Cries

James 5:4-6 NKJV

Luke 16:19-31 NKJV

Galatians 6:7 NKJV

James Series

The situation described in James 5:4a could well be a modern day headline in a newspaper:

Laborers Wages Held Back

In James 5:4 we read, “Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.”

So, while the poor laborers are cheated out of payment for their hard work, James clearly says the Lord of Sabaoth heard the cries of the reapers. The Hebrew word for Sabaoth means Hosts. The Lord of Hosts referred to the Lord of the armies of angels (https://www.gotquestions.org/Lord-of-hosts.html). According to James the cries of the laboring reapers had reached the armies of angels in heaven!

Jesus shared a similar story to His disciples in the Gospel of Luke. In Luke 16:19-31 we learn, “‘There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”

So, the poor man died and Angels ushered him to heaven.

The rich man who refused to help the poor man, died and went to Hades. While in Hades the rich man pleaded for mercy, but he was reminded that when he was on earth he was blessed and he refused to help the poor man.

He was also told that the poor man Lazarus was not so blessed when he lived on earth but now he was given comfort.

The rich man in Luke 16 then asked that his five brothers would be warned what Hades was like. The man was told his brothers had been provided the answers through the words of the prophets and he could not cross the divide. The story in Luke is a stark reminder for the rich and their selfishness.

As we read on in James 5:5-6 we learn more about the rich. James says, “You (the rich mentioned in James 5:1) have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.”

James’ issue in verse 5 wasn’t just with the rich because they were rich. It wasn’t just because they lived in pleasure and luxury. It wasn’t just because they fattened their hearts. We learn in

verse 6 that it was because they condemned and murdered the just, the poor who do not resist.

It makes sense really that the poor do not resist.

How would they reason they deserved help from a rich man?

James was actually making a point in this section of scripture to the rich Jews in the audience he was writing to. Throughout the book of James he was telling the wealthy readers they needed to depend on God…God alone. He wanted them to see that they could not depend on their money to save them. Just like the rich man in the story Jesus told to His disciples in Luke 16, James wanted them to turn to God and use their wealth for God. He wanted them to help the poor.

I believe he wanted them to hear the cries of the poor. God does speak to injustice often because whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”

If God blessed them with wealth, they need to sow it with love, kindness, and generosity.

After all, when a rich man sows love, he will reap love.

Today’s Spiritual Practice is: Sow Love

When God gives you an opportunity, sow love. If you do not see an opportunity, ask God to give you one.

In God, Deborah

acrazyjourney.com