James 5:1-6

¹ Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! ² Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. ³ Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. ⁴ Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. ⁵ You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. ⁶ You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you. James 5:1-6


Paraphrase: Rich people, weep for your miseries that will come. Your riches are corrupted and your garments moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded and it will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire as you heaped up treasures in the last days. The wages of your labourer which you kept by fraud cries out and it has reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts. You have lived your life in pleasure and luxury, as a fattened cow in a day of slaughter. You condemned and murder the just; he does not resist you.


Lessons Learnt: There are 3 things being condemned here, luxurious living, oppression and murder. All of which were condemned in the Torah, by the OT prophets and by Jesus. We should not dwell on material things as they will all pass away soon, just as the verse says "your gold and silver are corroded". Oppression is in a way bearing false testimony, and doing such is sin.


Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank you for this reminder that all things of these earth will not last, and they will eventually pass away. I thank you that even though I am not rich, you have provided well, just as you did for your prophets. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.