We are blessed to be a blessing. Moses, the writer of The Law, mentioned money often. He wrote about the wealth of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The various offerings that were required under the Law were also discussed. Here are eleven things that Moses said about money.
The Bible is filled with wealth warnings and money motivations. It’s important that we open our hearts and minds to Biblical truth and instantly obey. We, like Abraham, are blessed to be a blessing.
#1 The Atonement Offering (aka Temple Tax)
I’m somewhat shocked that a pastor has not attempted to reinstitute this offering.
Exodus 30:15-17 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the Lord’s offering to make atonement for your lives. You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the Lord, so as to make atonement for your lives.
#2-4 Abraham, Issac, and Jacob — Blessed To Be A Blessing
Genesis 12:2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.
Genesis 13:2 Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold.
Moses was truthful. Very rich is very rich.
Genesis 26:13-14 He became a very rich man, and his wealth continued to grow. He acquired so many flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and servants that the Philistines became jealous of him.
Isaac understood the profitability progression.
Genesis 30:43 As a result, Jacob became very wealthy, with large flocks of sheep and goats, female and male servants, and many camels and donkeys.
God blessed Jacob. Hard stop.
#5 The Power To Get Wealth
Deuteronomy 8:17-18 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.
I love this verse. It’s one that we all should intimately embrace. When we’re broke we can lean on God to bless us. For those who are blessed, they can offer thanksgiving and praise for the blessing in their lives.
There’s no such thing as a self-made millionaire. God allows us to breathe His oxygen, mine His precious metals, use His gravity, and many more things that are taken for granted.
#6 Israel Plundered Egypt
Exodus 3:22 Every Israelite woman will ask for articles of silver and gold and fine clothing from her Egyptian neighbors and from the foreign women in their houses. You will dress your sons and daughters with these, stripping the Egyptians of their wealth.
Exodus 12:35 And the people of Israel did as Moses had instructed; they asked the Egyptians for clothing and articles of silver and gold.
You have not because you ask not?
Exodus 12:36 The Lord caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites, and they gave the Israelites whatever they asked for. So they stripped the Egyptians of their wealth!
#7 The Golden Calf
Exodus 32:1 When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said, “make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.”
Aaron could have stopped this idolatry but he did not.
Exodus 32:2 So Aaron said, “Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me.”
Aaron went in the opposite direction.
Exodus 32:25 So I told them, ‘Whoever has gold jewelry, take it off.’ When they brought it to me, I simply threw it into the fire—and out came this calf!”
Liar, liar, pants on fire.
#8 Debt Cancellation — Blessed To Be A Blessing
Deuteronomy 15:1 “At the end of every seventh year you must cancel the debts of everyone who owes you money.
Bankruptcy laws in the United States loosely follow this seven-year design.
Here’s an in-depth article about this text.
#9 Blessings of Obedience
Deuteronomy 28:11-12 The Lord will give you prosperity in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you, blessing you with many children, numerous livestock, and abundant crops. The Lord will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them.
The impossibility of perfectly keeping the Law was not yet discovered. Only Jesus could fulfill the Law. Please, stop attempting to earn God’s favor with your works. It’s impossible and dangerous.
Galatians 5:4 For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.
#10 Curses Because of Disobedience
Deuteronomy 28:15 But if you refuse to listen to the Lord your God and do not obey all the commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overwhelm you:
Thank God for Jesus!
Deuteronomy 28:38-39 You will plant much but harvest little, for locusts will eat your crops. You will plant vineyards and care for them, but you will not drink the wine or eat the grapes, for worms will destroy the vines.
Deuteronomy 28:63 “Just as the Lord has found great pleasure in causing you to prosper and multiply, the Lord will find pleasure in destroying you. You will be torn from the land you are about to enter and occupy.
Stop attempting to earn God’s favor by keeping laws and commandments. It’s impossible for any of us to perfectly keep the Law. We need grace and mercy.
#11 Moses Looked For A Greater Reward
Hebrews 11:24-26 It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.
Moses willingly traded a life of luxury for a life of certain poverty and potential slavery. Faith is powerful. Here’s an article that I wrote titled Seven Things That Jesus Said About Faith.
Enjoy.
The Bible is filled with wealth warnings and money motivation. Let’s continue to open our hearts and minds to Biblical truth. You are blessed to be a blessing!
Timothy Kiser is the author of The Profit Dare and Floating Axes And No Taxes. He’s a former youth pastor, church planter, and short-term missionary. He currently manages a multi-billion dollar portfolio for a Fortune 1oo company. His passion, however, is to share simple financial solutions that inspire savvy stewardship.