«Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you»(Job 22:2 1).
In the Word of God, prosperity and obedience to the divine commandments are related. «Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches will be in his house, and his righteousness endures forever» (Ps. 112:1-3). Though prosperity entails distinct aspects that go from moral and spiritual development to the accumulation of material goods and wealth, the emphasis is frequently placed on other people’s economic progress.
But the relation between wealth and obedience to God’s commandments is more complex than it seems. Some people achieve prosperity as a result of their faithfulness to the divine principles, and others suffer great loss because of their faith.
One day, King Ahab decided to buy a vineyard bordering his palace. According to the Mosaic laws, this is not legal since «no land could be transferred permanently by sale or exchange; every one of the children of Israel must keep ‘the inheritance of the tribe of his fat ers’ (Num. 36:7).» (Prophet and Kings, ch. 16, p. 205). Consequently, Naboth, the owner of the vineyard, respecting the divine laws, refused the King’s offer. That decision cost him his life. Had he pleased the King and ignored the principles, he would have gotten «a better vineyard in exchange» (1 Kings 21:2, NLT).
Many «men are ready to trample upon His statues as a hindrance to their worldly prosperity, because God forbids dishonest practices, coveting, lying and defrauding.» (The Great Controversy, ch. 36, p. 585). When prosperity depends on such practices, humbleness and poverty are preferable.
Job’s friends associated economic prosperity with divine blessing and approval when they said, «Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you» (Job 22:21). However, those who perceive accumulated wealth or earthly power as proof of God’s favor deceive themselves miserably. Riches are not indications of divine approval; what pleases God is our faith in Him and our loyalty to His commandments, even if they result in poverty and abuse (Heb. 11:36-38).
If you are tempted to believe that financial stability is a manifestation of God’s blessing, remember that Jesus, though He was poor, grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men (Luke 2:52).