Money (Wealth and Poverty)

What does Proverbs have to say about money?

The book of Proverbs is full of wisdom concerning money, and we find that it is almost impossible to discuss money from the perspective of Proverbs without also touching on work and justice. These topics will be the subject of our next 2 weeks.

Through the Proverbs God is forming his people with wisdom literature to be the people of God.

What is the structure and direction of money?

Structure

Is money something we would have seen in Eden?

What about in the new earth?

I think the answer is yes, but with some clear and obvious differences.

What are some principles or norms that we know about the good creation that help us identify the good structure of creation when it comes to money/wealth/possessions?

Structure:

Everything belongs to God

God has “given” creation to the creatures made in His image to care for it.

Stewardship in the garden. Natural understanding that all belongs to God therefore why would they covet?

Direction:

Mankind desires to possess that which ultimately belongs to God.

Mankind darkens their heart through the love of money, losing perspective on God’s eternal kingdom

Story of Gahazi

2 Kings 5

Wealth contrasted with other valuable things:

Proverbs 8:10–11 LEB

10 Take my teaching and not silver; may you choose knowledge rather than choice gold. 11 For wisdom is better than jewels, and all desires shall not compare with her.

Proverbs 15:16 LEB

16 Better is little with the fear of Yahweh than great treasure and trouble with it.

Proverbs 16:8 LEB

8 Better is little with righteousness than great income with no justice.

Proverbs 17:16 ESV

16 Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom when he has no sense?

Proverbs 19:14 NIV

14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

Proverbs 20:15 LEB

15 There is gold and many costly stones, but precious jewels are lips of knowledge.

Proverbs 11:4 NIV

4 Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.

We see that wisdom would dictate that wisdom and fear of the Lord are more desirable to have than great riches. And we are reminded of David’s expression of this truth in Psalm 119:

Psalm 119:14 NIV

14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.

Money can be a positive thing!

God knows that money and the trade of goods is a natural part of culture that can be a good thing, and gives His people wisdom to be applied to this area of life to help them live righteously before him with their finances and possessions

Proverbs 13:11 ESV

11 Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.

Don’t pursue the get rich quick schemes!

Proverbs 13:21 LEB

21 Misfortune will pursue sinners, but the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity.

Now, is this a promise?

Proverbs 13:22 NIV

22 A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.

God is teaching his people what creational living looks like.

Proverbs also comments on the reality of money in a fallen world...

Proverbs 21:14 LEB

14 A gift in secret will avert anger, and a concealed bribe, strong wrath.

Proverbs 22:7 LEB

7 The rich will rule over the poor, and the borrower is a slave of the lender.

Poverty in Proverbs

As we would expect from Proverbs, the issue of poverty is handled carefully and in many different ways to draw out the various circumstances and attitudes that can contribute to poverty. Example of Pilgrims Progress. We see the poor viewed in two lights. The poor who are poor due to laziness and lack of discipline are chastised and encouraged to change their ways, but to the rich and powerful, the poor are shown to be neighbors who must not be taken advantage of, but cared for instead.

Laziness:

Proverbs 13:18 NIV

18 Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored.

Proverbs 17:16 NIV

16 Why should fools have money in hand to buy wisdom, when they are not able to understand it?

Proverbs 19:24 ESV

24 The sluggard buries his hand in the dish and will not even bring it back to his mouth.

Proverbs 20:4 NIV

4 Sluggards do not plow in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing.

This next verse, Molinari story.

Proverbs 6:6–11 NIV

6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! 7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, 8 yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. 9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— 11 and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.

Injustice:

Proverbs 13:23 LEB

23 There is much food in the field of the poor, but it is swept away by injustice.

Proverbs 16:8 NIV

8 Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.

Proverbs 17:23 NIV

23 The wicked accept bribes in secret to pervert the course of justice.

Proverbs 14:31 NIV

31 Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

The rich man reading Proverbs would do well to consider that no injustice escapes the view of God and He will punish the wicked.

Proverbs 21:12–13 NIV

12 The Righteous One takes note of the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin. 13 Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.

Promises are made to those who choose to live according to God’s law and care for the poor.

Proverbs 19:17 ESV

17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.

This truth is of course repeated by Christ in the gospels:

Matthew 25:31–40 LEB

31 Now when the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them from one another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. 34 Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world! 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me as a guest, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you cared for me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you as a guest, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ 40 And the king will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.’

Riches bring false security and hope:

Proverbs 18:11 NIV

11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it a wall too high to scale.

This verse fascinatingly is placed after...

Proverbs 18:10 LEB

10 A tower of strength is the name of Yahweh; into him the righteous will run and be safe.

The Christian must know that money is tightly woven with idolatry and can become the chief god that we serve.

Matthew 6:24 LEB

24 “No one is able to serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You are not able to serve God and money.

Proverbs 11:4 LEB

4 Wealth does not profit on the day of wrath, but righteousness will deliver from death.

What is our hope in?

We may be on our way for great economic suffering in our country. How are we as Christians going to respond when the idol of money is taken away?

Proverbs 22:2 LEB

2 Rich and poor have much in common; Yahweh is the maker of all of them.