not an option. Either we follow the ways of the world, or the ways of Jesus.
1 Kings 18:21 – Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”
Matthew 6:24 – No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Revelations 3:15-17 – I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other! 16So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to vomit you out of My mouth! 17You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.
By choosing to follow the world’s philosophies, so that we can justify keeping our money (and not obliged to give up all our possessions), we are rejecting God. Those who follow the ways of the world, are in agreement with the world or friends with the world.
James 4:4 – You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
Following The Ways Of The World Due To Greed Is Idol Worshipping
Colossians 3:5 – Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
Ephesians 5:5 – For this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
The ways of man and the world are useless and futile in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Psalm 94:11 – The Lord knows all human plans; he knows that they are futile.
Proverbs 21:30 – There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.
Proverbs 14:8 – The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.
This is the difference between the rich (unrepentant) and the poor who are repentant in a nutshell.
1 Corinthians 1:20 – Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
James 3:13-18 – Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
1 Corinthians 2:6-16 – We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
The great people of this age including leaders, industry innovators, the rich, politicians, scholars, professors, philosophers, etc., do not understand the wisdom in not seeking after money, power and respect.
Matthew 13:11 – He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Matthew 19:11 – But He said to them, “Not all men can accept this statement, but only those to whom it has been given.
Luke 8:10 – He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, “‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’
Proverbs 29:7 – The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.
They lack faith and only believe in what they can see. The poor who have given up all for Jesus are rich in faith. Through their ruthless ambition for more, the rich oppress the poor and blaspheme the way of Jesus (the way of God).
James 2:5-7 – Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? 7Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?
Successful people in this world do not have the spirit of God. And so, they do not see the value in the ways of Jesus, such as not to seek after money. This can only be discerned by a person with the Holy Spirit.
Do not be confused because you will still see these rich, wicked, unrepentant people in church; attending prayer meetings and bible studies. This means nothing. It is their interpretation and understanding of the word of God that means everything and shows a person’s true beliefs. This is where you can identify whether their understanding is compromised or not due to greed.
1 Corinthians 2:9 as it is written:
“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.
13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:18-31 – For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age?
Has not God made foolish, the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. 26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.
The Rich Man Can Only Enter The Kingdom Of Heaven If He Gives Up His Possessions And Riches
Matthew 19:24 – Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.
Luke 18:25 – For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.
Mark 10:25 – It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.
The difficulty for the rich man is that he has so much to give up. The rich man has so many ways that he must change. The more successful he is, the more of the world’s ways he adheres to. And the better versed he is at the world’s ways. But nothing is impossible with God!
If the rich man truly loves God and not his money, anything is possible with God. If the rich man repents, nothing is impossible with God. If the rich man would only accept the statement that he must give up all, then God could begin the process of changing the rich man using repentance. Nonetheless, the rich man must give up all to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. It is impossible for the rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven without this change (meaning while keeping his riches and possessions).
Proverbs 19:17 – Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.
Proverbs 14:31 – Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
Proverbs 23:4-5 – Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.
James 1:11 – For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
Proverbs 22:22-23 – Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, 23 for the Lord will take up their case and will exact life for life.
1 John 3:17 – If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?
Proverbs 11:28 – Those who trust in their riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.
Proverbs 28:27 – Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.
Proverbs 29:7 – The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.
Deuteronomy 15:7 – If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them.
Proverbs 28:6 – Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.
Proverbs 21:13 – Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.
Proverbs 11:4 – Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
Proverbs 17:5 – Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.
Proverbs 14:21 – Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
Ezekiel 7:19 – They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will be treated as a thing unclean. Their silver and gold will not be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’s wrath. It will not satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs, for it has caused them to stumble into sin.
Proverbs 30:8-9 – Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.9Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
Proverbs 18:11 – The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it as a wall too high to scale.
Mark 4:19 – but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.
Job 21 continued
14 Yet they say to God, ‘Leave us alone! We have no desire to know your ways.
Those who are rich, wise, intelligent and successful in this world, want nothing to do with God’s message of not seeking after the knowledge of this world. By this, I am referring to higher learning which is optional and not required by law as opposed to basic education.
Higher learning such as college and university degrees is what the knowledge of this world is based on. It carries an objective of financial stability, success and security.
As Christians, we should be investing our limited time here on earth seeking after the wisdom from above, which is God’s word. This heavenly wisdom will always be relevant while the knowledge that is achieved through universities will one day pass away and become obsolete.
Isaiah 40:7-8 – The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”
Matthew 5:18 – For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
1 Peter 1:25 – But the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word that was preached to you.
Job 21 continued
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What would we gain by praying to him?’
It is true that we will not receive earthly riches from God. He will most definitely provide for our needs but he will by no means make us rich. Jesus and his disciples were not rich. God will not make us rich and we should be content with what we have and what God provides. By riches, I must stress that I am referring to earthly riches; we will certainly receive heavenly riches.
Proverbs 30:8-9 – Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.9Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
Our desire should not be to be rich since this inevitably shows that we have disowned God and have chosen to trust in our riches instead. We must also believe that God will provide for our needs without causing us to sin due to starvation and destitution.
Jesus and his disciples were always provided for and none of them died due to starvation or destitution.
Matthew 19:27-29 – Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”
28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[a] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.
The disciple’s reward for giving up everything would come in the next age; eternal life. The reward they received in this age was the Holy Spirit, which Jesus states is worth 100 times more than whatever is sacrificed.
Jesus made the following statement about himself in Luke 9:58 & Matthew 8:20 ““Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
Jesus did not seek after money. Nor did God make him rich. He did, however, provide for Jesus and met the needs of the disciples.
2 Corinthians 8:9 – For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
This scripture is alternating from spiritual riches to physical riches and back to spiritual riches.
Phillipians 4:11-13 – I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Hebrews 13:5 – Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.
1 Timothy 6:6-10 – But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Job 21 continued
16 But their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.
Other translations say Job 21:16 – Behold, is not their prosperity in their hand? The counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Job did not follow the ways, advice or example of anyone who refused to follow God’s way because it was not profitable to them and chose to seek after money instead.
The prosperity of the rich is in their hand. This means that through the use of their skill, ruthless determination and selfish ambition, they acquire great wealth. This is the example and counsel that Job refused to follow.
Ezekiel 28:5 – By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, and because of your wealth your heart has grown proud.
Proverbs 23:4-5 – Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. 5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.
Psalm 39:6 – Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom; in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be.
Psalm 52:7 – Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!
The rich man does all these things himself, independent of God. My point is that we must not be fooled by the rich who are in the church. They cleverly trick us into believing that their wealth was given to them by God because of His great love for them. But this is not the case. Jesus states that the rich man has sold his soul:
Matthew 16:26 – What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?
Psalm 49:7-9 – No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them—8 the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—9 so that they should live on forever and not see decay.
It was the devil that offered Jesus the wealth, power and respect of this world. Jesus would have to bow down and follow the ways of Satan in order to obtain these earthly riches. This is also what is required of anyone who desires riches. They are making a choice to follow the devil and his ways to obtain the earthly pleasures of wealth.
Matthew 4:8-9 – Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.
Luke 4:5-7 – The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.
Jesus’ reply to the devil was simple; ‘you can keep it’. Jesus’ loyalty and faith was only for God.
Matthew 4:10 – Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”
Luke 4:8 – Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.
Job 21 continued
17 “Yet how often is the lamp of the wicked snuffed out? How often does calamity come upon them, the fate God allots in his anger? 18 How often are they like straw before the wind, like chaff swept away by a gale?
Job is making an observation that the rich hardly fall here on earth. Their lives seem mainly pain free, comfortable and luxurious. But as we see later in the chapter, Job warns that their time of punishment will come.
Proverbs 14:11 – The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.
Psalm 94:23 – He will bring back on them their iniquity and wipe them out for their wickedness; the Lord our God will wipe them out.
Psalm 28:5 – Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.
Psalm 92:7– that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever.
Proverbs 10:29 – The way of the Lord is a refuge for the blameless, but it is the ruin of those who do evil.
2 Peter 2:3 – In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
Job 21 continued
19 It is said, ‘God stores up the punishment of the wicked for their children.’ Let him repay the wicked, so that they themselves will experience it! 20 Let their own eyes see their destruction; let them drink the cup of the wrath of the Almighty.
Check out the following bible & case studies on fathers and sons:
Bible Study On Father’s & Sons
Jesus Is A Righteous Son From A Righteous Father
Samuel: A Righteous Man & His Sinful Children, A Case Study
Case Study on Eli And His Sons: A Father Paying For The Iniquity Of His Sons
King Ahab: A Father’s Iniquity Passed Onto His Son, A Case Study
Bible Case Study on Josiah
Job 21 continued
21 For what do they care about the families they leave behind when their allotted months come to an end?
Job understood that the rich man only loves his money. He may claim to love his family and say to them “I am only doing all this for you”, but this is false. If the rich man truly cared about his family, he would be thinking about his family’s eternal salvation. However, his greed and selfishness blind him and he can only see this age and not the age to come.
22 “Can anyone teach knowledge to God, since he judges even the highest? 23 One person dies in full vigor, completely secure and at ease, 24 well nourished in body, bones rich with marrow. 25 Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having enjoyed anything good. 26 Side by side they lie in the dust, and worms cover them both.
Death is inevitable for everyone; rich and poor alike. God has made us all equal in this way.
Proverbs 22:2 – Rich and poor have this in common: the Lord is the Maker of them all.
Job 21 continued
27 “I know full well what you are thinking, the schemes by which you would wrong me. 28 You say, ‘Where now is the house of the great, the tents where the wicked lived?’ 29 Have you never questioned those who travel? Have you paid no regard to their accounts—30 that the wicked are spared from the day of calamity, that they are delivered from the day of wrath?
31 Who denounces their conduct to their face? Who repays them for what they have done? 32 They are carried to the grave, and watch is kept over their tombs. 33 The soil in the valley is sweet to them; everyone follows after them, and a countless throng goes before them. 34 “So how can you console me with your nonsense? Nothing is left of your answers but falsehood!”
We will never see the judgment of the wicked in any shape or form on this earth. Even after death, their memories are held in high esteem and honor. They are looked up to and remembered with fondness by others who wish to emulate their success and wealth. These are the ways of the world.
Jeremiah 12:1 – You are always righteous, Lord, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?
This does not mean that the man who lived his life in sole pursuit of wealth, riches, honor and the praise of other men, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Eternal damnation is his plight. Consider the story of Lazarus and the rich man:
Luke 16:19-31 – “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.
Luke 6:24 – But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort
Job 21:13-14 – “They spend their days in prosperity, And suddenly they go down to Sheol. 14 “They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways. 15Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him, and what would we gain if we entreat Him?’
Acts 14:22 – strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
Story of Lazarus and the rich man continued…
26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
Do not invest your short time here on earth in acquiring temporary riches that will pass ways. Invest in eternal riches by giving up your earthly, temporary riches and help the poor.
This is how we obtain the eternal riches of faith, repentance, the Holy Spirit, the fruits of the spirit and how we enter the kingdom of Heaven.
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