THE BIBLE'S VIEWPOINT -DOES GOD BLESS US WITH RICHES?

"The blessing of Jehovah-that is what makes rich and he adds no pain with it." -PROVERBS 10:22.

DOES the above-quoted Bible scripture mean that God blesses his servants with material riches?  Some people believe so. Consider the claim of one Australian Pentecostal preacher and author:  "In [my] book I am going to tell you  why you need more money and secondly how you can get more money . . . If you can change your thinking and develop a healthy attitude to money, I believe you will walk in the blessing and prosperity of God and never have a problem with money again." 

Such a claim, however, implies that poor people are not favored by God. Is material prosperity really a sign of God's blessing?  

Blessed for a Purpose

The Bible record includes cases where God blessed faithful servants with riches. Jacob, for instance, left his home with just his staff but returned 20 years later with enough sheep, cattle, and asses to form two camps.  According to the Bible, Jacob's prosperity was gift from God.  (Genesis 32:10) Another example, Job lost all his possessions, yet Jehovah later blessed him with "fourteen thousand sheep and six thousand camels and a thousand spans of cattle and a thousand she-asses." (Job 42:12) Jehovah gave King Solomon wealth so great that its fame endures to modern times. -1 Kings 3:13. 

On the other hand, the Bible contains numerous accounts of faithful, obedient worshipers of God who were poor.  Surely, God was not punishing some with poverty while blessing others with prosperity. What, then,  was God's purpose in bestowing riches in some cases?

The answer is different in each case. Jacob's material blessings formed a foundation for building a nation, in preparation for the coming of the promised Seed.   (Genesis 22:17, 18) Job's prosperity dispelled any doubt about who had brought calamity on Job, thus sanctifying Jehovah's name.  (James 5:11) And Solomon used much of his divinely  provided wealthy to provide a magnificent temple.  (1 Kings 7:47-51) Interestingly, Jehovah also used Solomon to write from personal experiences about the limited value of riches. -Ecclesiastes 2:3-11; 5:10; 7:12. 

Next time: THE BIBLE'S VIEWPOINT -DOES GOD BLESS US WITH RICHES?/How God Blesses Us

From the Awake! magazine