30—Forty Days with James: Rich Fools

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/30-forty-days-with-james-rich-fools/" target="_blank"><strong>website.</strong></a></p><p><strong>James 5:1-6</strong></p><ul><li>Last time: In "Wannabe Rich Fools," James speaks of entrepreneurs who fail to take God into account. This time: of actual rich fools who fail to take God into account.</li><li>A prophetic woe!<br />Their corrupt wealth will "testify" against them. That is, their unjust actions demand a verdict.</li><li>The rich are hoarding grain, garments, gold.</li><li>Last Days = time from Pentecost on, the last phase of human history before the second coming of the Lord.</li><li>There was noalready in.</li><li>It was not a promising system for the little guy! He loses out. The innocent poor not only <i>didn’t</i> oppose the fat cats; they <i>couldn’t</i>.</li><li>Possible legal overtones: using the courts to their advantage. Who gets the better lawyer? Who’s better connected?</li><li>Murder, too.</li><li>Zealots<ul><li>Emulated Phinehas and Elijah</li><li>Along with the Pharisees, the Zealots were the radicals.</li><li>More on this in reflection 31 (next talk)</li><li>And some Christians, directly or indirectly</li></ul></li><li>Luxury = a standard that applies to most of us hearing this talk. Ours is unbelievably higher than that of the medieval kings and queens of Europe.</li><li>Rich people: Slaughter – the fat cats will be slaughtered!</li><li>Luke 16:19-31</li><li>James doesn’t automatically condemn all rich Christians (ch 1). But these rich persons stand condemned.</li></ul><p><i>Next: "The Judge at the Door"</i></p><img src="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/wp-content/uploads/JBL-191x300.jpg" alt="" width="121" /><ul><li> excuse not to pay wages, as the harvest was </li></ul>