What Would You Do If...? [5]

What would you do if money was not an issue?

If you had asked me that question 10 or so years ago I would have answered the question with a few of my own...  Does this mean I am rich?  Am I retired?  Am I dead?  Do I have an unending line of credit?  Can you give me some more information please - I would like to make the most of this opportunity!?!  Questions like those reveal a major stumbling block for Christians in an affluent culture.  In light of this we need a strong dose of behold!!

Granted, we do not make frequent use of "behold" in our daily conversations.  This is likely why some Bible translations will say "see" or "look" instead of "behold".  I understand using modern language to communicate a thought.  Yet what I do not understand is why, at times, translations completely omit the word (e.g., the NIV in both Rev21:3 and Rev21:5).  Behold is used to prompt us to take our eyes off our present circumstances.  We are to (literally) look up...even see things (in part) from God's perspective.  [Maybe I will cover behold in another post, but for now back to...]

Again, the opening question - What would you do if money was not an issue?  I ask this question because of what John wrote in verses 18 and 21 (v18 The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass....v21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass...).  Do not miss what is being communicated here.  While it is possible the streets of Revelation are actually made out of gold, this is not the issue - at least something deeper is being communicated [see end note #1 at bottom of post].  When we allow an image/symbol to breathe - well it is breathtaking.

One issue we see in Rev21:18,21 is a beautiful - and challenging - irony.  Gold is valued more than almost anything else on earth (especially for monetary worth - in John's day and even ours with the "bull run" gold recently).  Yet John tells us what people will trample and kill other people for here on this fallen earth is only good enough for the feet of the saints in the new heaven and new earth!!  That is beautiful - and challenging - at the same time.

It is beautiful because it reminds us all humans are made in God's image and therefore have inherent worth, value, and dignity (cf. Gen1:27).  It is challenging because finances surface often in Revelation.  The issue pops up in the oracles to the seven churches (Rev2-3) and with the beasts of Revelation 13.  It is present again in the destruction of "Babylon" in sobering ways (cf. Rev18-19).  In light of the low economic status of many to whom Revelation was addressed, God says they will have access to the "water of life without payment" (Rev21:6) - and yes gold is only fit for the feet of His people (Rev21:18,21).

In light of these things, how do you view money?  In your hands is it a tool with which you can truly bless the Kingdom by blessing others?  What would you do if money was not an issue?  

This is a timely topic as we are in the season of Advent - NOT Christmas - right now.  But alas, that is another post for another day...

So, what would you do if money was not an issue?




#1 Remember, Revelation uses symbolism to communicate truths - in profound ways (e.g., Rev21:12 a "great high wall, with twelve gates..." - this would communicate safety and security in the ancient world as gates were for defensive purposes.  Yet just a bit later, in Rev21:25 we read "and its gates will never be shut by day...".  So what gives?  Huge walls and gates for security that are never shut?  Exactly, there is no need to shut them because evil is gone (cf. Rev21:1).  When we allow a symbol to breathe is is breathtaking for us...