Rotted Riches

My husband and I lived in a Middle Eastern Arab country for three years. We are often asked if it was difficult living there as Christians. The answer is yes, but not in the way most people think. The most difficult aspect of living where we did was seeing how others, deemed a lower class, were treated. Many Westerners even got caught up in treating people as sub-human and taking advantage of them.

We had a gardener as it was difficult to find lawn mowers and gardening tools. One day he asked if he could have some water. Faucet or garden-hose water was sandy. Everyone drank bottled water. We would fill the gardener’s water bottle every day from our bottled water. The gardener told us that some people didn’t allow him to even fill his bottle with the sandy water from the hose. People were so caught up in their own wealth from working overseas that they ignored and oppressed those who were less fortunate.

James addressed a similar situation likely due to wealthy landowners who wrongly accumulated land belonging to the poor and then forced the poor to work for them.[1] Although we don’t know the specific circumstance, the issue of the unrighteous wealthy oppressing those less fortunate was a common theme in the Old Testament and other Jewish writing as well as God’s compassion for the poor (widows, orphans, slaves, and the landless).

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

James 5:1-6

Connections can be made to other parts of James’ letter like worldly wisdom, pride, jealousy, and selfish-ambition, but the above verses most closely tie to 4:13-17 from last week. In Chapter 4, James addressed those who disregarded God when making plans, particularly business plans. In Chapter 5, James addressed the rich. There are arguments for these people being wealthy Christians because why would an unbeliever read James’ letter, and believers can face similar temptations. However, there is a stronger argument for James addressing unbelievers in Chapter 5. He does not call the rich brothers. James tells the rich to weep and howl not repent. The language of weep and howl also reflects Old Testament prophecies about judgment on the nations. James anticipated judgment of the rich not their salvation.

So, why would James write such harsh words about unbelievers in his letter to believers? Calvin wrote: “[James] … has a regard to the faithful, that they, hearing of the miserable end of the rich, might not envy their fortune, and also that knowing that God would be the avenger of the wrongs they suffered, they might with a calm and resigned mind bear them”.[3]

It is important to remember James is not condemning all wealth (1:10), but rather he is condemning the misuse of wealth and wrongly prioritizing wealth. Wealth offers a false promise of security and happiness. “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). The rich in verse 1 love and worship material things instead of loving and worshiping God.

James calls on the rich to weep and howl for the misery that is coming upon them. As mentioned above, this is Old Testament language for those who will be judged. The word miseries signifies an eternal condemnation more than earthly suffering. In light of judgment, James brings four indictments against the rich.

“Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days” (vs 2-3).

James is describing hoarding earthly treasure. Treasure that decays and vanishes (Matthew 6:19-20; Job 13:28). Treasure that is ultimately worthless. Here again, both the Old Testament writers and other Jewish writers were in accord that trusting in material wealth was foolish because it didn’t last.

Riches sometimes referred to crops, but it is likely used here in a general way for any wealth. Corroded means rusted. If you know anything about gold and silver, they do not rust, but rust was a traditional term to illustrate the temporariness of an object. James highlighted that even money would pass away.

“Eat your flesh like fire” – fire was symbolic of God’s judgment. James told the rich that their wealth and the way they used their wealth, would be evidence against them at the judgment. Their use of their wealth was sinful not only because they had their priorities wrong, but also because they failed to do good (vs 4:17).

The rich have laid up treasure in the last days. In is the key word. The rich are hoarding earthly, perishable treasure in the last days. “Last days” is used for the time between Jesus’ departure and His return. The rich lived as if Jesus was not returning. They neglected to show God’s grace and ignored the coming judgment. Their use of their wealth did not provide them any spiritual benefit in the present nor hope when they faced judgment.

Any wealth God gives us is for food and clothes (1 Timothy 6:8), to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17), to share (1 Timothy 6:18), to reasonably save, and to give back to God. Hoarding contradicts with God’s commands for stewardship.

“Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts” (vs 4).

James’ second indictment was that the rich were fraudulent. The rich gained their wealth by oppressing and defrauding the poor. God forbade this in the Law (Leviticus 19:13; Deuteronomy 24:14-15). Laborers were to be paid, paid on time, and paid the agreed amount. It’s difficult for those who live paycheck to paycheck, but in James’ time, laborers often lived on a daily wage. Not receiving pay on even one day could mean going a day without food.

The rich were intentionally, systematically, and severely defrauding the poor, but James warns that the wages that have been kept back are crying out against the rich. “Crying out” echoes Cain’s blood that cried out (Genesis 4:10). Injustice is not concealed from God. God hears the oppressed, and He will defend. “Lord of hosts” – was a name used in the Old Testament primarily for God as the commander of heaven’s armies. The rich may temporarily get away with oppressing the poor, but they cannot stand against the omnipotent Lord of hosts.

“You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter” (vs 5). James brought his third indictment: the rich live in luxury and self-indulgence.  Their lives are consumed with wanton, extravagant, lustful pleasure. Those consumed with self-indulgence end up with their entire life out of control. As we previously noted, the rich ignored God, ignored the poor, and thought only of themselves.

The rich burst at the seams from their self-indulgence like an animal that is fattened for the slaughter. Judgment is coming. I read that as cattle are being herded through the chutes to be slaughtered, they are typically calm. They don’t know the fate that awaits them. Likewise, the rich continue indulging, oblivious to their coming judgment.

“You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you” (vs 6). James’ final indictment was the rich condemning and murdering the righteous. The Greek word for condemned suggests James is talking about a court of law. The rich used the courts to unjustly wield power and oppress the righteous man (2:6), so James is not using murder in a literal sense although keeping back their wages might lead to the righteous man’s death. Some think the “righteous person” was Jesus, but the best understanding is in a general sense – the man who the rich oppressed.

God’s law is impartial. God is just. But the rich perverted justice, and the righteous person did not resist them. The oppressed either chose not to resist or were unable – a disheartening end to these verses.

What encouragement can we take away? How can we apply these verses? First, as I quoted Calvin earlier, we should not be envious of the rich. Envy is a sin regardless of who we envy, but additionally, what the rich have is fleeting, and the unbelieving rich person inherits judgment and eternal condemnation. Instead, we should be thankful and praise God for His mercies that are new every morning. Be thankful that He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3-6). We are His children, joint heirs with Jesus. Our sin is paid for, and we have Jesus’ righteousness. God is a good Father who provides and cares for us. The blessings are innumerable.

Second, we can be comforted and encouraged that God hears the cries of the oppressed. The Lord of hosts is our defender. He is omnipotent. He is just. He is sovereign. Whether it is in our lifetime or in the final judgment, God will punish the wicked. We can persevere, trusting our Father.

Third, Jesus took on flesh, fully God, fully man. Throughout the Gospels, we read that Jesus had compassion on the crowds, compassion for the oppressed, compassion for those who suffered, compassion for the widows and children, compassion for the lost. Jesus suffered, died, rose from the dead, and ascended to the right hand of the Father that the oppressed, lost, and suffering might be found in Him. Our identity is not what the rich or anyone else says of us. Our identity is not in what material stuff we do or don’t have. Our identity is who God says we are: His beloved child forever.

Reflection

1.     Most of us aren’t in a position of great wealth, but are you a good steward of the resources God has given you? Do you enjoy the good gifts God has given you? Are you generous with others? Do you provide for your family’s needs? Do you give back to God? Do you wisely and reasonably save? Have you studied Biblical principles for being a good steward of your resources?

2.     When have you been tempted to envy someone who had more than you? What did you want? What did you have that you were ungrateful for? How have today’s verses changed your thinking towards the rich?

3.     Have you ever taken advantage of someone or manipulated a situation in your favor? What was your motive? What was the result?

[1] This is the setting for Jesus’ parable in Matthew 20:1-16).

[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jas 5:1–6.

[3] Douglas J. Moo, James: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 16, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 164.