HomeVisionStatement Of FaithArticlesPhoto GalleryEditor's NoteLinksContact

The Transfer Of Wealth


Wealth is an abundance of possessions or resources. During the times of the Patriarchs, wealth was measured largely in livestock such as sheep, goats, cattle, donkeys and camels. Some of the Biblical examples are:

  • Abraham (Genesis 13:2)

  • Isaac (Genesis 26:12-14)

  • Jacob (Genesis 30:43)

In the Old Testament times, wealth was also measured in terms of land, houses, servants, slaves and precious metals. King Solomon's great wealth was described in 1 Kings 10:14-29.

True wealth comes from God:

Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him. The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him. (Genesis 26:12-14)

And God said to Solomon: "Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life--but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king-- wisdom and knowledge are granted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had who were before you, nor shall any after you have the like." (2 Chron 1:11-12)

Why did God give His people the power to create wealth? The answer is found in Deut 8:18:

And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He Who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

However, the Bible is filled with many accounts that the unrighteous had great wealth. The possession of wealth is not always the sign of God's favor. The prophet Jeremiah lamented, "Why does the way of the wicked prosper?" (Jeremiah 12:1). The psalmist David almost fretted at the prosperity of evil men (Psalm 37:7). The humanistic view that wickedness brings poverty and goodness brings wealth is strongly opposed by the Book of Job.

The prophet Amos thundered against the rich and prosperous inhabitants of Israel, who had sold "the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of sandals" (Amos 2:6). Their wealth was corrupt and short-lived because it was under a curse, being founded on exploitation of the poor.

In the New Testament, various writers gave us warnings about the dangers of letting money and things possess a person's heart. Do we have our possessions or do our possessions have us? In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke of "treasures on earth" and "treasures in heaven" and called upon His followers to be careful of which treasures they chose (Matthew 6:19-24):

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

It is the meek, not the proud, who will inherit the earth. The psalmist David and our Lord Jesus Christ gave us this truth:

But the meek shall inherit the earth,
And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
Psalm 37:11

Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
Matthew 5:5

The transfer of wealth does not only happen during the endtimes. It has been there since the beginning of time. However, the great physical transfer of wealth of all nations into the physical kingdom of God is going to take place only when the King of Kings returns and reigns physically in Jerusalem.

There are basically three types of the transfer of wealth:

  • From God to the righteous

  • From the unrighteous to the righteous

  • From all nations to Jerusalem when Jesus returns and reigns as King of Kings

Types

Scriptural Text

From God to the righteous (since Genesis)

Examples: Abraham (Genesis 13:2); Isaac (Genesis 26:12-14) & Jacob (Genesis 30:43)

Psalm 112:3
Wealth and riches will be in his house,
And his righteousness endures forever.

Proverbs 8:21
That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, that I may fill their treasuries.

Eccl 5:19
As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor--this is the gift of God.

From the unrighteous to the righteous (since Genesis)

Examples:
From Laban to Jacob (Genesis 31:9, 16) & from Haman to Mordecai (Esther 8:2)

Psalm 49:10
For he sees wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

Proverbs 5:10
Lest aliens be filled with your wealth, and your labors go to the house of a foreigner;

Proverbs 13:22
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

Eccl 6:2
A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it.

From all nations to Jerusalem when Jesus returns and reigns as King of Kings (in the Millennial Kingdom)

Note: All the verses about the transfer of wealth from all nations into Jerusalem only happen when Jesus returns and rules in His Holy City. The silver is His, and the gold is His.

Isaiah 60:5
Then you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy; because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.

Isaiah 60:11
Therefore your gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day or night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, and their kings in procession.

Haggai 2:6-9
"For thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. And I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations; and I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD of hosts. 'The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' declares the LORD of hosts. 'The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,' says the LORD of hosts,' and in this place I shall give peace,' declares the LORD of hosts."

Zechariah 14:14
Judah also will fight at Jerusalem. And the wealth of all the surrounding nations shall be gathered together: gold, silver, and apparel in great abundance.

Rev 21:24-26
And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.


Below are some FAQs about the physical transfer of wealth of all nations into the Holy City of God during the Millennial Rule of Christ:


When will all the nations bring their wealth to Jerusalem?

Continually day or night, and also yearly during the Feast of Tabernacles.

Therefore your gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day or night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, and their kings in procession. (Isaiah 60:11)

And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. (Zech 14:16)


How do they bring their wealth?

The Feast of Tabernacles is the Season of Our Joy! They will bring their wealth with great joy to the King of Kings and the LORD of Lords.

The LORD did not say "all the wealth of all the nations," but "the wealth of all the nations." The nations will still be wealthy even after they have brought their wealth to their King! They will bring it with gladness, thanksgiving and gratitude. The LORD requires that they bring their gifts wholeheartedly and with love! He desires that they give from a heart of worship and praise. They will bring sacrifices of praise to the LORD! Their wealth are sacrifices and offerings to their God Who loves them!

You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your winepress. And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant and the Levite, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow, who are within your gates. Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to the LORD your God in the place which the LORD chooses, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you surely rejoice. (Deut 16:13-15)


Why does the LORD require them to bring their wealth?
To bless them by sending them blessings in terms of heavenly rain, and also teach them how to love their neighbours tangibly by sharing their wealth and blessings.

Their wealth will be used to bless the poor and needy, the widows and orphans. In due time, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain (Rev 21:4). Everyone will become rich in Him!

And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain. (Zech 14:17)

And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant and the Levite, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow, who are within your gates. (Deut 16:14)

Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to the LORD your God in the place which the LORD chooses, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you surely rejoice. (Deut 16:15)

When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' (Matthew 25:31-40)

What are the punishments if any nation does not bring their wealth to the King?
The nation will have no rain - no heavenly blessings. Worse still, they will receive the plague with which the LORD will strike them when they do not go up to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.

If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. (Zech 14:18-19)

Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. (Matthew 25:41-46)


There are two excellent articles which I strongly recommend you to read:


Source
:
Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Written on:
7 December 2004