Could Fear be at the Root of Money Worship?

A fear of lack and a fear of the future can tempt us to place a higher priority on financial gain than the need to be in good standing with God.

Raw Video Transcript (no editing of script)

Hi there and welcome back to Daily Bible Promises with a Twist. And as always, we’re going to be reading first one verse from the New International Version and today’s happens to be from Hebrews chapter 13 verse 5. “Never will I leave you nor will I forsake you.”

So let’s put that verse into context. Going to be reading from the New American Standard Bible. Chapter 13 verse 5, and you’ll see it’s the complete verse. “et your character be free from the love of money. Be content with what you have. For he himself has said, ‘I will never desert you nor will I ever forsake you.'”

Well, isn’t that puzzling little piece of Bible verse!

Why does the author of Hebrews, who, by the way, we really don’t know who wrote the book of Hebrews, stick this quote from the Old Testament, “I will never desert you nor will I ever forsake you” on the tail end of an admonition to not love money?

It got me curious, so I went on a little hunt and I discovered the passage where this author is quoting from. And he’s quoting from Deuteronomy, chapter 31, where Moses is about to pass the torch on to Joshua. And there are several times within the first seven verses of Deuteronomy 31, where Moses challenges the people of Israel and then he challenges Joshua with the same words. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you.” What’s the point that the author is trying to make in Hebrew?

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to have a healthy bank account. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to have enough money to meet your needs. That’s not what the author here is talking about. He’s talking about covertness; where you need money in order for you to feel content. A strong belief in the character of God and His integrity in keeping His promise that he will never desert us nor will He ever forsake us will give us to hope that we can use to fight when the fear of lack comes upon us, or even the fear of our future.

If we are consumed by the fear that we will never have enough or that things might run out, we can bow the knee to the idol of Mannon which was the spirit that Jesus talked about.  The love of worldly goods and putting our worship on those things as if they’re to save us, that’s what Jesus was warning against.

The author of Hebrews is reminding us,  we have a foundation that cannot be shaken.  By putting your dependence on God when you feel stress about your financial situation, if bills are going to be paid, if you’re going to have enough money for your children’s college funds etc. etc. Take this verse from Deuteronomy 31:6 that the writer of Hebrews quotes, and use that as your foundation. And imagine God’s arm around you as you’re looking over your bills and try to do financial strategies. “I will never desert you nor will I ever forsake you.”

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©2018 Katherine Walden

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