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Such confidence about the future is presumptuous. Prov. 27: 1 reminds us "boast
not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth" and the Lord,
in the parable of the rich fool, describes one who acted as though he infallibly knew the
future and could plan accordingly to his own advantage. God's verdict was "thou fool,
this night thy soul shall be required of thee" (Luke 12: 20). James not only reminds such
of their presumption but also of their frailty. He says that their life is no better than a
vapour which appears for a little while and then vanishes away (4: 14). The future is
entirely subject to God. Therefore, in looking to the future regarding ourselves we should
constantly say "if the Lord wills" we will do this or that (4: 15).
The Apostle Paul is a good example to us here. When he said farewell to the Ephesian
believers he said "I will return again unto you if God will" (Acts 18: 21). His decision
to visit the believers at Corinth is qualified by the phrases "if the Lord will" and "if the
Lord permit" (I Cor. 4: 19; 16: 17). He "trusts in the Lord" that he will be able to send
Timothy shortly to the Philippians and that he himself will also be able to pay them a
visit (Phil. 2: 19, 24).
Of course we can say "God willing" as a mere habit, but realizing our utter
dependence upon the will of the Lord, we should use these words with a deep sense of
their meaning, for none of us can in any sense control the future. James reminds his
readers that any who imagine they can, are indulging in proud boastings which are evil
(4: 16, 17).
Chapter 5: commences with retribution for the rich who were misusing their wealth.
It seems evident that James knew of such who professed the Christian faith, yet were
opposing their poorer brethren:
"Go to now, ye rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you.
Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are
rusted; and their rust shall be for a testimony against you, and shall eat your flesh as fire.
Ye have laid up your treasure in the last days" (5: 1-3, R.V.).
It is important to note the R.V. rendering "in the last days" rather than "for the last
days" as the A.V. James was an early epistle in the Acts period when the nearness of the
Lord's coming for judgment and the setting up of the earthly kingdom was a possibility
depending upon the repentance of Israel. This period was regarded as the last days of the
dispensation by Peter, John and Paul as well as James, who is shortly going to declare
that the coming of the Lord was near and as the Judge He stood at the doors (5: 8, 9). We
should remember the divine judgment on Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:) and on certain
brethren at Corinth for abuses of the Lord's supper (I Cor. 11: 30) which show clearly that
the dispensation of pure grace had not yet started. Consequently James' warnings to
these rich Jews were solemn indeed.
Nowhere in the N.T. are rich people denounced merely for being rich, but for yielding
to the temptations to which the rich are especially prone. One almost invariable
accompaniment of wealth is the false sense of security and a love of the power it brings.
In His earthly ministry the Lord said it was very difficult for rich people to enter into the