8. DO THE RICHES OF THIS WORLD SIGNIFY GOD'S BLESSINGS?
Many people say that it is stated in the Old Testament that God's blessings manifest in wealth an individual or a nation possesses. They site Genesis 26:12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him. (NKJV) Genesis 26:3 Live here, and I will be with you and bless you. I am going to give all this territory to you… Genesis 26:13 He continued to prosper and became a rich man. (GNB) All this is about Isaac son of Abraham.
With intensive study of blessings found in the Old Testament, one could discover that, they, just like all other blessings could not be seen with a naked eye for they were spiritual blessings. Take for instance Jacob. In Genesis 27:1-29 we find him under his evil mother's instructions, stealing his brother Esau's blessings. Later on he would wrestle with an angel of God Almighty that ended up blessing him. Read Genesis 32:29 Then Jacob asked, saying, “Tell me Your name, I pray.” And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?” And He blessed him there. (NKJV) Nevertheless Jacob was the most miserable family man regardless his abounding blessings.
His first problem. He lacked safety and security for fear to be killed by his brother Esau. He then sneaked out from home to Mesopotamia and became a refugee at the home of Laban his uncle who later on became his father-in-law.
His second problem. He had to flee from Mesopotamia with Laban in hot pursuit after him. Jacob was caught by Laban in the hill-country of Gilead. Had it not been for God's warning to Laban not to harm Jacob he would have been harmed.
His third problem. Jacob had his heart terribly rent, on hearing that Joseph had been killed by wild animals.
His fourth problem. He was again in deep distress when the Governor of Egypt demanded that Benjamin be brought to him in Egypt.
His fifth problem. Jacob and his family were forced by drought and famine to leave Canaan and stay in Egypt. (This incident might have taken place before Ice Age Period.)
His sixth problem. Jacob could not go back to his home in Canaan. Before breathing his last he asked his sons to bury him in Canaan. This shows clearly that regardless of the best treatment he might have received in Egypt, his heart was home in Canaan. Unfortunately for him, he died having not paid home a visit even once. Jacob died a self exiled man.
We all see that with all his blessings, Jacob's life on earth was not the kind of life one can generally call blessed. He started moving from one place to the other soon after cheating and stealing his brother's blessings. God Almighty in His mercy could not condone thievery, hence Jacob was made not to have peace of mind till he died. Lord God is just.
Jacob's blessings were hidden to human naked eye. These are his hidden eternal blessings.
a) He is the father of the Israelites the Jews. The name Israel is in fact his name. The angel gave it to him as they were busy wrestling. Psalm 1:1-2 states clearly that God’s blessings have to do with human spiritual being. It also tells us what kind of a person is it who is blessed. “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he mediates day and night.” (NKJV) Jacob was like that.
b) The Hebraic religion is largely about him and his children as well as all his descendants.
c) Christianity is based on Hebraic Religion hence almost all Christians could not help that soft spot they have for the Jews.
d) The first five books of the bible were written by Moses, the great-great-great-great-grandson of Jacob.
e) Jesus Christ is the descendant of Jacob.
f) The God Almighty himself proclaims that He had chosen and loved Jacob.
g) Jews refer to God as The God of Abraham and Jacob.
It then could not be a surprise that Jacob is among other heavenly beings together with God Almighty in heaven, which is the most sought after blessing ever.
Moses, David and even Jesus had to endure hardship, sorrow and pain here on earth but they were the most blessed people ever to live among people here on earth.
The New Testament clarifies the blessings to us. A blessed person in the New Testament is not the affluent in terms of material possessions but in spirit. Jesus had to demonstrate what He meant by this, by His very own life He led on earth. Jesus was the poorest of the poor. He was not even ashamed of telling people His state of poverty. Luke 9:58 Jesus said to him, 'Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.' (NKJV)
One day Jesus had to send his disciple Peter to the sea to catch a fish and take money from its mouth to pay for his, as well as his disciples' temple tax. Read Matthew 17:24-27. When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax? He said, “Yes.” And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?” Peter said to Him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him. “Then the sons are free. Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.” (NKJV)
Why Jesus was so poor, yet all prophesies say of him to be the most blessed? The answer is Jesus had nothing to gain from earth. John 18:36 Jesus said: My kingdom does not belong to this world; if my kingdom belonged to this world, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish authorities. No, my kingdom does not belong here! (Good News Bible)
Jesus warned His followers against getting hooked on the riches of this world. Read Matthew 6:21 'For your hearts will always be where your riches are.” Matthew 6: 19 Do not store up riches for yourselves here on earth... (Good News Bible)
According to Jesus Christ teachings His followers will only be blessed if they keep His commandments. If they are obedient to Him He will have riches stored up for them in heaven. So riches of this world to Christians should not be signs of blessings from God Almighty.
Even the Old Testament has verses that teach us not to be obsessed with the riches of this world. Ecclesiastes 2:11: Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labour in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity… There was no profit under the sun. Ecclesiastes 12: 8 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher. All is vanity.” (NKJV)
Why are the riches of this world of no use at all in heaven? The answer is if one dies he leaves all his riches behind. Read Luke 12:20 : But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided? (NKJV)
People have caused irreparable damage to the earth in search of diamond, gold, platinum and so on. Nowadays we are faced with the problem of global warming because of the people's greed and perpetual quest for wealth and comfort. People are busy precipitating Dooms Day. Yes we people are very much foolish. We are never satisfied.
What are riches then if they are not the blessings from God Almighty?
Riches are temporal comforts of this world and nothing else. Riches never provide peace of mind. Read Ecclesiastes 5:12 The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep. (NKJV) Therefore one is justified when one enjoys oneself with what one has so hard worked for. Yet the more you have the more worried you will be.
Whatever a person gets here on earth is a gift from God. Never be stingy with those gifts they are not yours they are God's. Read Ecclesiastes 3:13. ..and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor - IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD. (NKJV) Gifts are not blessings and they will never be.
Some people think to own a car is a blessing from God. What? A car? A blessing? They must be joking! A car has never been a blessing. If a car is a blessing how can it be a curse again. How is a car a curse? Someone may wish to know. A car can be a curse if people do deplorable acts in or on it or by it. It can be a curse when it is hijacked or is involved in accidents and lives are lost. A blessing cannot have all these negative things.
Others say owning a house is a blessing from God Almighty. How is a house a blessing if it can be broken into and its property stolen? How, if sordid acts can take place under its cover? How, if it can be burnt down to ashes by enemies or by accident? How, if people can fight within it? All these acts are not part of blessings.
There are those who say children are blessings from the Almighty God. How, are they a blessing if they can be wayward, murderers, gang-stars, robbers and so on? Children therefore cannot be a blessing. The bible says in Psalm 127:3 Behold, children are a HERITAGE FROM THE LORD, THE FRUIT OF THE WOMB. (NKJV) What an excellent definition from the bible! God Almighty loves us so much that He has made almost most things in the bible clear for us, as long as we read it without any involvement of undue influence. Yes indeed, children are the heritage. A heritage is passed from one generation to the next. Many people have been through wars and many other problems they have to contend with just because of what they inherited. Yes of course children are the fruit. Fruit can either be sweet or sour, fresh or rotten; so are the children. Some are good others are bad.
Jesus taught us that a blessed person is:
a) The one that is poor in spirit.
b) The one that mourns for ones sins.
c) The one that is meek.
d) The one that hungers and thirsts for righteousness.
e) The one that is merciful.
f) The one that has a pure heart.
g) The one that is a peacemaker.
h) The one who is persecuted for righteousness' sake.
These are the blessings a Christian has to strive for and cherish in attaining. They are so vividly recorded for us all in Matthew 5:3-10.
If a Christian happens to be rich, there is nothing wrong at all with it, as long as he does what Jesus taught Christians to do, which is not to be selfish and greedy but to be generous and share that wealth with other people, especially the poor.