The Dangers of Prosperity
Introduction. Proverbs 30:8-9 has a very interesting statement about material prosperity:
“Give me neither poverty nor riches--Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, And say, "Who is the LORD?" Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God.”
It is certainly easy to see problems with poverty and the struggle to provide the basic necessities of food, clothing, and shelter, especially if it involves your family. With the recent pandemic and associated economic shutdown, our hearts go out to the countless millions who have had their work hours/pay reduced, been furloughed or outright laid off, and are struggling to make ends meet. Or as Prov. 6:30-31 says, “People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving …”
On the other hand, it is harder to see problems with riches, especially in American with our culture as a land of opportunity, upward social mobility, and the relative economic prosperity we have enjoyed since World War 2. Note here we’re talking about prosperity in general and not necessarily focusing exclusively on greed and the love of money.
Let’s see if we can gain additional insight from God’s Word, first by looking at various examples of prosperous people in the Bible, see what parallels we can draw with our own culture, and offer some scriptural advice on the right attitudes we should have toward prosperity.
Bible Examples. Here some the more notable accounts of prosperous people throughout the scriptures.
Eve – When you look at the account of creation in Gen. 1-2, it is easy to imagine an idyllic existence for Adam and Eve.
And yet in chapter 3, we see it wasn’t enough for Eve who was deceived by the serpent’s craftiness (2 Cor. 11:3). As Gen. 3:6 relates, ”So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.” This perfectly parallels 1 John 2:16, “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.” In essence, Eve took her prosperity somewhat for granted, didn’t keep God first in her thoughts, and was deceived into serving herself & her own desires. Note carefully we’ll see echoes of this in subsequent examples.
Sodom & Gomorrah – Gen. 13:13 and 18:20 describes the inhabitants of these cities as ”… exceeding wicked and sinful” whose sin was “…very grievous” (heavy, grave). When the angelic visitors arrive in Gen. 19:4-5, we see evidence of rampant homosexuality and gang rape. Or as Jude 7 describes it,”… having given themselves over to sexual immorality (fornication) and gone after strange flesh…”
But there is more to the story according to Ezek. 16:48-50: “…Sodom …had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abomination…” Given their well-watered location “like the garden of the Lord”, evidently they became very prosperous. Unfortunately that led to a sense of self-pride, forgetting God, serving themselves, and giving themselves over to all manner of sexual pleasure.
Israelites – While preparing to enter the Promised Land, God through Moses warned the people about their coming prosperity in the land. Note Deut. 8:6-20:
As predicted, that is exactly what we see happening according to Judges 2:10-12; 3:7; and 17:6 “when all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel. … In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Eventually according to Ezek. 16:10-20, that included offering their riches and murdering their children in sacrifice to their gods. And again, we see a similar pattern where prosperity was associated with pride, forgetting God, and serving their own desires (false gods in their case).
Nebuchadnezzar – In Daniel 4 we have a fascinating record of God’s interaction with the supreme ruler of the region’s super-power Babylon (Dan. 4:22). According to verses 4 and 30, Nebuchadnezzar was “… at rest in my house, and flourishing … The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?”” His extreme prosperity had led to a prideful attitude that had forgotten God’s role as King of heaven.
A previous warning in a dream against such a danger went unheeded and God gave him some “perspective” beginning in verse 31-33 when Nebuchadnezzar lost it all – his honor, his splendor, his position of supreme authority, and his mind. Humbled, afterwards he confessed, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.” (Dan. 4:37)
The Rich Farmer – In Luke 12:15-21, Jesus relates a story about a certain rich man starting off with “And He said to them, ”… beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” He was blessed with abundant crops and resulting prosperity. In vs. 19-21 he says to himself, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, [and] be merry." But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you…So [is] he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Again, we see a similar pattern of prosperity connected to forgetting God and serving oneself.
Good examples – Before you incorrectly conclude prosperity is inherently sinful, consider the prosperous who remained faithful despite their prosperity:
Modern Examples. Few alive today remember the widespread poverty in the United States in the 1930’s during the Great Depression when countless people were forced out of work and had to either make do with what they had or do without. Some historians credit this character building and toughening experience as being a major contribution to “the Greatest Generation” that endured and eventually won World War 2. With an undamaged manufacturing capacity and pent up consumer demand, the post-war years of the 1940’s and 50’s saw a major economic boom with unprecedented prosperity around the country.
However, starting in the 1960’s a generation raised in such prosperity started to forget God as the ultimate source of all good blessings and started to serve their own desires. Many today still remember the beginnings of the sexual revolution, campus riots against the Vietnam war and Government authority, liberalization of divorce, and the declaration of school-sponsored prayer and Bible readings as unconstitutional. That trend accelerated into the 1970’s with the legalization of abortion, the women’s liberation movement, and the gay liberation movement. The 1990’s saw increased emphasis on “hate” crimes while the 2000’s saw the rise of the homosexual marriage equality movement. The 2010’s saw the rise of the transgender movement (e.g., males who want to be treated as females entering women’s sports, using women’s restrooms) and the gender fluid movement. In 2020 we saw legitimate peaceful protests against police brutality turn violent, accompanied with lawlessness and anarchy (e.g., riots, vandalism, looting, arson, defacing of public monuments, injured/killed police officers, and calls to defund the police). Sadly, some of these events were accompanied with expressions of support from elected officials.
But as Solomon says, “That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.” (Eccl. 1:9) As Prov. 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death… ” with everyone doing “…what was right in his own eyes.”(Judges 21:25) Coincidence? Or is this part of a general pattern of prosperity leading to self-pride, forgetting God, and serving one’s own pleasures (just like with Sodom and Gomorrah)?
Temptations of Prosperity. As we have seen illustrated repeatedly, there are several dangers associated with prosperity, regardless of whether that prosperity is associated with one’s job/business, investments, home, or other material blessings. These include:
Conclusion. While prosperity is not inherently sinful, we need to have a proper perspective about its dangers, just like Nebuchadnezzar learned.
“Give me neither poverty nor riches--Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, And say, "Who is the LORD?" Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God.”
It is certainly easy to see problems with poverty and the struggle to provide the basic necessities of food, clothing, and shelter, especially if it involves your family. With the recent pandemic and associated economic shutdown, our hearts go out to the countless millions who have had their work hours/pay reduced, been furloughed or outright laid off, and are struggling to make ends meet. Or as Prov. 6:30-31 says, “People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving …”
On the other hand, it is harder to see problems with riches, especially in American with our culture as a land of opportunity, upward social mobility, and the relative economic prosperity we have enjoyed since World War 2. Note here we’re talking about prosperity in general and not necessarily focusing exclusively on greed and the love of money.
Let’s see if we can gain additional insight from God’s Word, first by looking at various examples of prosperous people in the Bible, see what parallels we can draw with our own culture, and offer some scriptural advice on the right attitudes we should have toward prosperity.
Bible Examples. Here some the more notable accounts of prosperous people throughout the scriptures.
Eve – When you look at the account of creation in Gen. 1-2, it is easy to imagine an idyllic existence for Adam and Eve.
- Gen. 2:8-14 “… God planted a garden … And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food.” Suggesting abundant food
- Gen. 1:27-30 “…have dominion over … every living thing … given every green herb for food…” suggesting no predators
- Gen. 2:25 “And they were both naked…” suggesting a mild climate and no need for shelter from the harsh weather
And yet in chapter 3, we see it wasn’t enough for Eve who was deceived by the serpent’s craftiness (2 Cor. 11:3). As Gen. 3:6 relates, ”So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.” This perfectly parallels 1 John 2:16, “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.” In essence, Eve took her prosperity somewhat for granted, didn’t keep God first in her thoughts, and was deceived into serving herself & her own desires. Note carefully we’ll see echoes of this in subsequent examples.
Sodom & Gomorrah – Gen. 13:13 and 18:20 describes the inhabitants of these cities as ”… exceeding wicked and sinful” whose sin was “…very grievous” (heavy, grave). When the angelic visitors arrive in Gen. 19:4-5, we see evidence of rampant homosexuality and gang rape. Or as Jude 7 describes it,”… having given themselves over to sexual immorality (fornication) and gone after strange flesh…”
But there is more to the story according to Ezek. 16:48-50: “…Sodom …had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abomination…” Given their well-watered location “like the garden of the Lord”, evidently they became very prosperous. Unfortunately that led to a sense of self-pride, forgetting God, serving themselves, and giving themselves over to all manner of sexual pleasure.
Israelites – While preparing to enter the Promised Land, God through Moses warned the people about their coming prosperity in the land. Note Deut. 8:6-20:
- Vs. 6 “keep commandments…walk in His ways”
- Vs. 7-10 Coming prosperity and their need to remember and “…bless the Lord”
- Vs. 11 “Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God…”
- Vs. 12-13 Abundant food, beautiful houses, multiplied riches
- Vs. 14,17-18 “when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God …”, claiming “My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth” when in reality “it is He [God] who gives you power to get wealth”.
- Vs. 19 They would “..forget the Lord your God and follow other gods…”
As predicted, that is exactly what we see happening according to Judges 2:10-12; 3:7; and 17:6 “when all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel. … In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Eventually according to Ezek. 16:10-20, that included offering their riches and murdering their children in sacrifice to their gods. And again, we see a similar pattern where prosperity was associated with pride, forgetting God, and serving their own desires (false gods in their case).
Nebuchadnezzar – In Daniel 4 we have a fascinating record of God’s interaction with the supreme ruler of the region’s super-power Babylon (Dan. 4:22). According to verses 4 and 30, Nebuchadnezzar was “… at rest in my house, and flourishing … The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?”” His extreme prosperity had led to a prideful attitude that had forgotten God’s role as King of heaven.
A previous warning in a dream against such a danger went unheeded and God gave him some “perspective” beginning in verse 31-33 when Nebuchadnezzar lost it all – his honor, his splendor, his position of supreme authority, and his mind. Humbled, afterwards he confessed, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.” (Dan. 4:37)
The Rich Farmer – In Luke 12:15-21, Jesus relates a story about a certain rich man starting off with “And He said to them, ”… beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” He was blessed with abundant crops and resulting prosperity. In vs. 19-21 he says to himself, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, [and] be merry." But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you…So [is] he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Again, we see a similar pattern of prosperity connected to forgetting God and serving oneself.
Good examples – Before you incorrectly conclude prosperity is inherently sinful, consider the prosperous who remained faithful despite their prosperity:
- Job Job 1:3
- Abram Gen. 13:2
- Solomon 1 Kings 10
- Joseph of Arimathea Matt. 27:57
- Zacchaeus Luke 19:2
- Barnabas Acts 4:37
Modern Examples. Few alive today remember the widespread poverty in the United States in the 1930’s during the Great Depression when countless people were forced out of work and had to either make do with what they had or do without. Some historians credit this character building and toughening experience as being a major contribution to “the Greatest Generation” that endured and eventually won World War 2. With an undamaged manufacturing capacity and pent up consumer demand, the post-war years of the 1940’s and 50’s saw a major economic boom with unprecedented prosperity around the country.
However, starting in the 1960’s a generation raised in such prosperity started to forget God as the ultimate source of all good blessings and started to serve their own desires. Many today still remember the beginnings of the sexual revolution, campus riots against the Vietnam war and Government authority, liberalization of divorce, and the declaration of school-sponsored prayer and Bible readings as unconstitutional. That trend accelerated into the 1970’s with the legalization of abortion, the women’s liberation movement, and the gay liberation movement. The 1990’s saw increased emphasis on “hate” crimes while the 2000’s saw the rise of the homosexual marriage equality movement. The 2010’s saw the rise of the transgender movement (e.g., males who want to be treated as females entering women’s sports, using women’s restrooms) and the gender fluid movement. In 2020 we saw legitimate peaceful protests against police brutality turn violent, accompanied with lawlessness and anarchy (e.g., riots, vandalism, looting, arson, defacing of public monuments, injured/killed police officers, and calls to defund the police). Sadly, some of these events were accompanied with expressions of support from elected officials.
But as Solomon says, “That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.” (Eccl. 1:9) As Prov. 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death… ” with everyone doing “…what was right in his own eyes.”(Judges 21:25) Coincidence? Or is this part of a general pattern of prosperity leading to self-pride, forgetting God, and serving one’s own pleasures (just like with Sodom and Gomorrah)?
Temptations of Prosperity. As we have seen illustrated repeatedly, there are several dangers associated with prosperity, regardless of whether that prosperity is associated with one’s job/business, investments, home, or other material blessings. These include:
- Trusting in riches and pride: “Those who trust in their wealth And boast in the multitude of their riches” (Psalm 49:6)
- Forgetting God “…did not make God his strength, But trusted in the abundance of his riches, strengthened himself in his wickedness.” (Psalm 52:7)
- Selfishness “you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. …You have heaped up treasure …” (James 4:3; 5:3)
- Serving other gods “… ‘for they went and served other gods and worshiped them” (Deut 29:26)
Conclusion. While prosperity is not inherently sinful, we need to have a proper perspective about its dangers, just like Nebuchadnezzar learned.
- “9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and [into] many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all [kinds of] evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (1Tim. 6:9-10)
- “As he came from his mother’s womb, naked shall he return, To go as he came;
And he shall take nothing from his labor Which he may carry away in his hand.” (Eccl. 5:15) - “For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.“ (James 1:9-11)
- “15 And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” (Luke 12:15)
- “You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Luke 16:13)