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The Sources Of Wealth Named By James Were Typical Of His Day

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Wealth was barns of grain

This is so in the parable Jesus told of the foolish, rich man.

Luke 12:18 "And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods."

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Wealth was amounts of garments

	Joseph is sharing wealth with his brothers: Genesis 45:22 "He gave to all of them, to each man, changes of garments; ..."
	Samson offered this kind of reward if his riddle could be answered in seven days: Judges 14:12 "... then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing."
	Naaman took with him ten changes of raiment in expectation of paying for his cure: 2 Kings 5:5 "... And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment."
	Paul did not covet the wealth of others: Acts 20:33 "I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel."

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Wealth was gold and silver

	Joseph singled out Benjamin for this kind of wealth: Genesis 45:22 "... but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, ..."
	Naaman took with him: 2 Kings 5:5 "... ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, ..."

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The Evil Rich Are To Experience Misery Through The Corruption Of Their Riches

Their stored grain will grow rotten, the great quantities they hoarded would turn to utter waste, probably wormy. Their carefully stored abundance of garments would become moth-eaten and worthless. Their gold and silver would become tarnished, discoloured, and improperly stored could become corroded. They would reap the consequences of their hoarded greed. The Bible does not say it is sinful to be rich, nor does it forbid our providing for our future and that of our loved ones, but our earthly treasures handled with godly stewardship can turn into treasures laid up in heaven. The Lord said,

Matthew 6:19-21 "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: ²⁰ But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: ²¹ For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

These rich people that James called on to weep and howl: hoarded for self and in selfishness - hoarded for time, and time runs out - hoarded without regard for God or man, they were found at last, their wealth as dust, worms, rust, corrosion in their hands. It should positively affect our use of wealth.

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Those who heed the Lord's words, handle their wealth in accordance with God's intentions and by so doing lay up treasures for eternity. This means investing in the Lord's interest:

	blessing the family (1 Timothy 5:4 );
	the needy (1 Timothy 5:3 );
	the Lord's ministers (1 Timothy 5:17-18 );
	the Lord's people (Galatians 6:10 );
	missionaries (Philippians 4:15-16 );
	tithing to the Lord (Malachi 3:7,10 ).

Set aside money so as to have available to give as the Lord directs (1 Corinthians 16:1-4 ); support the fulfilment of the great commission (Matthew 28:18-20 ). The result will be lasting eternal treasure.

James 5:3 "Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire ..."

At most, gold can darken and silver become tarnished by long and unsuitable storage, but there can be no stopping the poisonous effects on the soul of the person who has committed every evil deed to obtain it, losing not only the secreted wealth but the soul. The Greek word 'ios', translated "corrosion" means "poison" as well as rust, as in James 3:8 and in Romans 3:13. The thrust of James' reference is that the poison of evilly gotten riches will testify of their many sins, as 'ios' indicates, something sent out or emitted, for example, venom emitted from a serpent. So the poison of their sins would eat at them without relief. Their stored wealth is not just lost, it will condemn that person to hell and continue to eat at them in hell. James, in emphatic and unforgettable words describes the punishment God will bring on them for their avarice, injustice and murder of the innocent. The Lord Jesus in His teaching, showed that the lawless wicked who rejected Him would experience a torment of fire.

Matthew 13:41,42,49,50 "The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; ⁴² And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. ⁴⁹ So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, ⁵⁰ And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."

The Lord is coming as Judge. Heaped up treasure cannot purchase escape of His judgment. For the wicked who reject Him as Saviour now, His coming means torment, not treasure. There will be no hiding place from the wrath of God and the Lamb, as pictured in the Revelation.

Revelation 6:15,16,17 "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; ¹⁶ And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: ¹⁷ For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"

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QUESTIONS FOR GROUP INTERACTION

Do you think warning of those who oppress the poor will be more even more necessary the nearer we are to Christ's return? (James 5:1-6 ).