What the Bible says about Rich and Poor, Disparity between
(From Forerunner Commentary)
The conduct of the average Israelite becomes glaringly apparent. In ancient Israel the social conditions during the reign of Jeroboam II had reached the proportions of what is extant in the United States today. A tremendous disparity between the rich and the poor existed just as in modern America, where most of the wealth is concentrated in only about two percent of the population. Soon, if the elimination of the middle class continues on course, only two classes of people will live in the U.S., the rich and the poor. A similar situation was developing in Israel during Amos' day.
Amos shows that those who had the money and power treated the weak, called "the poor," very harshly. Though they were not destitute, the poor had no strength in society. They had no power to change their situation for the better, while the rich and powerful manipulated the government and the courts to their advantage. The rich squeezed every penny out of the poor, even requiring them to relinquish overnight their outer garments, often used as a cover when sleeping. To top off the list, they were also guilty of sexual perversions and idolatry.
John W. Ritenbaugh
The World, the Church, and LaodiceanismRelated Topics: Disparity between Rich and Poor | Elimination of Middle Class | Exploitation of Weak | Idolatry | Israel | Israel's Immorality | Jeroboam II | Laodicean | Laodicean Attitude | Laodiceanism | Middle Class, Elimination of | Oppression of Courts | Oppression of Poor | Poor, Indifference to | Poor, Oppression of | Poor, Pitying the | Rich and Poor, Disparity between | Sexual Perversion | Wealth
Taking advantage of the poor and powerless appears in many forms in modern America. Powerful and wealthy families, corporations, lobbying groups, and governments hold tremendous sway over—and often outrightly control—the government of the United States. The members of the government, to please their various monied constituents, draft and enact legislation and directives that have funneled the wealth, opportunities, and resources into fewer and fewer hands.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Panting After the DustRelated Topics: Disparity between Rich and Poor | Elimination of Middle Class | Exploitation of Weak | Greed | Israel's Immorality | Laodicean | Laodicean Attitude | Laodiceanism | Middle Class, Elimination of | Oppression of Courts | Oppression of Poor | Poor, Indifference to | Poor, Oppression of | Rich and Poor, Disparity between
Human nature tends to value the wrong things in life—to eat, drink, and be merry—things without eternal worth. Because of this temptation, people's main anxiety concerns accumulating this world's luxuries. The rich man may even have been embarrassed by his inability to store his hoarded wealth, but he never considered using his riches for the benefit of others. Irishman Jonathan Swift observed, "Nothing is so hard for those who abound in riches as to conceive how others can be in want." A generous person, however, sees the needs of others first (Proverbs 11:25-26; 22:9). We should sow goodness and generosity so we will reap the same (Galatians 6:7-10).
Martin G. Collins
Parable of the Rich FoolRelated Topics: Generosity | Hoarding Material Things | Lust of the Eyes | Lust of the Flesh | Luxury | Materialism | Parable of the Rich Fool | Rich and Poor, Disparity between | Riches