The Futility of Riches
God is the Creator of the heavens and the earth (Gen 1–2; Col 1:16). Therefore, the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it (1 Chron 29:11; Ps 24:1); so, whatever comes our way is from the Lord (1 Cor 12:11), who is every man’s provider (Yahweh-Jireh). God gives and God takes away (Job 1:21), according to His sovereign will and good pleasure (Phil 2:13). The wise man, therefore, prays, “Give me neither poverty nor riches” (Prv 30:8) because there is the danger of forgetting God or misrepresenting Him.
It is wise for us to consider Qohelet’s view of material wealth in this world that is passing away because we must all appear before the judgment seat to give an account of our stewardship of all things entrusted to us by the Giver of every good and every perfect gift (1 Cor 7:31; 2 Cor 5:10; Jas 1:17; 1 Jn 2:17). Our contemplation here is Ecclesiastes 5:8–20.
God gives us time upon the earth (Eccl 5:18). The days appointed for each person are appointed by God and known to Him before there is yet one of them (Ps 139:16). From our perspective, each person’s life is but a vapor (Jas 4:14). We are here, today, and soon gone to our eternal home (Eccl 12:5). In fact, we come into the world with nothing; and we leave the world with nothing (1 Tim 6:7). Therefore, we must be wise investors.
In the world, moth and rust threaten one’s accumulated resources (Mt 6:19–20). Thieves break in and steal, so one spends money to attain wealth, maintain wealth, and secure what is possessed by him. The preacher observes the man who has hoarded more and more riches to his own hurt (Eccl 5:13). He calls it a grievous evil.
A man labors to have more money and more of the world’s goods (Lk 12; Mk 8:36; 1 Tim 6:9). Other men tell him that their products or services will make the man more productive, happy, and healthy. This is one way that seems right to a man, but in the end leads to death (Prv 14:12; 16:25). This quest for utopia is like chasing after the wind.
Right livelihood is a gift from God (Eccl 5:19), meaning we should only do what God has designed each one to do. Otherwise, labor is a curse; and the man is bitter in his toil done under the sun (Eccl 2:18).
The man without poverty nor riches is blessed because he eats after hard day’s work, and for this reason he sleeps well through the night (Eccl 5:12). The rich man has no such luxury. He has many things and much money at risk in the uncertain markets of the world system run by the ruler of this world, Satan, who is every man’s adversary (Jn 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). If time and chance happen to everyone, then so do bad investments (Eccl 5:14).
The good things bestowed upon His children are never to be doubted as “good.” We know that Yahweh-Jireh is our provider, who supplies His children with that which we live upon and minister with all of our days. In other words, we enjoy what God has given us; and His supply includes provision for every good work prepared for us beforehand (2 Cor 9:8; Eph 2:10). To enjoy the work given to us is as much a gift from God as the work itself.
If one is prone to turn God’s provisions into idols (Ps 115; 135); then he is only storing up wrath for the day of wrath (Rom 2:5); for our God is jealous for the affections of His creatures (Ex 34:14; Dt 4:24). He who loves money is never satisfied with money (Eccl 5:10); and men are lovers of money (2 Tim 3:2). Simply put, God will not let him enjoy it.
The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Tim 6:10). The pursuit of money will cause men to do all kinds of dirty works to attain more and more of the mammon of unrighteousness. This love for the world and the things of the world only reveals that the love of God is not in this man (Jn 5:42; 1 Jn 2:15–17), whose only quest is to build bigger barns to store the increase of that which never satisfies the man (Lk 12:13–33).
The rich fool (Lk 12:13–33), the rich man in hell (Lk 16:19–31), and the rich young ruler (Lk 18:18–34) teach us that God is not pleased with those who store up treasure on earth and neglect the alternative investment of storing up treasure in heaven (Mt 6:19–20). The latter example — a man who actually came to Jesus — sought eternal life. The personal cost required of him was too much for him to give up his lifestyle.
The Pharisees and Sadducees were both lovers of money and Jesus pronounced woe upon them (Mt 23; Lk 16:14). The rich man who found himself in hell realized his error in living sumptuously every day in this life, only to suffer forever in eternity under the punishment of God in the lake of fire (Lk 16:19–31; Rev 20:14–15).
Where a man’s heart is, whether in heaven or upon the earth, there will his treasure be gaining interest. At the end of his life, the man who loses his own soul will know he was deceived by false advertising promising heaven on earth (Mk 8:36).
Money is a medium of exchange; and it is a worthy test of one’s allegiance to his god/God. The Bible is a storehouse of knowledge on the subject of money and possessions; therefore, no man has an excuse for not making a wise investment based on the advice of the Word of God.
My dear reader, it is prudent to know and prudent to act upon financial truth because you will take nothing out of this world; rather, you can use money and material possessions to make friends for eternal habitations (Lk 16:9). Therefore, give and it shall be given unto you to give again (Lk 6:38). Give, joyfully, so that there may be equality in the house of God (2 Cor 8:13, 14). Give when you see your brother in need; for this is how you see the love of God is in you (1 Jn 3:17), for this is the way that Jesus gave when He laid down His life for the brethren (1 Jn 3:16). In love, Jesus gave 100%!
May God richly bless you as you exchange material, possessions for spiritual ones that will be with you, forever. May you see the value of an eschatological investment, knowing your Father knows your needs even before you ask Him for help. His promise is to never leave you nor forsake you (Heb 13:5), which lends itself to the lesson of the futility of hoarded riches.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
July 17, 2025
Ecclesiastes 5:8–20
