The lifestyle which American Christians live today is directly related to America’s economic system, and many people in the United States of America believe that God was the first and greatest capitalist. The accumulation of wealth can be the result of the exploitation of the poor who are demeaned by the inhumane policy of imbalance. The degenerate greed that motivates people to accumulate wealth deprives the poor of access to the common good, promotes employment that supports questionable enterprises, and fosters policies that widen the gap between those who can afford luxuries and those who cannot. That was not the intent of the gospel of the man of Nazareth.[1]

If in fact faithfulness to the LORD unconditionally produces a ‘wealthy’ disciple how then do we justify the faithful ‘doers of the Word’ who reside in India, Africa, China and all the third-world countries? It takes a converted and sincere heart well spread with a thick layer of the Holy Spirit to comprehend the basic needs (not wants) of a devoted Christian who is picking up his cross daily in order to follow Christ. I wonder if those who are praying to be wealthy are also praying for others to be wealthy as well.

“… 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 everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11-13).

This is the thought that is commonly associated with this subject: only those with riches are in fact serving God accordingly. How do we then classify the Jews of the USA? Their assets are unmatchable yet the majority of them deny Christ as both God and Messiah (The Anointed One).

Deuteronomy 28:13 “The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.”

How do we make sense of this verse? What is God in fact referring to? Some of us are quick to give this verse a meaning of prosperity! This would mean that anyone who obeys the commandments of God would prosper financially (LOL). How then do we reconcile this promise with the faithful servants of God in the third-world (poor) countries? By the way, they are the most faithful at returning their tithe. I would like to submit to you a totally different meaning. Allow me to present a contrasting verse in the same chapter that will bring a contextual meaning.

Deuteronomy 28:43-44 “The alien who lives among you will rise above you higher and higher, but you will sink lower and lower. ⁴⁴ He will lend to you, but you will not lend to him. He will be the head, but you will be the tail.”

The immediate meaning is in fact taking us back to Egypt, the land which kept the Jews in slavery. God is not in fact presenting a blessing of prosperity but of freedom. He who disobeys His true Master (The Lord God) will in fact grant authority of ownership (Master) to the alien among and around him thus making him sink lower and lower. This concept of bondage (i.e. captivity in Egypt, Babylon, parable of the Prodigal Son etc.) is repeatedly used by the Lord to chastise Israel because of the hardness of his heart until he realizes that there is no freedom outside of His Creator.

Obedience to God, which is no different than obedience to truth (‘I am the Truth’ says Emmanuel), is the only avenue for freedom from the ‘Wrath of God.’ Notice that God promises His blessings under the condition of obedience! If obedience to God yielded to prosperity why then many faithful servants are struggling financially? If in fact God wanted the nation of Israel, His people, His messenger of the Good News, to be rich and prosperous over the worst of the world that intention would be accompanied with distribution of that wealth just as Joseph was in charge of dispensing (selling) food to all the rest of the lands.

If the meaning presented above does not satisfy you, allow me to bring to your attention a verse from the Wise man that strengthens my proposed interpretation:

Proverbs 22:7 The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.

God reassures us in the entire 5^th chapter of Jeremiah that those who strive to acquire goods and riches are labeled as ‘false prophets.’

Jeremiah 5:26-28 “For wicked men are found among My people, They watch like fowlers lying in wait; They set a trap, They catch men. ²⁷ 'Like a cage full of birds, So their houses are full of deceit; Therefore they have become great and rich. ²⁸ 'They are fat, they are sleek, They also excel in deeds of wickedness; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the orphan, that they may prosper; And they do not defend the rights of the poor.”

The word great (gadal in Hebrew) found in this passage differs greatly than the one of Psalms 113: 8 and 1 Samuel 2:8 (nadib in Hebrew). In the above passage the word means to grow up, to become great. This definition does not convey any idea of generosity but of self-glory.

Was Paul rich? Was Peter rich? Was Stephen rich? Was John the Baptist rich? Are you striving to be rich for yourself or for others? Think about what is motivating that desire? Will you cherish these riches or will share them wholeheartedly? Live a life worthy of your crucified Savior!

“If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." ²² But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieved; for he was one who owned much property. ²³ And Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ "And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:21-24).

The underlined sentence does not say that it is impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. The hardness that Jesus is talking about refers to the type of ‘rich man.’ Is the rich man self-centered or other-centered? How is he managing his wealth? It is not a coincidence that Jesus spoke the parable of the ‘bad' rich man and poor Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31).The rich man was depicted as lost because of his unwillingness to lend a hand to the needy. Notice in the following passage of Scripture how Christ sets up an encounter with Zacchaeus in order to present to His then and now audience the sincere and concerned heart of a converted wealthy man.

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. ² A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. ³ He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. ⁵ When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." ⁶ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. ⁷ All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.'" ⁸ But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." ⁹ Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost" (Luke 19:1-10).

What really differentiates the ‘young rich ruler’ with ‘Zacchaeus’? The former questions his heavenly qualification but doesn’t act upon receiving instructions while the latter willingly acts then receives confirmation of his undeserved salvation. A salvation that he— a son of Abraham—earns by faith and not by his obvious deeds. It is natural for the converted heart to share with others his assets no matter what or how much they may be.

“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 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men 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. ¹¹ But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Tell the rich in the present age not to be proud andnot to rely on so uncertain a thing as wealth but rather on God, who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment” (I Timothy 6:7-12, 17).

I would like to close off this topic by inviting you to diligently observe what awaits the rich and the great man of the earth (they are both selfish by nature).

Revelation 6:12-17 “And I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; ¹³ and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. ¹⁴ And the sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. ¹⁵ And the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; ¹⁶ and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; ¹⁷ for the great day of their wrath has come; and who is able to stand?’ ”

Luke 6:20-24. “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours. ²¹ Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. ²² Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. ²³ Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way. ²⁴ But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation”

Whether you are eating, drinking, singing, preaching, whatever you do, do it all for the Glory of God. Live today as if it was the last day you will live for and in Christ.

TAKE UP YOUR CROSS DAILY AND FOLLOW CHRIST!