Treasures in the Last Days.
In the rebukes uttered by the apostle James against rich men [chap. v, 3], occurs this expression: "Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days." Querying as to the import of this expression, we found by reference to Greenfield, that the word translated for, is en; and en referring to time, we do not find in one instance defined for, but in. "Ye have heaped treasure together in the last days." It strikes us that the meaning of this scripture becomes more apparent, and the rebuke more pointed, with this rendering. For in the last days, even covetousness is deprived of its ordinary excuse of a necessity for providing for the future. The last days are here; and there is no distant future for which to provide. In the last days the great day of the Lord is near, in which neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them. Well might it be said to them as Elisha said to Naaman, "Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep and oxen, and men-servants, and maid-servants?" 2 Kings v, 26. Why are you heaping up treasures, adding house to house and land to land? Your riches will soon be corrupted, and your garments moth-eaten, and your gold and silver cankered. Well may the divine rebukes rest especially upon men for the folly of heaping together treasures in the last days.