James 5:7

Our Attitude Towards Such Abuse:

James 5:7 "Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains."Be patient, therefore, brethren" -Indicating that. good number of Christians were suffering at the hands of wealthy individuals who were abusing their position and power. This letter has already mentioned the need to be patient (James 1:3; James 1:12). Without such endurance we won't make it (Hebrews 6:12; Hebrews 12:1). See also 1 Corinthians 13:4; Galatians 5:22 and 2 Peter 1:6. It is clear that patience is. quality without which we cannot please God.

Points To Note:

1. We too live in. time when Christians need to be exhorted to be patient. Too many of us have adopted the thinking of the world which says, "I deserve this and. deserve it now!" We live in. society, while claiming to be tolerant is in fact very intolerant. Look at the lawsuits that clog our court system and the acts of personal violence and revenge. 2. "if God,. holy God, can be patient with us in the face of the enormity of our sin, how much more can we be patient in the face of whatever opposition may come our way" (Draper p. 150). 3. "It means to hold one's spirit in check…The believer is not to allow mistreatment and oppression to drive him to hatred, bitterness, or despair. Such feelings might be directed against the persons causing the pressure, or against God, who was allowing it to happen" (Kent p. 176). And it can be. very fine line between being angry at our oppressors---and being angry at God. 4. It is clear that these brethren were not given the right to rise up and attack the rich, they didn't have the right to take the judgment of the wicked into their own hands. Compromise with the world and physically attacking the world are both wrong (Hebrews 10:32; 1 Peter 4:12; Romans 12:9). There are probably. host of reasons why God doesn't want Christians to organize themselves and retaliate against their oppressors. But one reason has probably already been given us in James 1:20. Retaliation on our part can so easily degenerate into sin. It is so easy to cross the line from innocent victim to guilty oppressor ourselves (see 1 Corinthians 6:1). "until the coming of the Lord" -While God does from time to time come in physical judgment upon groups of people, such as nations and cities (Jerusalem-A.D. 70, is one example, Matthew 24:27). And such comings can take the pressure off of Christians by sweeping away or breaking the power of their enemies. This coming appears to be the Second Coming. Which means that the Second Coming, while being. day of deliverance for the righteous, will be. day of condemnation for the wicked (2 Thessalonians 1:7; 1 Thessalonians 4:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:1)."Behold, the farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains".

The early rain fell in October, November, and December, and extended in January and February. "The first showers of autumn which revived the parched and thirsty soil and prepared it for the seed; and the later showers of spring which continued to refresh and forward both the ripening crops and the vernal products of the field" (Pulpit Comm. p. 69). The latter rains are much lighter and they fall in March and April.

This illustration would especially be relevant to this audience, for some of them were laborers in the field. They understood the patience of the farmer. The farmer does not expect to harvest on the same day he has planted. He may suffer several disappointments or set backs before he receives. harvest. "Just as the farmer can know that the Lord is going to send the rain for the crops, so we can know the Lord is going to send his Son once again. Just as the farmer trusts the final outcome to the Lord who sends the rain, we can trust God for the final outcome of our lives" (Draper p. 150).