614_Pursuit of true riches (Proverbs 11:4-8)
Proverbs 11:4-8 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,
but righteousness delivers from death.
5 The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight,
but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them,
but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust.
7 When the wicked dies, his hope will perish,
and the expectation of wealth perishes too.
8 The righteous is delivered from trouble,
and the wicked walks into it instead.
A story is told of a wealthy businessman who spent his entire life building an empire. He owned properties across cities, controlled markets, and was admired for his shrewd investments. Toward the end of his life, sensing that his time was short, he asked that all his gold be melted and placed in a chest beside his coffin. When he died, the funeral procession moved slowly, but the chest was left behind. A passerby reportedly remarked, “He spent his life collecting what he could not carry.” Whether the story is factual or not, it captures a truth Scripture has been proclaiming for centuries: wealth may impress the living, but it is powerless before death and judgment. Proverbs 11:4 confronts us with this sobering reality: “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.”
We live in a world that constantly equates riches with success and security. Financial stability is often viewed as the ultimate safeguard against uncertainty. The gap between the rich and the poor continues to widen, and those with wealth are often admired, envied, or even revered. Yet Scripture consistently pulls back the curtain and exposes the illusion behind material security. When the matter concerns the redemption of a soul, riches are utterly useless. The psalmist reflects on this with piercing clarity in Psalm 49, asking why he should fear in times of trouble when those who trust in wealth surround him. He reminds us that no man, regardless of his riches, can ransom another or give God the price of his life. The cost of redemption is too great; it can never be paid with silver or gold. Wealth cannot prevent death, cannot purchase eternal life, and cannot shield a soul from the judgment of God.
The prophets echo this same truth with even greater urgency. Zephaniah declares that neither silver nor gold will be able to deliver anyone on the day of the Lord’s wrath. When God’s judgment comes, the fire of His jealousy will consume all false securities. In that day, bank balances, properties, and earthly achievements will stand silent and powerless. Scripture is not exaggerating to frighten us; it is lovingly warning us to anchor our lives in what truly lasts.
The Bible also speaks repeatedly about the temporary and fleeting nature of wealth. Psalm 49 reminds us not to fear when someone becomes rich or when the glory of his house increases, because when he dies, he will carry nothing away. His glory will not descend with him into the grave. Proverbs reinforces this truth with striking imagery, warning us not to wear ourselves out to acquire wealth. When our eyes light upon it, it is already gone, sprouting wings like an eagle and flying toward heaven. Wealth is unstable by nature. It promises permanence but delivers uncertainty. What takes decades to accumulate can disappear in a moment through illness, economic collapse, injustice, or death.
Yet the human heart is remarkably skilled at self-deception. Proverbs tells us that a rich man’s wealth becomes his strong city, a high wall—but only in his imagination. Wealth creates a false sense of invincibility. It whispers that we are secure, self-sufficient, and beyond harm. This illusion leads to misplaced trust. Proverbs 11:28 warns that whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. The contrast is not between having wealth and lacking it, but between trusting wealth and trusting God.
The writer of Proverbs presses this further by stating that treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death. This brings us to the heart of the matter. Scripture is not condemning money itself. Wealth, in itself, is morally neutral. What matters is how it is gained, how it is trusted, and how it is used. The contrast is not riches versus righteousness, but false security versus faithful obedience. Righteousness, in the wisdom literature, refers to living in faithful alignment with God’s will—trusting His promises and ordering one’s life accordingly.
Abraham stands as a powerful example of this kind of righteousness. When God promised him descendants as numerous as the stars and the land as an inheritance, Abraham had no visible evidence to support such promises. Yet he believed God, and that faith was counted to him as righteousness. Because he trusted God’s word, he lived differently. He refused the riches offered by the king of Sodom, not because wealth itself was evil, but because he did not want his future tied to a source that contradicted God’s promise. He lived in tents, even though he could have built cities, because he was looking forward to a city whose builder and maker was God. He purchased only a burial cave in the land, affirming his faith that God would give the inheritance in His time. Abraham’s greatest treasure was not livestock, servants, or land, but a right standing with God grounded in faith.
Ultimately, Scripture leads us to the greatest truth of all: the only righteousness that truly delivers us from death is the righteousness given to us through Christ. Paul declares in Romans that since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. No amount of wealth can reconcile a sinner to God, but Christ’s finished work on the cross fully accomplishes what money never could. This righteousness not only delivers us from eternal separation from God, but it also directs our lives here and now. Proverbs tells us that the righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight. A life anchored in God’s truth is a life guided, protected, and directed by Him.
Those who understand the futility of wealth do not despise it, but they refuse to worship it. They see money as a tool, not a treasure. Jesus illustrated this in His teaching about the dishonest steward, who used his master’s resources shrewdly in light of the future. While the steward’s ethics were flawed, his foresight was commendable. Jesus’ point was not to imitate dishonesty, but to imitate wisdom—to use temporary resources with eternity in view. Wealth will fail, but what is invested in eternal purposes will endure.
Paul echoes this teaching when he instructs Timothy on how to counsel believers who are rich. He does not tell them to abandon their wealth, but to stop placing their hope in it. Instead, they are to trust in God, who richly provides everything for our enjoyment. They are to be generous, eager to share, rich in good works, and in doing so, store up a firm foundation for the future. This is how one takes hold of what is truly life.
Scripture carefully clarifies that money itself is not the root of all evil; the love of money is. Hebrews exhorts us to keep our lives free from the love of money and to be content with what we have, grounding that contentment in God’s promise: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” This promise of God’s abiding presence is deeply connected to a heart that is not enslaved by material desire. Those who loosen their grip on wealth often find that they experience a deeper awareness of God’s nearness and sufficiency.
The prophets also warn us against unjust gain. Jeremiah compares unjust riches to a bird hatching eggs it did not lay; in the middle of life, such riches will depart, and in the end, the person will be exposed as a fool. Wealth gained without justice brings neither peace nor security. It corrodes the soul and leaves a bitter harvest.
As believers, we are called to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. God desires that we work diligently, live justly, and act fairly, even if that leads to material blessing. But riches gained at the cost of integrity are empty and destructive. True riches consist of God’s approval, a clear conscience, a transformed character, and a hope that extends beyond the grave.
The practical challenge before us is simple but searching. Where is our trust resting today? Are we measuring success by what we accumulate, or by who we are becoming in Christ? Are we using what God has given us to serve His purposes, bless others, and invest in eternity? Jesus reminds us that where our treasure is, there our heart will be also. If our hearts are fixed on Christ, our lives will naturally reflect values that endure.
Let us, then, pursue true riches—riches that cannot be stolen, devalued, or destroyed. Let us seek the honor that comes from God alone, a reward that neither moth nor rust can corrupt. And as we walk faithfully with Him, may our lives declare to a watching world that righteousness, not riches, is the only treasure that truly delivers. God bless.