Some Christians almost faint at the very mention of that word because they have it associated with sin and worldliness. But we need to get over that. Rich is a Bible word. It’s a God word! He’s the One who invented wealth. He’s the One who put gold in the Garden of Eden and said, “The gold of that land is good” (Genesis 2:12). Adam wouldn’t have known the difference between gold and dirt if God hadn’t taught him. But He did, and His covenant people have been prospering ever since.
Think of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph, for example. They were all extremely wealthy men. Think about the Israelites God freed from Egyptian bondage. Psalm 105:37 says, “He brought them forth also with silver and gold.” If God’s BLESSING caused His people to prosper materially under the Old Covenant, how much more should we prosper as New Testament believers? After all, we have an even “better covenant” (Hebrews 8:6). We have Jesus, who became poor for our sakes so that we through His poverty might be rich!
Not the Manger but the Cross
“But that verse isn’t talking about finances,” someone might argue, “it’s talking about spiritual wealth. It’s saying that Jesus left the riches of heaven to be born in a lowly manger so that we could go to heaven when we die.”
OCT ’13 : BVOV : 5
