Woe for the one who builds his palace
through unrighteousness,
his upstairs rooms through injustice,
who makes his neighbor serve without pay
and will not give him his wages,
who says, “I will build myself a massive palace,
with spacious upstairs rooms.”
He will cut windows in it,
and it will be paneled with cedar
and painted bright red. Jeremiah 22:13-14
his upstairs rooms through injustice,
who makes his neighbor serve without pay
and will not give him his wages,
who says, “I will build myself a massive palace,
with spacious upstairs rooms.”
He will cut windows in it,
and it will be paneled with cedar
and painted bright red. Jeremiah 22:13-14
God has no
problem with big houses and expensive palaces.
What concerns Him is how the money and power was attained. If done through dishonest gain, God despises
the house. If done through blessing and
hard work, God seems to have no problem.
God is also concerned with the purpose for building a large house. To honor Him or to give glory to the one who lives inside.
God is also concerned with the purpose for building a large house. To honor Him or to give glory to the one who lives inside.
Kings like
the ones in Judah during Jeremiah’s time showed no concern for the poor and
oppressed. They ignored God and sought
ways to excel in their own lives.
People of
power have a responsibility to help those without power. God elevates His people to remember those who
they were once like.