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| Isaiah 23:9 The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.
I just got a letter two days ago from Paris. Apparently, a man who claims to be a lawyer in Asia wants to make me rich. He claims that there's a man with my last name who died and left a 15 million dollar inheritance. Since that man had no family the money is up for grabs. Thankfully, I had the same last name as this wealthy man, and if I'll just send all my vital information to this lawyer in Asia, he'll send me 15 million dollars.
Do you think that "lawyer" actually wants to make someone wealthy? The answer is yes. The question is- whom does he want to make wealthy? The answer is himself. Greedy people prey on greedy people. If there wasn't some element of greed, covetousness, selfishness, or pride in my heart and life, the devil would have very little with which to work. When the devil finds pride in me, he finds an ally with which he can destroy my life.
As God is pronouncing judgment on the pride of many nations, we read about the nation of Tyre. Tyre had allowed gold and financial power to bolster its pride. There's nothing wrong with having great amounts of wealth. However, there is great wickedness in making it our god, and thinking our self- worth consists in the things we have instead of the God who gives it. So, in Isaiah 23:9 God passes judgment on this nation who equated its strength with money, and purposed Tyre "to stain the pride of all glory and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth." Here's a very important point we can learn from the book of Isaiah: taking thought for money without giving thanks to God is pride.
There's nothing wrong with having money, enjoying the people we love, or take pleasure in a good meal, but few things prompt us to declare our independence from God more than money. Those that live by the dollar die by the dollar. To put my confidence in my wealth is to live in pride and independence of God. Let me ask you a question-What do you have that money can't give and poverty can't take away? That is a blessing from God. We ought to make sure that we give God the credit for the good things He gives instead of focusing so much on the gifts that we forget the giver.
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