AUDIO for Sunday – February 7, 2016

weep and howl businessmen money

There is a coming day of reckoning for every person on the planet. Everything wrong will be made right. God will perfectly judge. Those who have trusted in Christ will be embraced by God beyond our comprehension. Those who refused to accept God’s offer of life will face a horror and an anguish beyond their comprehension.

In today’s text James confronts the oppressive rich with this impending day of doom. The Old and New Testament prophets call this day the day of the Lord.

  • The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and terrible day of the LORD arrives (Joel 2:31 NLT).
  • Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD (Malachi 4:5 NASB95).

James calls the oppressive rich to “weep and wail.” Or ESV to “weep and howl.”

  • Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you (James 5:1 NIV84).

In view of the oppression and God’s subsequent judgment, James calls his brothers and sisters in Christ to patience.

We must always see the injustice and unfairness and cruelty of this world in view of a coming judgment. We take assurance in this. This helps us to stay the course and put aside our own ideas of justice and vengeance.

I want to see no one face this terrible judgment. No matter how awful they are, no matter how hurtful they have been to me or to the poor and disadvantaged of this world. But I do take comfort and strength that God will bring this about. I believe that living in view of God’s perfect justice we will be able to remain faithful and honoring to him in all aspects of our lives.

I think that this is important in the presidential election year. No matter how much we feel defrauded and cheated and lied to and oppressed by rich, powerful politicians, we trust God to be God.

Can we do that? The Church of Jesus Christ I am speaking to. Can we trust God to be God and honor him and his word in everything?

Be patient, brothers and sisters. There is a coming judgment. One day absolutely everything will be in God’s perfect order. But not now. For now we continue to believe and trust God and find our peace in his will be done. For now we stay the course in love and devotion to Christ, and in obedience to his word of truth.

Message Title: The Coming Miseries of the Oppressive Rich!

Message Text: James 5:1-7a.

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SS / LESSON 5 / God’s Word Study

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