Chapter 5 will be an interesting chapter in which we find out about anointing one another in the name of the Lord. But first we begin with ill-gotten gains. James 5 and verse 1 reads.
James 5:1] Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
[2] Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
[3] Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
Talking here about ill- gotten gains. This reminds me of the story of the rich man that came to Jesus and asked how he could secure himself to life everlasting. Jesus told him to obey all commandments, he said he did. Then Jesus, knowing how he had gotten his riches, said this. Mat.19:21-24.
Mat.19:21] Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
[22] But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
[23] Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
[24] And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
A camel going through the eye of a needle? This only makes sense if you understand the cities back then. You see, a city was surrounded by a wall and had a large gate for commerce and travelers to come and go by day time. But at night it was closed, and all who came to the city at night had to use the smaller gate called the “Needle Gate” in which it took only a couple of soldiers to guard it. The idea was that they would have to unload the camels, hence ill- gotten gains, before they could enter into the city. Back to James and verse 4 reads.
James 5:4] Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
The LORD hears their cries. Check this word “Sabaoth” out in the Strongs’. It is G4519 and means; A military epithet of God. Lord of the armies of Israel, as those that are under the leadership and protection of “Yahaveh” maintain his cause in war. You do not want HIM against you. Back to James and verse 5 reads.
James 5:5] Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
Remember to love this world is to hate God.
James 5:6] Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
Speaking of the Kenites. Heb.2:14, Jesus came into this world to defeat death, that is the devil.
James 5:7] Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
Be patient, wait for the True Christ, wait for the seventh trump and withstand Satan in the sixth trump. This latter rain is for the Elect, have patience for the Lord,
James 5:8] Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
In your mind know that we will be delivered up. And with the gospel armor on we will stand.
James 5:9] Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
Christ is that door.
James 5:10] Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
The prophets were martyred. We however have Rev.9:4 to consider. And it reads.
Rev.9:4] And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
This is why we study his word, and search for understanding. Back to James and verse 11 reads.
James 5:11] Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
In the book of Job, Job lost everything and yet he never sinned against the Lord. The Lord rewarded Job twice as much as he had lost, the reward of a first born. Job being an example of an elect in these end times.
James 5:12] But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
Do not be lukewarm, let’s see what the Lord thinks of it in Rev.3:14-16 and it reads.
Rev.3:14] And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
[15] I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
[16] So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Remember it said “above all things” in verse 12, making this very important. Let your yes be yes and your no be no. I’ll say stand up like a man or woman of God and be a doer of his works. Back to James and verse 13 reads.
James 5:13] Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
Pray, he is listening. Sing praises to the Lord again he is listening.
James 5:14] Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
Christ, G5547, Christos in the Greek, and means; The anointed One, or to anoint with oil. So, we see that it is in his name, and we as Christians are to anoint one another for his namesake. But, always anoint in the name of Jesus Christ, this gives us credentials, meaning we follow God’s commandments, and love one another. And do so in his will and not ours. Showing faith and the willingness to be good stewards of his church. Back to James and verse 15 reads.
James 5:15] And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
The Lord is just and compassionate.
James 5:16] Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Not saying to tell each other your sins, but rather repent to your brother when you sin against your brother. This is doing what is right.
James 5:17] Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
Elias is Elijah. Elijah did this in 1Kings 17:1
James 5:18] And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
This is found in 1Kings 18:1. Have a fun and remarkable lesson in 1Kings 18, my favorite chapter that shows God has a sense of humor. Back to James and verse 19 reads.
James 5:19] Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
[20] Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
Do this and you will be blessed. One good works covers a multitude of sins. Always be a doer of God’s word, these are called works, they are the only thing we can take to heaven with us as we have studied in this great book of James. Let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible