James worksheet 10

Humble, patient, enduring

James 5:1-12

James 5 meaning

James 5 context

James 5:1-12 (NKJV) says ¹Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! ²Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. ³Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. ⁴Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. ⁵You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. ⁶You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you.

Be Patient and Persevering
⁷Therefore be

, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. ⁸You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. ⁹Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! ¹⁰My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. ¹¹Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. ¹²But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment.

In chapter 5 of his letter, James addresses three things:
1. He pronounces to the rich oppressors of the Christians that their judgment is coming on the day of the Lord.
2. He urges those suffering under that oppression to remain patient, strong in their faith, as they wait for the day of the Lord.
3. And he encourages all Christians to show their faith in God by praying in response to every circumstance

Q1 In response of the above twice mentioned “day of the Lord”, what does that mean?

Here in chapter 5 we suddenly see James talking about the rich. Why is that? Probably because independent selfish wealthy people mostly have a problem with humility, as stressed in chapter 4. You understand the contrast?
Remember, being rich is not a sin. However, the love for money is. ⁹Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs (1 Timothy 6:9-10). Another example is what Jesus says to a lover of money (Matthew 19:21).

In verse 3 we read the phrase “in the last days”. That is a reference to the time leading to future 7-year tribulation, a coming judgment, prophesied by Daniel.

Q2 List the troubles that the rich may face some day, in verses 1 through 6. What is their destiny?

Q3 In verse 3, James talks about heaping up treasures. Where should we heap up treasures?

In verses 7-12 God gives through James good council to believers, how to patiently do life in sight of the end times, when ultimate justice is done.

Q4 Did you read what is required all of us? Like farmers need to wait until the crop will yield.

We expect rewards on our continuing work in times of patience and enduring. The perfect justice is gonna come in God’s due time (verse 8). We shouln’t complain against each other, because the Judge of faithfulness is to come soon (verse 9).

Q5 Who are our examples of endurance and patience (verses 10-11)? What is meant with “the end intended by the Lord” verse 11?

Why was Job tested in God’s mercy and compassion?
1. God allowed Job to suffer for a very good reason
2. God restricted Satan to do harm to Job, God always sets a limit to what the devil can do.
3. God sustained Job during the suffering with His hand
4. God used Satan himself to put the best in Job in the end

In James’ day of Jewish traditions there were binding oaths (including the name of God) and non-binding oaths (not naming the name of God). When making a non-binding oath, you permitted yourself to lie. In verse 12, James says to stop this practice, lest you fall into judgment. Swearing an oath was not totally forbidden in those days, because God Himself sweared an oath (Luke 1:73; Hebrews 3:11; Hebrews 6:13).

Q6 In James 5:12 we see that James knew Jesus’ sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:33-37). Which exclamations are the same in both passages? Do you need to swear an oath to be accountable?

Patiently endure hardships and let your Yes be Yes when you bring the learnt lessons before the Lord in prayer.