Aspirations are dangerous, wealth is corrupting, power is precarious. All of these things that we strive and hope for end up being our undoing. Written into each story of success are the ingredients for downfall. They cannot be separated. With every gain comes the seed of destruction.
The cycle can be seen over and over again in history. Why do empires fall? Because they prosper. Every great leader has put into place policies which ultimately led to destruction, including the great Caesar Augustus, first imperator of Rome. He created an elite group of guards to keep himself safe, and gave these guards special powers. A few hundred years later, members of that same group determined the next successor to the throne, and even put it up for auction to the highest bidder.
Pyramids are huge, a monument to a great age in Egyptian history. Yet they used to gleam in the sun, because they were covered with gold and jewels. Now all of their treasures have been plundered, and even the immortal dead are defiled and on display for all to see. Obsessed with life after death, pharaohs built huge tombs and hid away hoards of treasure. They expanded Egypt’s dominion to encompass more and more land. It was too much for one government to handle. Unable to effectively control their large population or support the demands of lavish burials, their splendor is now nothing but a memory, a legend, a bad horror movie.
Spain conquered the New World, and brought back ships bursting with gold. The economy crumbled because traditional crafts and more humble occupations paled in comparison to the fame and riches of the conquistadores. Gold lost its value, because there was so much of it, and inflation set in. Spain fell into poverty, because they chased riches and found them in abundance.
England defeated the famous Spanish Armada and took their place at the forefront of world powers. They claimed lands in countries not their own, to exploit the people and wealth of the region to their own national gain. Taking what they pleased, they spread discontent among the people they ruled. England lost an empire because they could not afford to keep it. They spread themselves too thin, grasping for more eventually to lose it all.
Solomon is one of Israel’s most famous kings. Known for his wisdom, and his wealth, the kingdom prospered during his reign. Yet it is because of Solomon that civil war ripped one country into two. He demanded heavy taxes and hard labor from his people in order to build his magnificent palaces and keep up his extravagant harem. After his death, the people rebelled against his son for pursuing the same policies. His wisdom could not protect him from the most basic mistake all nations make.
Israel failed to learn this lesson, although God warned them over and over again. He told them not to have a king; a king must have power to rule successfully. He will levy taxes, draft men for the army, and force the people to labor for him. All of this happened. The people had their strong leader, a king that made them like the larger and more powerful nations around them. They also lost much of their freedom.
One of the few historical mentions of Israel outside of the Bible refers to a king Omri, and his son Ahaz. These notorious villains of the Elijah cycle, especially Ahaz’s wife Jezebel, are a perfect example of the dangers of wealth. These kings played with international politics, made their kingdom stronger, and allowed and even encouraged foreign traditions and religion. They made Israel into a power the other nations recognized and Elijah denounced on God’s behalf.
Wealth and power lead to comfort and pride. When one has everything, one has no fear and no need. Without need, we reject God and his great blessings. Punishment arrives, brought by our own hand.
Israel fell to Assyria because it was the richer nation. Judah was spared because it was poor and too small to bother with conquering. When Judah followed in Israel’s sin, and became rich enough to attract the attention of other nations, Judah also fell. They worked with foreign kings to increase their power and formed alliances instead of relying on God for protection. They sought to be strong, and fell because of it. Had they left well enough alone, they would have been left alone.
Prosperity is poison. The more we have, the closer we are to calamity. The greater the country, the more imminent its decline. Yes, even the United States of America will one day cease to be a world power. But that is not what scares me.
As our lives become more comfortable and easy, we come closer to spiritual death. The only solution is Paul’s; to be content no matter what the circumstances. Jesus told us not to worry. It is in our worry and concern for making it, for getting it right and acquiring what we need, that we cause the most problems.
What is true of nations is true of people, too. No matter how rich or poor, striving for prosperity will always lead to ruin. Lottery winners are more likely to commit suicide than anyone else.
Extravagant wealth is wrong. To possess more than what you need is excess, and excess is dangerous. Ask Solomon. His folly cost his son a kingdom. Anyone who has more than they need must work to give it away, to help others and reach out with their resources. To keep anything back for yourself is a sin.
Jesus kept nothing, he loved instead. Anytime we keep something back for ourselves, we defy love and submit to greed. Christianity was originally a movement of poverty. The believers sold all they had, shared their belongings, and took care of the poor (check the book of Acts!). They understood that they did not need these things to be secure, and that love is far more important. God honor’s our sacrifice, just as he honored Jesus’ sacrifice. We cannot be who we were made to be until we sacrifice.
Two car garages
Carefree vacations
Gorging ourselves at a buffet.
Air conditioned houses.
Ten pairs of shoes.
Excess has become part of our lives. Many Americans feel that they are struggling through life if they do not have these ‘simple comforts’. The truth is, they have all that they need. Anything more is wealth, and wealth is the cause of all evil.
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