Enrichment
Jack Davis
I Samuel 17:25
This interesting statement was made concerning the person that would defeat the man that had defied the armies of the living God.
We read of faithful men like David, Joseph and Daniel that were enriched by kings in Old Testament times. Then we also think of how the god of this world has promised so much, but all that he offers is contaminated, soiled, decaying. Thank God, He that is to reign as King of kings offers us true riches of eternal wealth, an incorruptible inheritance.
Joseph: “And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it on Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt” Gen. 41:41-43. Joseph was called a prosperous man. He had gone to the pit, to prison, but praise God, he landed in the palace, because God was with him. Shall we learn from considering what God brought him through?
Daniel: “Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be third ruler in the kingdom” Dan. 5:29. The kingdom of Belshazzar went down, but praise God, Daniel went up, being promoted in the kingdom that succeeded. “So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian? Dan. 6:28.
David: “Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him. And gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle. And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants” – I Sam. 18:4-5. God saw to it that these faithful men prospered. David was aware of the benefit of being in the favor of the king, even Saul. David also learned about enrichment from a higher King, let us learn as well.
“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least in unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who will give you that which is your own?” Luke 16:10-12.
The King of our hearts has true riches for the faithful. It is evident that where, and in whom, we put our trust determines how trustworthy we are. When we think of Divine enrichment, we think of the apostle Paul. In Paul’s epistles we learn that we enter into the enjoyment of divine enrichment, by divine enlightenment, enablement and encouragement.
“According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry” I Tim. 1:11-12.
Oh, what unsearchable wealth God committed to Paul’s trust, for us – Eph. 3:8. God used Paul to let us know on vessels of mercy prepared unto glory, the riches of His glory. Rom. 9:23. He that is rich in mercy, will show, in the ages to come, the exceeding riches of His grace – Eph. 2:4,7. He also would have us to know the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints – Eph. 1:18. Paul was inspired to pray that God would grant us strengthening in the inner men, according to the riches of His glory – Eph. 3:16. He wrote to the Philippians that honored God, that God would supply all their need according to His riches in glory by Jesus Christ – Phil. 4:19. God would make known (Divine enlightenment) unto us the riches of the glory of the mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you the hope of glory – Col. 1:27.
The men of Israel spoke to David that slaying Goliath would make one rich. It is important when going into battle to know your enemy. David knew the man that he was about to go up against from God’s viewpoint. He spoke of him as this “uncircumcised Philistine” that had defied the armies of the living God.
There is one main man that Satan would use to rob us of our reward, and take our crown – Col. 2:18: Rev. 3:11. “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another: – Gal. 5:24-26.
We are given in this portion some encouragement toward spiritual enrichment. He urges, “let us.” According to the provisional fact stated in Galatians 2:20, we do well to let Him do the living in us. We are Christ’s, and the full overcomer allows Him to fully possess them, dominate their lives with His love, instead of being ruled by the flesh. Oh yes, there is unsearchable wealth for those finding this true in personal experience. Read also Col. 3:5-17; Rom. 8:12-14; 13:10-14.
Saul had told David, “Thou art not able,” but after hearing David speak faith, he said; Go, and the LORD be with thee.” We read in Romans 8:31-32, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”
We are told that “Godliness with contentment is great gain” – I Tim. 6:6. “Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” – I Tim. 4:8. We are not to “trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy” – I Tim. 6:17. Trusting in the living God will bring us into lasting wealth that is durable, and true.
ENLIGHTENMENT toward ENRICHMENT: The Holy Spirit must make us realize our need, or we never even begin to enter into the enjoyment of divine wealth. Jesus said, “When he (the Comforter) is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” – John 16:8. He makes mankind aware of their bankrupt condition, their total depravity. There is no deeper poverty than to be without Christ, without hope, and without God – Eph. 2:12. God’s Word spells out these facts so very clearly, Romans chapters one through three, expresses it in detail, but it is the Holy Spirit that brings it to the heart of man.
The Holy Spirit also makes us to know that God is rich in mercy. “…the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly” – Ps. 84:11. When Abram had honored “the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,” above opportunity for material gain, God said unto him, “…I am they shield, thy exceeding great reward: – Gen. 15:1.
Shall we trust Him to guide us into the enjoyment of our God-given riches? Consider I Cor. 2:9-12. He would make us know the provision, and preparation that has gone into making us rich, as well as teaching us the true value of all things.
How else could we possible have a hint of what it cost our dear Lord Jesus Christ to enrich us with such great riches? “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” – II Cor. 8:9.
The life of Jesus Christ in us would also enrich others and our Father as well. Read II Cor. 6:10. “…as poor, yet making many rich…”
