INTRODUCTION #26
1. Open your bibles to James 5:5&6.
2. In a previous lesson we discussed the first four verses of this chapter. In those verses we discussed three warnings that James gives.
1) Warning #1: The Misuse Of Wealth Will Bring Miseries! Even the poor can misuse material things and experience miseries. The “one talent man” of Matt. 25 went to hell!
2) Warning #2: Riches Will Not Last And Their Misuse Will Cause Our Life To Deteriorate Spiritually And Drift Further Away From God!
3) Warning #3: The Cries From Laborers That Have Not Been Paid Fairly Will Reach The Ears Of God!
3. Let’s begin our discussion of the other warnings that James gives to those who misuse riches! Keep in mind that James’ warnings are for the poor as well as the extremely rich!
DISCUSSION
IV. FOURTH, JAMES 5:5 WARNS THE SELFISH RICH THAT UNFAIR TREATMENT OF OTHERS IS FATTENING THEIR OWN SELF UP FOR A SPIRITUAL SLAUGHTER.
1. Let’s read James 5:5. “You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.”
2. In James 5:4, James revealed that the selfish rich had increased their wealth by unfair pay to their employees and now in verse five they add to their sin by using their wealth for selfish indulgence.
3. The phrase “lived on the earth in pleasure” is translated in the ASV as “lived delicately on earth”. The Greek word for this refers to living a “soft” life at the expense of others.
(1) Far from being first-century Robin Hoods, stealing to give to others, they stole to line their own pockets and to be able to live a laid back life.
4. The word “luxury” or in the KJV the phrase, “and been wanton” derives from a single Greek verb, spatalaô, used only James 5:5 and in 1 Timothy 5:6.
(1) It has the meaning of giving oneself to the pursuit of pleasure, or plunging headlong into dissipation or the wasting away of one’s life.
(2) Turn to 1 Tim. 5:6. 1 Tim. 5:6 uses the word to refer to the young widow giving herself over to pleasure to the extent that she was spiritually dead even though she was alive physically. Let’s read 1 Tim. 5:6, “But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.” How many pleasure loving people are alive physically, but dead spiritually? Our world is full of such people!
5. Turn to Amos 6:3&ff. This passage provides and example of some of the Israelites who were guilty of the life style that James is warning about. Let’s read Amos 6:1, then vs. 3-8, “1, Woe to you who are at ease in Zion,” now vs. 3-8, “3 Woe to you who put far off the day of doom, Who cause the seat of violence to come near; 4 Who lie on beds of ivory, Stretch out on your couches, Eat lambs from the flock And calves from the midst of the stall; 5 Who sing idly to the sound of stringed instruments, And invent for yourselves musical instruments like David; 6 Who drink wine from bowls, And anoint yourselves with the best ointments, But are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. 7 Therefore they shall now go captive as the first of the captives, And those who recline at banquets shall be removed. 8 The Lord GOD has sworn by Himself, The LORD God of hosts says:”
(1) A life of ease deteriorates the mind and body. Laziness & unspiritual goals will lead one to an immoral lifestyle.
(2) Looking for the easy way out makes honest toil and hard work highly disagreeable. A life of ease develops a state of mind that motivates one to use all of his or her faculties in worthless pursuits, rather than in gainful employment.
6. Next in James, the later part of James 5:5, James accused the wicked rich of having fattened their hearts. The Greek word (Trephô) translated (fattened) means “to nourish, feed, or fatten.” The Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) used this word in Jeremiah 46:21 to speak of “fattened calves”.
(1) The striking picture James paints is of the oppressive, selfish wealthily, who have taken advantage of others so that they could have more ease for themselves.
(2) The desire for luxury and ease is “fattening those who are guilty to be slaughtered by God”. This “slaughter” will come on judgment day!
7. Turn to Ecc. 2:4-10. This passage ironically provides an illustration, of one the wealthiest and wisest men who ever lived. Solomon illustrates the futility and empty outcome of living a life of selfishness and self-indulgence. This passage reveals that Solomon left no stone unturned in his frantic pursuit of pleasure and selfishness. Over and over Solomon uses the words “I” and “my” or “myself”.
Let’s read Ecclesiastes 2:4–10 “4 I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards. 5 I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 6 I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove. 7 I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds. 9 So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. 10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, For my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my reward from all my labor.”
(1) These The difference between Solomon and the selfish rich that James is condemning is that Solomon wasn’t directly accused of being unfair with his laborers and workers.
(2) However, in the next verse (verse 11) Solomon makes a wise observation and says that all the pleasure that he was granted to have led to no real benefit! Let’s read v. 11, “Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.”
(3) We’ve got to all understand that lavish self-indulgence can lead to something worse than vanity. In keeping with the metaphor of the wicked rich having fattened their hearts, James warns of a coming day of slaughter—a frightening picture of judgment.
8. Turn to Isaiah 34:5–8. This passage, like James warns of a “coming day of slaughter”. Isaiah is giving God’s warning to the nation of Edom, but the same type warning is referred to by James, as he warns all the selfish rich. Both James and Isaiah give a frightening warning about “a judgment day”! They use words that picture “judgment day” as a day at the “slaughterhouse for fattened calves”!
Let’s read Isaiah 34:5-8, “5 For My sword shall be bathed in heaven; Indeed it shall come down on Edom, And on the people of My curse, for judgment. 6 The sword of the LORD is filled with blood, It is made overflowing with fatness, With the blood of lambs and goats,
With the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah, And a great slaughter in the land of Edom. 7 The wild oxen shall come down with them, And the young bulls with the mighty bulls; Their land shall be soaked with blood, And their dust saturated with fatness.” 8 For it is the day of the LORD’s vengeance, The year of recompense for the cause of Zion.”
9. Turn to Jeremiah 50:25-27. Here, Jeremiah used similar language to describe the judgment on Babylon. Let’s read Jeremiah 50:25-27, “25 The LORD has opened His armory, And has brought out the weapons of His indignation; For this is the work of the Lord GOD of hosts In the land of the Chaldeans. [Observe the use of the phrase “the Lord God of hosts”. A phrase with the same meaning as James’ phrase, “the Lord of Sabaoth” (in Hebrew “Sabaoth” means “Host”)]. 26 Come against her from the farthest border; Open her storehouses; Cast her up as heaps of ruins, And destroy her utterly;
Let nothing of her be left. 27 Slay all her bulls, Let them go down to the slaughter.
Woe to them! For their day has come, the time of their punishment.” ( cf. 51:40; Ezek. 39:17–19).
(1) Try to remember if you have ever taken an animal to a slaughter house. On more than one occasion I have taken animals to a slaughtering house to be slaughtered. One that remains as a vivid picture in my mind is the one that, back in the 1950’s was situated in Mt. Pleasant in the same place that Pilgrim’s Pride Offices and chicken plant is now located, on Fm 127. It was sad to see such large numbers of livestock penned and knowing that all were going to soon be killed. I have seen some of them fall, as they were shot with a 22 rifle.
(2) As we think about the masses of people today who are blind to heaven, deaf to warnings of hell, insensitive to the impending day of slaughter and judgment stumbling blindly to their doom it is terrifying reality to think about!
(3) Unless they repent, James 5:5 warns, they will experience “a spiritual slaughter” and eternal condemnation!
10. Far too many selfish rich and the misguided poor have lived in luxury and self-indulgence. They have fattened their hearts for the day of slaughter. Animals are fed right down to the day of slaughter. The selfish rich and the misguided poor will live a selfish life right down to the final judgment day.
V. FIFTH, JAMES 5:6 CONDEMNS THE ABUSIVE RICH FOR CONDEMNING AND MURDERING THE JUST EVEN THOUGH THE JUST WERE NOT RESISTING THEM.
1. Let’s read James 5:6. “6 You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.”
(1) Because the phrases “the just” and “he does not resist you”, are phrases that are similar to other passages that are applied to Jesus a lot of bible students think the “the condemning and murdering of the just” refers to the crucifixion of Jesus and to Jesus only.
(2) However, since the rich that are being referred to and the ones that they are abusing in this context could exist in every generation and not just those of the first century, it appears that “the just” would refer to just and righteous people in general that are being mistreated by the rich. [I think this later interpretation is correct and that it could refer to Christ and to all other “just people” that are abused by the rich, but I would not be dogmatic and say that this has to be the correct interpretation. I think that we will agree that the abusive rich of every generation need this warning that James gives!]
2. Even though I don’t think that the interpretation to “the just” refers specifically and only to Christ I do think that it will be worth our time to read and discuss the verses that let us know how that James 5:6 would certainly have an application for Christ.
3. Let’s first turn to a few passages that refer to Christ as the “Just One” and/or “the Righteous One”.
(1) Turn to Acts 3:14&15. Here, Peter rebukes the Jews for rejecting “the Holy One and the Just”. Let’s read Acts 3:14&15, “But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.”
(2) Turn to Acts 7:52. Here, Stephen rebukes his listeners because their fathers had killed the prophets that had foretold of the “Just One”. Let’s read Acts 7:52, “52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers”. Not only was Jesus “the Just One” killed but the “just ones” who prophesied of Him to come.
(3) Turn to Acts 22:14&15. Here, Ananias told Paul that he was to know the “Just One” and to be the witness of Christ. “14 Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. 15 For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.”
(4) Turn to 1 John 2:1. Here, John declares that Christ is our Advocate, “the righteous” or “the just”.
4. Let’s now look at a couple of passages that portray Christ as one “not resisting” those who “condemned and murdered” him.
(1) Turn to Acts 8:32&33. Here, the eunuch is reading the prophecy from Isaiah about Christ “not resisting” those who tortured and crucified him. “32 The place in the Scripture which he read was this: “ He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 33 In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.”
(2) Turn to 1 Peter 2:18-25. This passage encourages servants (now employees) to follow the example of Christ when they are treated harshly by their employers. Peter pictures Christ refraining from any striking back at his persecutors. “18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. 19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 “ Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”
5. Due to the information about Christ from these passages we sure don’t want to leave Christ out as one that James could be referring to. We certainly can admire his humble and non retaliating reaction. We have a tremendous example to follow in holding back any retaliation on our part.
CONCLUSION
1. Wealth may be a blessing, a gift from God bringing the opportunity to do good. But that can only be true of those who are also “rich in faith” (James 2:5) and “rich toward God” (Luke 12:21).
2. If wealth is to be a source of blessing and not condemnation, it must not be laid up and not used for good purposes, unjustly gained, selfishley spent, or ruthlessly acquired.
3. Turn to 1 Tim. 6:17-19. Here, Paul’s charge to Timothy shows how God expects the wealthy to use their riches. It forms a fitting contrast to the abuse of wealth James condemned. Let’s read 1 Tim. 6:17-19, “17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”
4. If you need to obey the plan of salvation or ask for prayers please come as we stand and sing.
Acknowledgments for a lot of thoughts in the development of all the sermons on the book of James are to go to:
(1) Bob Winton CD Commentary on Matthew 27:50-54. 464 Ridgewood Drive Manchester, Tennessee 37355. If interested in CD covering many O. T. & N.T. books call (866) 753-8456.
(2) Miscellaneous commentaries by numerous others.
