James, a servant of The Almighty ~GOD~ of Israel and of The Lord ~JESUS~ Christ of Nazareth, is conveying a message from ~GOD~ to Jews and Christians via a letter that he scribed to the twelve tribes of Israel. This letter is also intended for those of us Gentiles that have placed our Faith and Trust in Christ because we have been grafted into the house of Israel and their Eternal Covenants by The Shed Blood of our Lord and Savior ~JESUS~ Christ of Nazareth on The Cross at Calvary…
The following is the final chapter of this practical, no–nonsense letter which emphasizes ~GOD’s~ will for [ALL] of us…
“Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you…”
{James 5:1-6 KJV}
Verse Breakdown:
📜 James pronounces a prophetic [woe] on wealthy landowners who get rich by defrauding and oppressing their workers, especially poor day–laborers who live job–to–job. Their hoarded wealth will rot, their luxurious clothes will be eaten by moths, and their gold and silver will “rust” as a testimony against them in the day of judgment…
This passage of scripture is especially powerful stating that the unpaid wages themselves “cry out” to ~GOD~ echoing Abel’s blood cries from the ground, and ~GOD~ called “the Lord of sabaoth”or Lord of hosts/armies hears the cry of the oppressed. These rich people live in luxury while murdering the innocent most likely through economic injustice and/or corrupt courts. This is one of the strongest denunciations of exploitative wealth in the entire New Testament of The Holy Bible…
“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy…”
{James 5:7-11 KJV}
Verse Breakdown:
📜 After the strong warning to the rich, James turns back to the oppressed believers “brethren” and tells them to be patient and Not to take revenge. The Lord is coming soon as Judge. He uses two illustrations to make this point…
The farmer who patiently waits for both the early [autumn] and latter [spring] rains before harvest…
The Old Testament prophets and Job who suffered yet remained faithful to ~GOD~. The phrase “the Judge standeth before the door” means that Christ’s return and judgment are imminent. Believers are to strengthen their hearts, avoid grumbling against each other, and remember that ~GOD~ rewarded Job’s endurance with restoration and showed Himself “very pitiful, and of tender mercy”…
“But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation…”
{James 5:12 KJV}
Verse Breakdown:
📜 This verse echoes ~JESUS’~ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. Christians are to be so truthful that elaborate oaths are unnecessary. Simply say “yes” or “no” and mean it. Swearing by anything [Heaven, earth, Jerusalem, or your head] was a common Jewish tradition to make promises seem more binding, but ~JESUS~ forbids this for anyone who believes in Him. Integrity of speech is a mark of The Glorious Eternal Kingdom of ~GOD~…
“Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins…”
{James 5:13-20 KJV}
Verse Breakdown:
📜 This last passage of scripture is one of the most practical and often–quoted passages on Prayer and Church life…
If you are Afflicted, then Pray to ~GOD~…
If you are Happy, then Sing Praises to ~GOD~…
If you are Sick, then Call the elders for Anointing with Oil and Prayer in ~JESUS’~ Almighty Name…
[The Olive Oil is both Medicinal and Symbolic of The Holy Spirit and the Healing is by the Power and Glory of The Lord, Not the Oil]…
The “prayer of faith” can bring physical healing and forgiveness of sins which shows us the close link between sin, sickness, and restoration in some cases…
Mutual confession and intercessory prayer are powerful “availeth much”…
Elijah is given as an example of an ordinary man whose fervent prayer changed the weather for 3½ years…
Finally, restoring a wandering believer is an act of great mercy which saves them from spiritual death and covers a multitude of sins…
Summary:
~GOD~ fiercely opposes those who get rich by oppressing the poor…
Suffering believers must wait patiently for Christ’s return and imminent judgment…
Live with such Integrity that oaths are Unnecessary!!!
The Church Must be a Praying, Confessing, Healing, and Restoring Community of Believers!!!
Righteous, fervent prayer is incredibly powerful, and leading a Brother and/or Sister in Christ that has strayed from the flock back into the fold is one of the Greatest acts of Love we can do for one another…
James ends this letter the same way that he scribed it. Very Direct, Practical, and Urgent. Calling on [ALL] of ~GOD’s~ Children to have Genuine Faith and Trust in our Heavenly Father that shows itself through our Ethical–Living, Patient–Endurance, Truthful–Speech, and Fervent–Prayer until our Lord and Savior ~JESUS~ Christ of Nazareth returns…
Prayer:
Father ~JESUS~,
Lord—Thank You for the Eternal Truth of Your Holy Word…
Please teach me to live with Unwavering–Faith, Patience, and Sincere–Integrity…
Help me to Trust in Your Devine Justice, especially when life feels unfair…
Strengthen my heart and let it rest in Your Tender Mercy as I Patiently wait upon Your timing…
Cleanse my Speech so that Every Word that departs from my mouth Honors and Glorifies You…
Lord, please make me a person of Fervent and Faithful Prayer, Always Joyfully Praising You for All of the Blessings that You have bestowed upon me…
Help me to seek Your face in Sickness, Trials, and Honest Repentance when I fall from Grace…
Give me love and compassion for those who have strayed from Your Fellowship and help me to lead them back to You…
Use me as Your hands and feet to bring Hope and Restoration to others…
Thank You for Listening to my Prayers and Supplications Every Time I call upon You…
In Your Precious–Holy–And–Most Powerful–Name ~JESUS~, Amen…
✝️MARANATHA✝️
📺 A Jewish Man Sets Out To Disprove ~JESUS~ Christ As Messiah
Do you have any questions about a relationship with ~JESUS~ Christ???
If so, you can find the answers by using the links below:
📺 Invitation To Know ~JESUS~ Personally…
JESUSAVESISRAEL 
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