Proverbs 23:5
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Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
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Pause for a moment. If we apply the literal methods of some, what do we have? Will we pluck out our eyeballs and place them on nothing, because our nation's money is growing feathers and flying fast and powerfully to Abraham's bosom! Let God be true!
If we consider wisely, we see man's foolish lust for "financial independence." We are warned about our eyes toward women and wine (6:25; 23:31), and now we are warned about the sinful lust for wealth. Most riches are never acquired. They are seen, desired, pursued, expected, and even counted; but as quickly as they appeared, they disappear. The only "sure thing" in this life is our lesson - riches are an illusive and fatal lie!
Working hard your whole life to be rich is a waste of a life, as the rich fool learned, when He heard the voice, not of fabled Father Time, but rather of the great and dreadful God, Who said, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?" (Luke 12:16-21.) Fear Him, reader, who can cast both body and soul into hell. Yea, I say unto you, Fear Him (Luke 12:4-5).
You cannot take riches with you (Job 1:21; I Tim 6:7); and many things will take them from you, as we shall learn. You arrived naked and helpless, and you will leave the same way. The Judge waiting for you is not moved by any amount of success or wealth had here. Only godliness with contentment is great gain, with great promise (I Tim 6:6; 4:8)!
The very idea of living to get rich is so ridiculous that God simply calls it a lie! He tells us that low class men are obviously worthless, but He says that high class, successful men are a lie (Ps 62:9)! If we put them both on the scales, they are lighter than nothing!
Other than death leaving us absolutely naked and destitute, how else do riches fly away like an eagle and disappear?
In America, the tax man cometh! The more you make, our socialistic, progressive income tax takes a higher percentage. Is it foolish to punish the successful? Of course! But that does not alter the fact. Caesar wants a larger portion of your total income.
In America, a second tax man cometh! Only a few see this man, though they hear about him. Inflation, the increase of our nation's money supply by the Federal Reserve, quietly and efficiently takes another large bite from your estate to fund our deficit spending.
The propensity to consume is the economic law that spending increases as fast as income (Eccl 5:11). You want to show and enjoy your wealth, so you take on the habits of the rich (21:17,20; 6:9-11; Luke 15:12-16). Though the rich cry about the high cost of living, it is rather the cost of high living. When you make more, you spend more; so you are left with what you had before! But you do get to count it coming and going! What vanity!
Riches bring pride that deceives men into foolish business decisions and investments that will take back more of their increase (10:15; 18:11; 26:12; 28:11,19). A little success is dangerous, for it breeds over-confidence, which will lead to a painful fall (16:18; 18:12).
If there is anything left after taxes, inflation, high living, and vain ideas, the rich man commits his money to the investment bankers, hoping to earn back what he has lost. But they expose his declining funds to the vagaries of various cruel markets and churn and burn his assets until they have confiscated them by transaction fees!
You cannot forget about those sons and nephews who will take your inheritance, legally or illegally, while you are living or not, and squander it by folly at least as rapidly as you acquired it by wisdom (Eccl 2:18-21)! Life looks good, doesn't it, rich man?
Competing with those greedy relatives are sycophant leeches who call themselves friends, but they will be gone one day before the cash runs out (14:20; 19:4-7)! See the comments about the horseleach and his two daughters in 30:15.
We can't forget our Lord's warning that any treasure on earth, and this applies literally or figuratively to all investments, will be consumed by thieves, moths, and rust (Matt 6:19).
It is not the riches that are sin, dear reader; it is the foolish desire for them. God condemns the love of money, not money (I Tim 6:9-10,17-19). If riches increase by the blessing of God, don't set your heart on them (Ps 62:10). Use them wisely (Eph 4:28).
The wise man Agur tells us to pray against both poverty and riches (30:7-9). Both are dangerous. There have been godly rich men like Job, Abraham, David, and not many more. For the Savior taught that a camel can squeeze through the eye of a needle easier than a rich man can enter the kingdom of God (Matt 19:23-26).
Dear reader, set your eyes upon the riches of Christ (Col 2:1-3), the riches of the fullness of God (Eph 3:16-19), the riches of His grace (Eph 2:7), the riches of His word (Ps 19:10), and the riches of your eternal inheritance (Eph 1:18). Make the exchange that Moses made, and may the Lord honor your faith as highly - choose the riches of Christ over the riches of Egypt (Heb 11:24-26). These spiritual riches will never fly away, and they will bring great peace and pleasure now, rather than vanity and vexation of spirit!
Having condemned the folly of seeking to be rich (23:4), the Preacher gives an inclusive reason not to pursue this foolish goal. Consider, young and old, and be wise. Why will a man spend his life trying to capture something that is only an illusion? There are certain laws of economics and God's judgments that will surely take all riches quickly away.
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