If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much;
The verse belongs to Job's declaration and defense that he maintained his integrity and would accept judgment if a moral stain were found in his character, denying that he had made great wealth or much gained by his own hand a cause for rejoicing, pride, or delight. Taking pride or delight in riches and possessions is incompatible with the conduct he claims. The chapter containing the verse is his protestation of his integrity and sets the true standard of honesty. Mere freedom from debt to fellow men does not by itself prove a man honest, and his protestation is much stronger proof of what honesty requires.
Having great wealth is not itself sinful. Job was one of the richest men of his day yet did not put confidence in riches or become proud and highminded because of them. He trusted in the living God and remembered that God gave him power to get wealth. He treated wealth only as a means of blessing the poor, the needy, the fatherless or orphans, and the widow.
To rejoice because wealth is great and because the hand has gotten much means allowing the heart to be secretly enticed by the brightness of silver or gold just as by the glory of the sun or moon. It means making gold one's aim, hope, fine-gold confidence and trust instead of God. Money then takes the place of God and becomes god, and riches alone are served and trusted rather than the living God. Such rejoicing, trusting, and pride in riches is selfish covetousness, the pride of life, Mammon-worship and idolatry. It is having another god before the Lord, breaking the First Commandment by neither loving God with all the heart nor the neighbor as self, with every violation of one commandment involving violation of others also.
It denies the God that is above just as really as worship of the sun and moon with mouth kissing hand in homage. It is sin and iniquity to be punished by the judge, no less idolatry, no less denial of God, and no less sin than such sun and moon worship. The verse condemns alike the organizer or president of a gigantic trust boasting in enormous gains and the individual who in his degree and to the extent of his power does the same thing. That lesser doing is underselling and crowding out the rival across the way, demanding a greater price when there is no competition than he would take if there were competition, or beating down a seller to get a thing for less than it is worth.
It is selfish covetousness to beware of, and such covetousness is idolatry. It is folly to spend all energies accumulating possessions that are only available in this short and uncertain life while making no effort to secure eternal life with all the happiness Heaven can bestow.
The verse belongs to Job's declaration and defense that he maintained his integrity and would accept judgment if a moral stain were found in his character, denying that he had made great wealth or much gained by his own hand a cause for rejoicing, pride, or delight. Taking pride or delight in riches and possessions is incompatible with the conduct he claims. The chapter containing the verse is his protestation of his integrity and sets the true standard of honesty. Mere freedom from debt to fellow men does not by itself prove a man honest, and his protestation is much stronger proof of what honesty requires.
Having great wealth is not itself sinful. Job was one of the richest men of his day yet did not put confidence in riches or become proud and highminded because of them. He trusted in the living God and remembered that God gave him power to get wealth. He treated wealth only as a means of blessing the poor, the needy, the fatherless or orphans, and the widow.
To rejoice because wealth is great and because the hand has gotten much means allowing the heart to be secretly enticed by the brightness of silver or gold just as by the glory of the sun or moon. It means making gold one's aim, hope, fine-gold confidence and trust instead of God. Money then takes the place of God and becomes god, and riches alone are served and trusted rather than the living God. Such rejoicing, trusting, and pride in riches is selfish covetousness, the pride of life, Mammon-worship and idolatry. It is having another god before the Lord, breaking the First Commandment by neither loving God with all the heart nor the neighbor as self, with every violation of one commandment involving violation of others also.
It denies the God that is above just as really as worship of the sun and moon with mouth kissing hand in homage. It is sin and iniquity to be punished by the judge, no less idolatry, no less denial of God, and no less sin than such sun and moon worship. The verse condemns alike the organizer or president of a gigantic trust boasting in enormous gains and the individual who in his degree and to the extent of his power does the same thing. That lesser doing is underselling and crowding out the rival across the way, demanding a greater price when there is no competition than he would take if there were competition, or beating down a seller to get a thing for less than it is worth.
It is selfish covetousness to beware of, and such covetousness is idolatry. It is folly to spend all energies accumulating possessions that are only available in this short and uncertain life while making no effort to secure eternal life with all the happiness Heaven can bestow.