For us as God’s people, the right understanding of prosperity based on the Word of God has great significance in times of existential concerns that we face. According to the Word of God, it is clear that the silver and the gold belong to the LORD (cf. Haggai 2:8).
Haggai 2:8:
8 “The silver is mine and the gold is mine,” declares the Lord Almighty.
8 “The silver is mine and the gold is mine,” declares the Lord Almighty.
Since God is Spirit, there is first and foremost a spiritual principle in this that encompasses the importance of the presence of the Word of God as silver and the resulting gold as riches of faith. It is the faith that comes from hearing the Word of God (cf. Psalm 12:6 i.c.w. Romans 10:17).
Psalm 12:6:
6 And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.
6 And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.
Romans 10:17:
17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
The way we can apply this principle, involves the lifestyle of worship as the sons of God in Christ Jesus, so that the Heavenly Father is honored and praise is brought to the truth in the Holy Spirit (cf. John 4:23-24).
John 4:23-24:
23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks.
24 God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.’
23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks.
24 God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.’
This means that we spend time in the Word of God from which our faith grows. This investment of time in the Word of God results in greater value, which includes faith as well as the presence of His glory. The glory of God is associated, among other things, with automatically producing an increase in every area, because earthly wealth and prosperity have their seat in the spiritual world.
=> The term ‘glory’ describes the perceptible presence, cooperating power and splendor manifested by the appearance of God or His Holy Spirit. It is the presence of the Father, His Son or His Holy Spirit.
The glory was more than a shining appearance. It also includes a testimony of the LORD’s favor and grace. The glory was a sign of His splendor as well as receiving the sacrifices of praise from the people who worshiped God in unity.
The Hebrew word for glory is ‘kābôd’ or ‘kavod’. The Greek word is ‘doxa’ from which we got the term ‘doxology’ (Note: glorification of God).
Glory includes in terms of its appearance, honor, prestige, power and blessing. Regarding all definitions of glory, its goal is to make or establish someone as an important person ‘with weight’ in the spiritual realm.
Glory is an automatic repository of anointing. <= (Note: The text in ‘=>’ is based on a part excerpt from the ‘Prophet’s Dictionary’ by Paula A. Price, Ph. D.; page 237.)
The Right Handling of Prosperity
When we are granted earthly prosperity by the grace of God, it is necessary that we properly handle the ‘gold’ entrusted to us by Him in the form of prosperity based on the truth of God’s Word.
Our properly handling prosperity involves sincerely glorifying God. It is similar to the golden items or utensils in the tabernacle and temple that were covered with gold and were used for the glorification of God (cf. Exodus 25:10-13.31; Exodus 26:29-30.32.37).
Exodus 25:10-13.31:
10 ‘Let them make an ark of acacia wood – two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.
11 Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold moulding around it.
12 Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other.
13 Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. …
31 ‘Make a lampstand of pure gold. Hammer out its base and shaft, and make its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them.
10 ‘Let them make an ark of acacia wood – two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.
11 Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold moulding around it.
12 Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other.
13 Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. …
31 ‘Make a lampstand of pure gold. Hammer out its base and shaft, and make its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them.
Exodus 26:29-30.32.37:
29 Overlay the frames with gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold.
30 ‘Set up the tabernacle according to the plan shown you on the mountain. …
32 Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases. …
37 Make gold hooks for this curtain and five posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold. And cast five bronze bases for them.
29 Overlay the frames with gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold.
30 ‘Set up the tabernacle according to the plan shown you on the mountain. …
32 Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases. …
37 Make gold hooks for this curtain and five posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold. And cast five bronze bases for them.
If our wealth does not carry a structure of worship to God, the Heavenly Father, it can quickly lead to fall, because otherwise we define ourselves by ourselves or by our own established structures. By covering these with our ‘gold’ or wealth, we miss God’s standards and sin (cf. 1 Timothy 6:10).
1 Timothy 6:10:
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Greed for money or wealth is a fallen type of worship, as it has money at the center of worship and focus, instead of God, from whom all blessings (Note: immaterial and material) come.
Thus, it becomes clear that we can practice unholy financial management in the spiritual realm through a wrong heart attitude. This results in being removed from the heavenly ‘sphere of trading’, which includes a sphere of worship, as happened to Satan when he was banished from heaven.
This fall is represented by the fall of King Tyre and Babylon and in the way the merchants were thrown out of the temple when Jesus Christ cleansed it while he lived on earth (cf. Ezekiel 28:13-18; Isaiah 14:11-15 i.c.w. Matthew 21:12-13).
Ezekiel 28:13-18 (Note: Fall of the King of Tyre):
13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite
and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared.
14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones.
15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you.
16 Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.
17 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.
18 By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching.
13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite
and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared.
14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones.
15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you.
16 Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones.
17 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.
18 By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you, and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching.
Isaiah 14:11-15 (Note: Fall of the King of Babel):
“… 11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you.
12 How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!
13 You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens (Note: to define oneself by own deeds); I will raise my throne above the stars of God (Note: false zeal); I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon (Note: desire to be the center of attention).
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds (Note: spiritual independence by escaping circumstances); I will make myself like the Most High (Note: through pride, being driven to win only).”
15 But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.
“… 11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you.
12 How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!
13 You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens (Note: to define oneself by own deeds); I will raise my throne above the stars of God (Note: false zeal); I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon (Note: desire to be the center of attention).
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds (Note: spiritual independence by escaping circumstances); I will make myself like the Most High (Note: through pride, being driven to win only).”
15 But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.
Matthew 21:12-13:
12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.
13 “It is written (cf. Isaiah 56:7),” he said to them, “ ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”
When Jesus, with the zeal of God, cleansed the temple in Jerusalem of the insincere merchants and buyers (Note: insincere worshippers), he drew attention to true commerce as ‘the true barter’ in heaven, which can only be done with a sincere heart through relationship with the Heavenly Father.
This is represented by the tables (Note: symbol for fellowship) overturned by Jesus Christ with the table legs like index fingers pointing towards heaven and thus pointing to the true heavenly trade in the relationship with the Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ.
The House Built on the Rock
God wants us to build our house on the rock, which includes our fellowship with Him, in the spiritual mandate area He has assigned to us. For this, we have the responsibility to bring all the ‘materials’ (Note: resources) of our house, which represents experiences made with the Word of God, up to the rock or mountain (cf. Isiah 2:2 i.c.w. Matthew 7:24).
Isaiah 2:2:
2 In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple (Note: house) will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.
2 In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple (Note: house) will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.
Matthew 7:24:
24 ‘Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
24 ‘Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
This results in the establishment of the house of wisdom, which carries within it the seven-fold fiery sustaining presence of the Spirit of God, since Jesus spoke of a wise man in the parable of the house built on the rock (cf. Proverbs 9:1 i.c.w. Exodus 25:31-33.37; Isaiah 11:2; Revelation 4:5).
Proverbs 9:1:
1 Wisdom has built her house; she has set up its seven pillars.
1 Wisdom has built her house; she has set up its seven pillars.
Exodus 25:31-33.37:
31 ‘Make a lampstand of pure gold. Hammer out its base and shaft, and make its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them.
32 Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand – three on one side and three on the other.
33 Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. …
37 ‘Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it.
31 ‘Make a lampstand of pure gold. Hammer out its base and shaft, and make its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them.
32 Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand – three on one side and three on the other.
33 Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. …
37 ‘Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it.
Isaiah 11:2:
2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord – …
2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord – …
Revelation 4:5:
5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.
5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.
As we go up to the rock to build our house there, we are not left out of experiences of spiritual opposition from the enemy, which serve to develop steadfastness in the faith (cf. Romans 8:28 i.c.w. James 1:2-4).
Romans 8:28:
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
James 1:2-4:
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Having developed steadfastness in faith, we are encouraged to implement this value in our relationship with the LORD and our neighbor, which includes loving God and our neighbor (cf. Mark 12:29-31).
Mark 12:29-31:
29 ‘The most important one,’ answered Jesus, ‘is this: “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”
31 The second is this: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no commandment greater than these.’
29 ‘The most important one,’ answered Jesus, ‘is this: “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”
31 The second is this: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no commandment greater than these.’
Going up the Mountain and the Vine
By going up the mountain, which spirals in a spiritual context, we begin to understand more intensely our God-given spiritual mandate to serve sovereignly in it and to live in healthy interpersonal relationship with others.
The reason for spiraling upward is found in the fact that Jesus Christ says of Himself that He is the Vine and we are the branches (cf. John 15:5).
John 15:5:
5 ‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
5 ‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
The vine in this context is a reference to fruitfulness and joy.
This means that going upward encompasses the phase in which God teaches us, as His disciples and people, how to flourish and become fruitful more fully, and in that way to bear and keep the treasures of the Kingdom that He entrusts to us for the Kingdom.
Since the vine is an upward-twining plant, it calls us in Christ Jesus to ascend into the ‘spirit realm’ in royal authority in order to bring God’s Kingdom treasures to earth (cf. Matthew 6:10).
Matthew 6:10:
… 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
… 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
The Vine as Jesus Christ in this context is the connecting path between heaven and earth, between the spiritual realm and the natural realm. It is the way associated with joy, rest, truth and life. This rest includes physical rest or peace, inner rest in emotions, and rest in all undertakings (cf. John 14:6.27; John 15:5).
John 14:6.27:
6 Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. …
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. …’
6 Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. …
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. …’
John 15:5:
5 ‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. …’
5 ‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. …’
Furthermore, going up to the mountain in order to build our house there on the rock involves recognizing and understanding God’s respective temporary cycle of time in the form of the Alpha and Omega.
This annual spiral cycle is akin to a mountain divided into three time periods that function like portals (cf. Exodus 23:14-17; Deuteronomy 16:16). These portals, based on the mountain from bottom to top, are
- Passover – dimension of the blood of the lamb (Note: time of the sacrifice => not to live oneself but Christ; cf. Galatians 2:20 i.c.w. Exodus 23:4-8),
- Shavuot/Pentecost – dimension of the firstfruits as well as the standard of values and the Spirit of God (cf. Leviticus 23:15-22 i.c.w. Acts 2:1-4),
- Sukkot – dimension of harvest and glory of God (cf. Leviticus 23:33-36.39-43).
The dimension of the rock on the top of the mountain, includes the beginning of a new biblical year Rosh ha-Shanah – ‘head or peak of the year’ (cf. Leviticus 23:23-25) and living in the spirit of the fear of the LORD (Note: the Ten Days of Awe) as well as the power of atonement through Christ Jesus as Yom Kippur – the Great Day of Atonement (cf. Leviticus 23:26-32).
The top of the mountain bears the capacity of Shabbat i.e. the ‘7’ and is thus a level of divine rest and communion with Him (cf. Genesis 2:2-3 i.c.w. Leviticus 23:3).
Genesis 2:2-3:
2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.
3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.
3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
Leviticus 23:3:
3 ‘ “There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the Lord.
3 ‘ “There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the Lord.
Furthermore, the top of the rock points to the seventh biblical month ‘Tishri/Ethanim’ in the redemptive cycle, which heralds the new biblical year in God’s blessing cycle.
Based on the explanation of going up to raise our house on the rock, it reveals that we should develop a proper biblical understanding of time and move forward in it. In this way, we worship in spirit and in truth, respecting the appointed biblical feasts by God, which we honor in faith to celebrate in joy in His presence.
From the understanding of our God-given spiritual mandate which is represented by the size and extent of the ‘mountain’ and the biblical understanding of time emerges a higher potential of wisdom, whose beginning is the fear of the LORD (Note: The fear of the Lord is mentioned in Isaiah 11:2 in the seventh position; cf. Psalm 111:10 i.c.w. Proverbs 9:10a).
Psalm 111:10:
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
Proverbs 9:10a:
10a The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, …
10a The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, …
This reveals the prudence Jesus spoke of in the parable with the house on the rock.
God requires that we come to rest in our relationship with Him in His time dimension of perfection, and as a result, through prayer, reveal the place of fellowship with God that knows no robbery, but the bringing forth of true spiritual life (cf. Isaiah 56:7).
Isaiah 56:7:
‘… 7 these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.’
‘… 7 these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.’
Accordingly, the proper use of wealth involves the true recognition of the fullness of God, to whom glory is due for the blessings with which He reveals to us His faithfulness and which alone secures us for all time.
We express our gratitude and worship for this faithfulness in faith in our devotion to come to Him daily in our decisions to worship Him wholly with our lives, which brings the riches of the Word and faith (Note: silver and gold) to Him.
Amen and Amen.
In His Wisdom,
Daniel Glimm
