James is not often quoted where End Times discussions are concerned because he does not provide visions or symbols or the kind of information we might normally ascribe to books like Daniel, Ezekiel, and Revelation. But when it comes to the End Times, James begins at a very interesting and telling place in the timeline of these events. He is focused on what Believers are supposed to DO during these times.
“Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you” (James:5:1-6 [1] Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
[2] Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
[3] Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
[4] Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
[5] Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
[6] Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
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There are four basic, sinful behaviors which James tells us will be present in the days leading up to Christ's return. In verses 1-3 we are presented with spiritual blindness to the signs of the times such that many will hoard for themselves all the earthly resources possible. Their sole concern is for personal comfort and pleasure.
In verse 4 this personal greed spins further out of control so that it results in stealing wages, a way of showing the utter disregard people will have for the commandment of the New Covenant to "love one another, even as I have loved you" (Jn:13:34A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.). Mistreatment of others will be rooted in the pursuit of personal gain.
In verse 5 they are characterized as not being content with having their basic needs met but pursuing extravagant living. Using their hoarded resources and those garnered from fraud and theft, they become self-absorbed to the exclusion of everyone and everything else.
And all of this culminates in the final sinful behavior in verse 6 which can be labeled "injustice." And not just injustice to people in general, but in particular for those still adhering to God's Word and ways.
In other words, the Last Days are characterized by people focused on material things, a consumer-driven group giving no real thought to how their behavior in this life shapes the outcome of the next. And this is not just a general indictment of non-believers in the world at large, James is specifically including people within the church! A blind, materialistic church who is more concerned with earthly comfort and wealth than almost anything else. Does this sound at all familiar? Jesus clearly identified these people as the church of Laodicea (Rev:3:14-22 [14] And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
[15] I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
[16] So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
[17] Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
[18] I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
[19] As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
[20] Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
[21] To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
[22] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
). At best they are nominal Christians entrenched in false teachings such as the Faith-Prosperity nonsense; at worst they are completely fallen away in pursuit of the things of this world.
(Isom, The Last Days: Not a Test of Knowledge But Faith, Moriel Ministries, January 23, 2010).
