Have your Bible ready to reference the scriptures for this part of the lesson. Today’s scriptures: James 5:1-6

This is the third part of the lesson involving our attitudes and behaviors in relation to those we refer to as “rich.” This part deals with the behaviors of the rich, though, and not our behaviors.

In Chapter 4 of his letter, James begins to give some warnings to believers and continues those warnings into Chapter 5. Verses 1-6 of Chapter 5 introduce a stern warning from James to those considered rich. He begins the warning by exclaiming to them, “Look here, you rich people…” He wants their attention. Had he been in their presence, he probably would have been raising his voice.

He then tells them they were to weep and groan because of the terrible troubles that were coming their way. Those terrible troubles were not the usual life activities of the rich in his day. They were not usually involved in troubles–afflictions, hardships, problems. But James tells them they are going to be sorrowful because of what is coming into their lives.

In Verse 2, James points out that the wealth of the rich, the gold, the silver, and the fine clothing were all going to rot and become moth-eaten. In other words, their wealth and what it could buy were only temporary. They would not last forever. They would decay and go away.

Verse 3 lets them know the wealth they were counting on would cause their flesh to be eaten away like that which is burned up by fire. The treasure they hoarded would become evidence that would be used against them when they had to stand before God in judgment.

Fire is often used to represent cleansing from dross, the loss of that which is mortal and defiled. Fire is also used to represent eternal judgment God passes on those whose names are not written in the Book of Life in heaven. The lake of fire is the eternal future of those who are separated forever from the presence of God.

He explains to them the reason their wealth will be used against them is because they cheated workers out of part of their wages in order to accumulate the wealth. The prayers of those workers had made their way to the Lord, and He was going to pass judgment on the rich because of their thievery and greed.

James then lets the rich know that their luxury and plush lifestyle, which fulfilled their every desire, was really just fattening them up for the slaughter, like an animal is sent to the butcher. He reminds them that they condemned and killed innocent in order to become wealthy, and that those actions would result in their eternal judgment.

What a warning to the wealthy! The bottom line is that the wealthy should not expect their riches to help them when they stand before God. Depending on temporary things will not take care of us when we have to give an account to God.

Let us pray today that, should we accumulate wealth and become “rich,” may we always remember the riches of this world are temporary, not eternal.