Morning to all.
I find this morning a fascinating verse. In verse 2 of Job 1 we hear how wealthy Job was. A family of 10 kids (7 sons 3 daughters) and a phenomenal amount of livestock. 7000 sheep. 3000 camels 500 oxen for yokes, 500 donkeys and a "large number" number of servants. (Makes me wonder if there were so many it was hard to count the servants.) I guess you can count sheep easier than servants, especially if you have insomnia. When verse 3 states that he was the greatest man in all the East it is in reference to his wealth and station in life. I do not think it is a stretch to say that he was the Bill Gates of his day. Nonetheless he was as we say: "Healthy, Wealthy and Wise". The Hebrew word used for great can refer to great in any sense (wealth, character, strength etc.). Could it be that for the sake of the drama of the beginning of Job, he was great in all respects. It seems he is great in character, piety and wealth. Now realize that Scripture rarely couples wealth and piety, riches and character. It is more prone to describe the rich as lacking significantly in integrity. Notice,
Proverbs 3:9-10 Solomon's understanding that if wealth is not used for God's honor, it is soon to vanish.
Proverbs 11:4 Wealth cannot save anyone in the day of Wrath or Judgement. Righteousness does however. (In Hebrew poetry which uses parallelism, this can be seen as an antithetical parallel. The first is the opposite of the second.)
Of great importance to note is Ecclesiastes 5:8-20 where Solomon the richest man of his day betrays the benefit of riches and sees the great trouble it brings. Read this passage and commit it to memory, it will serve us all well.
So here we find a man with the perfect set-up. He is righteous (has integrity) and wealth. Not many like him in history. What becomes, will test and try every aspect of his life.
How do I view riches: Well for me, it is the means to getting what I want. Unfortunately, I have had a lust for wealth much of my life. It is a secret passion and desire. I find it resident in me at significant times. How about you? But see for me, wealth is not for the having, but for the spending. In there lies the deception. Let me explain. For example; the wealth affords me the chance to buy nice cars, and anybody that knows me, knows I like anything with a MOTOR and shiny paint. Car, boat, plane, motorcycle etc. Oh boy, what I could buy if I had MONEY! So God reminds me, The more you have, the more everyone expects from you. Your money won't do you any good--others will just spend it for you.
(Ecc 5:11)
Instead he reminds me that money is to be used for HIS HONOR. Tomorrow we will explore that idea in depth.
