(August 7, 2013)
The Bible deals with gold in various ways, materially, financially, spiritually and symbolically. Gold is mentioned in about 450 passages in the Bible. It was used for trade, for jewelry, for making many artifacts and objects used in the meeting tent of the Lord and latter in the temple of the Lord. Gold is mentioned so often in this manner that it is easy to overlook some of the less frequent uses.
A rudimentary study show that gold is used symbolically to represent perfection, righteousness, holiness, purity and generally many qualities that we attribute primarily to God the Father and to His Son Jesus but that we also strive for as disciples.
It represents things that we should be able to identify with readily. Let us look at some scriptures and see if we can gain some insight.
At the beginning of the Bible in Genesis chapter 2 and verse 12 we read:
Genesis 2:12
And the gold of that land is good
God tells us that gold is good. It is one of His creations and it is good.
Now turn to the last book of the Bible Revelation chapter 1 verse 12
And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
and verse 20
and the seven candlesticks which you saw are the seven churches.
Here we see that gold candlesticks represent the Churches of God. A church being an assembly of the people of God.
Abraham the Father of the Faith, we are told in Genesis 13:2
was very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold.
Genesis 13:2
Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold.
This statement should be reassurance for wealthy people. The father of the faith was wealthy and possessed gold and silver in considerable quantity as it says that he was very rich.
Proverbs 28:25 states; (NASB)
An arrogant man stirs up strife, But he who trusts in the Lord will prosper.
John, the beloved apostle of Jesus, says in 3 John 2 (NASB)
Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.
Furthermore, Jesus spoke two parables concerning trading, investing and banking with gold as money; the parable of the talents in Matthew chapter 25 (one talent = 1,094 troy ounces) and the parable of the minas in Luke chapter 19 (one mina = 18.23 troy ounces).
In both these parables, those who traded successfully were rewarded and the ones who did not were deprived of responsibility.
The well off also have an obligation to their children and grand children to leave them an inheritance.
Proverbs 13:22
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children; And the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the righteous.
And so the general principle of responsibility is established.
God is looking for people with heart to contribute to His cause. Look at Exodus 25 verses 1 to 3:
THEN the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for Me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall raise My contribution. And this is the contribution which you are to raise from them: gold, silver and bronze,
God also warned Israel and the warning continues to this day to all readers of the Bible that, Exodus 20:23,
You shall not make other gods besides Me; gods of silver or gods of gold, you shall not make for yourselves.
God shows that gold is not so great in importance that it cannot be destroyed if it has been used for evil purposes. See Deuteronomy 7:25:
The graven images of their gods you are to burn with fire; you shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, lest you be snared by it, for it is an abomination to the Lord your God.
There was also the incident with the gold bull or calf found in Exodus 32 which ended up with, Moses took the calf which they had made and burned it with fire, and ground it to powder, and scattered it over the surface of the water, and made the sons of Israel drink it. (Exodus 32:20)
Nevertheless, David gave of his ravages of war with pagans. See 2 Samuel 8:11,
King David also dedicated these to the Lord, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated from all the nations which he had subdued:
On another occasion, as stated in Joshua 6:18 and 19 (RSV),
But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction, and bring trouble upon it. 19 But all silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are sacred to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD.
David who became rich through war contributed greatly to Solomon for the building of the House of the Lord, the Temple.
1 Corinthians 22:11, David speaks to his son Solomon.
Now, my son, the LORD be with you that you may be successful, and build the house of the LORD your God just as He has spoken concerning you.
In 1Chronicles 22:14 David continues
Now behold, with great pains I have prepared for the house of the LORD 100,000 talents (3,402 tonnes) of gold and 1,000,000 talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weight, for they are in great quantity; also timber and stone I have prepared, and you may add to them.
Although wealth played a major role in the works for God of old, it is not the main work nor the main focus for gold in the Bible.
Job, another wealthy man of God, long ago stated in Job 31 verses 23, 24 and 28:
For calamity from God is a terror to me,
And because of His majesty I can do nothing.
24 If I have put my confidence in gold,
And called fine gold my trust, …
28 That too would have been an iniquity calling for judgment,
For I would have denied God above.
David also recognized this in Psalm 19:9 and 10(NASB),
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Proverbs 8: 1 to 14 shows the importance of wisdom, truth, righteousness, understanding, knowledge, prudence and discretion.
Proverbs 8:1-14 (NASB)
DOES not wisdom call,
And understanding lift up her voice?
2 On top of the heights beside the way,
Where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 Beside the gates, at the opening to the city,
At the entrance of the doors, she cries out:
4 “To you, O men, I call,
And my voice is to the sons of men.
5 O naive ones, discern prudence;
And, O fools, discern wisdom.
6 Listen, for I shall speak noble things;
And the opening of my lips will produce right things.
7 For my mouth will utter truth;
And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness;
There is nothing crooked or perverted in them.
9 They are all straightforward to him who understands,
And right to those who find knowledge.
10 Take my instruction, and not silver,
And knowledge rather than choicest gold.
11 For wisdom is better than jewels;
And all desirable things can not compare with her.
12 I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
And I find knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil;
Pride and arrogance and the evil way,
And the perverted mouth, I hate.
14 Counsel is mine and sound wisdom;
I am understanding, power is mine.
God shows forgiveness for defectors, transgressors and sinners in Isaiah 31:6 and 7:
Return to Him from whom you have deeply defected, O sons of Israel.
7 For in that day every man will cast away his silver idols and his gold idols, which your hands have made as a sin.
and Ezekiel 7:19:
They shall fling their silver into the streets, and their gold shall become an abhorrent thing; their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their appetite, nor can they fill their stomachs, for their iniquity has become an occasion of stumbling.
and also in Zephenia 12:18 (NASB)
Neither their silver nor their gold
Will be able to deliver them
On the day of the LORD’S wrath;
And all the earth will be devoured
In the fire of His jealousy,
For He will make a complete end,
Indeed a terrifying one,
Of all the inhabitants of the earth.
Speaking of a time in the near future Haggai chapter 2 verses 6 to 9 states: (NASB)
For thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land.7 ‘And I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations; and I will fill this house with glory,‘ says the LORD of hosts.8 ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,‘ declares the LORD of hosts.9 ‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,‘ says the LORD of hosts, ‘and in this place I shall give peace,‘ declares the LORD of hosts.
God has not forgotten the poor. Revelation 2:9 states: (NASB)
I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich)
And Revelation 3:18 states: (NASB)
I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich,
Here gold represents knowledge, understanding and wisdom and that these in turn represent true wealth as we read in Proverbs 8.
I conclude with words of instruction from Peter who had a special commission from Jesus to feed His flock.
1 Peter 1:3 to 9 (NASB)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,7 that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.
and 1 Peter 1:17 to 19 (NASB)
And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth;18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers,19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
One final statement found in Proverbs 22 verses 1, 2 and 4 reveal: (NASB)
A good name is to be more desired than great riches,
Favor is better than silver and gold.
2 The rich and the poor have a common bond,
The LORD is the maker of them all. …
4 The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD
Are riches, honor and life.
Each one of us should let God speak to us personally with these verses according to the situation that each finds himself in.
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