Topical Bible: Riches: God Gives

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The concept of riches in the Bible is multifaceted, encompassing material wealth, spiritual blessings, and divine favor. From a biblical perspective, God is the ultimate source of all riches, and His provision is seen as a blessing to be used for His glory and the benefit of others.

Divine Source of Riches

The Bible consistently affirms that God is the giver of all good things, including material wealth. In Deuteronomy 8:18, it is written, "But remember that it is the LORD your God who gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant that He swore to your fathers, as it is today" . This verse underscores the belief that wealth is not merely a result of human effort but is granted by God as part of His covenantal promises.

Purpose of Riches

Riches are given by God for specific purposes. They are intended to be used for the advancement of His kingdom, the support of His work, and the care of those in need. Proverbs 3:9-10 instructs, "Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your harvest; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine" . This passage highlights the principle of stewardship, where believers are called to honor God with their resources.

Warnings and Responsibilities

While God gives riches, the Bible also provides warnings about the potential dangers of wealth. Riches can lead to pride, self-reliance, and a false sense of security. In 1 Timothy 6:17-19, Paul advises, "Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share" . This passage emphasizes the responsibility of the wealthy to use their resources for good and to maintain their trust in God rather than in their material possessions.

Examples of God-Given Riches

Throughout the Bible, there are numerous examples of individuals who were blessed with riches by God. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were patriarchs who experienced God's blessing in the form of wealth, which was integral to the fulfillment of God's promises to them. Job, despite his initial loss, was restored to greater wealth by God as a testament to his faithfulness (Job 42:10-12).

King Solomon is another prominent example. When Solomon asked for wisdom to govern God's people, God not only granted him wisdom but also bestowed upon him unparalleled wealth and honor (1 Kings 3:13). Solomon's riches were a direct result of God's favor and served as a testament to God's ability to bless abundantly.

Spiritual Riches

Beyond material wealth, the Bible speaks of spiritual riches that God bestows upon believers. Ephesians 1:3 states, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms" . These spiritual riches include salvation, grace, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which are of eternal value and surpass any earthly wealth.

In summary, the Bible presents riches as a gift from God, to be used wisely and for His purposes. Believers are called to recognize God as the source of all wealth, to steward their resources responsibly, and to prioritize spiritual riches that lead to eternal life.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Samuel 2:7
The LORD makes poor, and makes rich: he brings low, and lifts up.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ecclesiastes 5:19
Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Prayer --Fills Man's Poverty with God's Riches
... When His children cry for bread He gives them bread. ... It fills man's poverty with
God's riches. It puts away man's weakness with God's strength. ...
/.../bounds/the reality of prayer/ii prayerfills mans poverty with.htm

'According To' --II.
... God gives 'according to the riches of His grace.' You do not expect a millionaire
to give half-a-crown to a subscription fund; and God gives royally, divinely ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/according toii.htm

God in the Covenant
... How little ought we to estimate the treasures of this world compared with God, when
we consider that God frequently gives the most riches to the worst of his ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/god in the covenant.htm

God's Inheritance in the Saints
... 'The riches of the glory of His inheritance.'. II. ... If you have not here and now the
holiness which knits you to God, and gives you possession of Him, you ...
/.../gods inheritance in the saints.htm

Of Three Kinds of Most Inward Practices
... Himself and His gifts; and the spirit gives, at each ... love, the spirit has been united
with God, and is ... Consolation, peace, joy, beauty and riches, and all that ...
/.../john/the adornment of the spritual marriage/chapter lxv of three kinds.htm

The Heart of God
... And there within He unfolds to us the hidden riches, the nearness and the sweetness
of ... it, not we, and it is as to a son beloved, that God gives it freely to ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/bevan/three friends of god/chapter xxvi the heart of.htm

Showing How we have Need of the Grace of God, which Makes us Like ...
... the grace of God is the way by which we must always go, if we would enter into the
naked essence in which God gives Himself with all His riches without means. ...
/.../john/the adornment of the spritual marriage/chapter lx showing how we.htm

Of the Inflow of the Grace of God into Our Spirit
... above all graces He gives Himself, for fruition and for rest. The unity of our spirit
is our dwelling-place, in the peace of God and in the riches of charity ...
/.../john/the adornment of the spritual marriage/chapter iii of the inflow.htm

That we must Avoid all Curiosity, and Humbly Acquiesce in God's ...
... the Holy Ghost, speaking in the Holy Scripture, gives reason in ... made concerning it:
O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter vii that we must.htm

On the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Ghost
... hand, if one is very rich and gives freely and plentifully to the poor and works
of charity, and is willing to part with riches rather than offend God, such a ...
/.../kinkead/baltimore catechism no 4/lesson 16 on the gifts.htm