Can you explain the first six verses of the fifth chapter of James (`Jam. 5:6`)?

August 18th 2014 | 31790 views 

 

This is a prophecy relating to "the last days" (verse 3). It is contrary to the belief that the world will be converted to Christianity before the second coming of the Lord. This is a clear-cut statement of the Apostle describing the conditions that would exist in the last times. 

Today, it is true that "treasures have been heaped together." It is said that one man controls, directly and indirectly, more than $16,000,000,000 and that another individual has given away over $200,000,000 and yet has not touched the principal of his wealth. Are not the "rich men" living in pleasure? Are they not "wanton" (extravagant-luxurious) in their ways of living? (Verse 5)  Expensive palaces, yachts, automobiles, jewels, balls, banquets, and various forms of amusements are aggravating the poor and the unemployed to such an extent that they are crying out. These "cries" (verse 4) are becoming louder and louder through the public press, the internet, and demonstrations. 

Do not all intelligent people know that the vast accumulation of wealth has been brought about mainly by "fraud" (verse 4)? It is the farming class, "the laborers who have reaped down your fields," that are the real wealth producers of the world, and these are the ones who have been defrauded the most by the political and financial frauds of the times. Pity the poor rich (verse 1) in the coming "time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation" (Matthew 24:21), for they will be very sorrowful and full of anguish when all the accumulated wealth will become valueless. Verses 2 and 3.

Related Questions