THE run of the world is unquestionably after wealth after that which proves a burden if acquired, while comparatively few succeed in the race. At the same time there is offered to men that which is better than gold; and yet how few close with the offer, who take God at His word, accept His free gift, and know the consequent happiness and peace. For gold men crave and scheme and work, while that which is better than even fine gold, is neglected, rejected and despised.
Solomon’s Wealth.
King Solomon had gold in abundance. Six hundred and sixty six talents of gold (more than three-and-a-half millions of our money) came to him in one year, besides what came to him through merchants, governors and kings. What details of his regal glory are given us in 1 Kings 4 and 10! How great even was his household establishment. His daily provision was close upon one thousand pecks of fine flour and two thousand pecks of meal. One hundred sheep, twenty oxen from the pastures, and ten fat oxen, besides harts, roebucks, fallow deer and fatted fowl were also provided every day. Did these things, with all the superabundance of everything else that he had, satisfy his heart? Did all his great wealth, his high honor, profound wisdom, his dominant position, prove of lasting satisfaction to him?
No Satisfaction Under the Sun.
Not so. What did he himself say only a few short years later? Although he had not kept his heart from any joy, and his wisdom still remained with him, yet he would fain admit that “all is vanity and vexation of spirit;” and in Ecclesiastes 2:1212And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done. (Ecclesiastes 2:12) he asks, “What can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been done already.” What we see about us every day proves that the old truth still holds good. It is still true that the acquisition and possession of wealth and knowledge, do not bring rest and peace to the weary heart and mind. “Oh dear, dear!” said one whose great weight of gold lately proved too heavy a burden for him to carry, “it is awful work being a millionaire. You can envy me if you like, but you don’t know what it is being hunted about from morning till night, never to have a moment to yourself, to feel that you must go on; you can’t stop; other people won’t let you stop—it’s weary work—weary work,” What then is “better than gold,” or all that gold can command?
The Precious Blood, of Christ.
The apostle Peter reminds the scattered strangers that they “were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold... but with They were redeemed with gold. the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” It was a great price that this nation paid for the freedom of all slaves within its dominions. But sinners are called by grace to know redemption without gold, even by His precious blood, the forgiveness of their sins. Do you know this redemption? It is worth knowing, a possession worth having; there is nothing like it, for it is even “better than gold.” But do you know your need of this saving grace?
Romans 3 teaches us that there is none righteous, that all are guilty before God; that there is no difference, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. It is appointed unto men once to die, and after death the judgment. But “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16, 1716For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:16‑17)). To have all our sins forgiven, and to have eternal life in Christ; to know that we shall not come into judgment, but have passed from death unto life; to have rest of conscience, and peace with a holy, righteous God about our sins, through the precious blood of Christ—surely to have and know all this is as the fruit and revenue of Christ, better than fine gold or choice silver.
Taking Stock.
One whom the writer knew often used to relate how once he took stock. He was about fifteen years of age, and had been to London for a few days. A Christian lad, with perhaps five shillings as the whole amount of his possessions, he was one day working in the field and thinking of his newly acquired possession—life in Christ. Standing, he placed this, as it were, in one hand, and London with all its riches, in the other. Balancing one against the other there in the open field before his Lord, he concluded that he would not exchange all that London was worth, for what he had obtained by faith—redemption through the blood of the Lamb. Forty years afterward he was still of the same opinion, that there was nothing at all comparable to the knowledge of salvation. Yes, the fruit of Christ is assuredly “BETTER THAN GOLD.” May you prove its truth for yourself by faith in Him, that durable riches and substance may be your own; then your treasury shall be filled. The helpless man at the gate “Beautiful” in Acts 3 found something better than gold by Peter’s visit. “Silver and gold have I none” said the apostle: and he who asked an alms, received divine riches by the power of the name of Jesus, even ability to enter into the temple to praise and worship God.
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus, that though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich.
“Rich in glory, Thou didst stoop:
Thence is all Thy people’s hope;
Thou wast poor that we might be
Rich in glory, Lord, with Thee.”
H.W.P.