Bible Reading for October 7 – James 5:1-12

How should we wait patiently for the Lord’s return? Given the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, and the danger it has brought to our Christian brothers and sisters there, we naturally turn first to verses 10 and 11, remembering those throughout history for whom persecution was the price of faithfulness. James reminds us that sometimes suffering is just part of God’s plan, so while we wait for the Lord’s coming, we are often called to endure it.

But this doesn’t mean we just have to grit our teeth like the stoics. No, verse 11 reminds us that, even though this sinful world often persecutes us precisely because of our faithfulness to God, we must never forget the reason we remain loyal to Him – our God is always compassionate and merciful. We must remain true to Him because He has been so loving and gracious to us.

And that’s why James says that our waiting for the Lord must include an obedient pursuit of holiness as well as the endurance of persecution. So of course we shouldn’t focus our time and attention on the acquisition of merely material things (vv. 1-3). Of course we shouldn’t take advantage of the people who work for us (v. 4). Of course we should treat one another with absolute honesty (v. 12). And of course we should not grumble against one another, passing judgment on our fellow Christians (v. 9) because our coming King is the only One with the authority to judge any of us. In short, as we wait for Christ’s coming, we must cultivate a Christlike spirit.

So it’s no wonder that James uses an agricultural metaphor in verse 7. For a farmer doesn’t just wait around for crops to grow in his fields, does he? No, he does the hard work of preparing the ground and sowing the seed. Later, he pulls the weeds, doing his part to encourage the growth of the crops. Just so, we must make every effort to root out dishonesty and materialism from our lives. But the farmer must also wait for the rain to water the ground and make the seed grow, just as we must wait for Christ to return and complete our sanctification. For it is only when He comes again that we will no longer be able to sin. Come, Lord Jesus!

James 5:1-12 (ESV)

Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.
2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten.
3 Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days.
4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.
6 You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.
7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.
8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.
10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.