The Riches of the Earth Are the Lord’s to Give

October 11th, 2025

From the beginning of creation, the Scriptures affirm a single truth: all things belong to God. Man does not own, but holds in trust. Wealth is not earned by strength alone, but granted according to divine purpose.

The Source of All Wealth

David declared with reverence, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1). Nothing that man calls his own lies outside the ownership of God. The grain in the field, the silver in the mine, the strength in the body—all proceed from the Lord who formed heaven and earth.

In David’s prayer at the dedication of temple offerings, he humbly confessed, “Both riches and honour come of thee… and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all” (1 Chronicles 29:12). Even as he laid up vast treasures for the temple, he acknowledged that all came “of thine own hand” (v. 16). This is the foundation of righteous stewardship: the recognition that we possess nothing apart from Him.

God Gives Riches According to His Purpose

The Lord gives and withholds as He sees fit. It is not merely the diligence of man, but the intention of God that brings increase. Hannah, the mother of Samuel, sang in her inspired prayer, “The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up” (1 Samuel 2:7). Wealth and poverty are both instruments in His hand—used to test, refine, or reward.

Solomon, the wisest of kings, affirmed that “the blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it” (Proverbs 10:22). Prosperity without peace is no gift of God. The righteous must remember: “The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all” (Proverbs 22:2). His purposes outweigh all human comparisons.

The Danger of Forgetting the Giver

When Israel entered the land of promise and ate of vineyards they had not planted, God warned them: “Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God… lest when thou hast eaten and art full… then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:11–14). The danger of prosperity is not in its possession but in its pride.

“But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth” (v. 18). The ability to earn, produce, or profit does not originate in man. It is granted so that He “may establish his covenant”—to fulfill His purposes in the earth.

David also warned, “If riches increase, set not your heart upon them” (Psalm 62:10). It is not wealth, but the worship of wealth, that leads to destruction.

True Riches Are Eternal

Jesus drew a clear contrast between what the world values and what God treasures. “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:19–20). This was not merely advice—it was a command of the Lord Himself.

Later, He pressed the eternal question: “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26). Matthew records this sobering warning not as hyperbole, but as the heartbeat of Christ’s teaching.

Paul, writing to Timothy, echoed the same eternal focus: “That they do good, that they be rich in good works… laying up in store… a good foundation against the time to come” (1 Timothy 6:18–19). True wealth is not measured in gold, but in the fruit of righteousness.

The Right Use of Earthly Riches

Because God is the giver of all, man is called to be a faithful steward. Solomon exhorted, “Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase” (Proverbs 3:9). To give back to God is not loss—it is worship.

The test of a man’s heart is often found in how he uses what he has. The one who serves the poor does not merely do charity—he makes a sacred loan to heaven. “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again” (Proverbs 19:17). In this way, generosity becomes an investment in eternity.

Jesus praised the widow who cast in two mites, “all her living” (Mark 12:44), while the wealthy gave of their abundance. It is not the amount given, but the heart that gives, which measures worth before God.

Tithes and Offerings: Honoring the Giver

One of the most direct ways God has ordained for His people to acknowledge Him as the Source of all wealth is through the giving of tithes and offerings. From the days of Abraham, who gave a tenth of all to Melchizedek, the priest of the Most High God (Genesis 14:20), the righteous have honored God with their increase.

In the Law, the Lord commanded, “All the tithe… is the Lord’s: it is holy unto the Lord” (Leviticus 27:30). The tithe is not a donation—it is a return of what already belongs to Him.

Through the prophet Malachi, God rebuked those who withheld what was due, saying: “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me… in tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse… Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse… and prove me now herewith… if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing” (Malachi 3:8–10).

This was not merely about agricultural support for temple service—it was a test of covenant loyalty. God invites His people to “prove” Him, to trust that He will bless those who give with faith and joy.

Jesus affirmed this principle even in His rebuke of hypocritical Pharisees, saying, “Ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law… these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone” (Matthew 23:23). The Lord did not condemn tithing—He affirmed it, while calling for deeper righteousness.

Paul taught the same spirit of giving, writing to the Corinthians: “God loveth a cheerful giver… and God is able to make all grace abound toward you… being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness” (2 Corinthians 9:7–11). Giving is not loss, but the means through which we honor God and bless others.

Conclusion: A Steward’s Heart

“The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts” (Haggai 2:8). Ownership rests with Him. We are stewards—temporary holders of what belongs to Another.

When men forget this truth, they fall into pride, greed, and self-exaltation. But when they remember the Giver, they walk humbly, give freely, and use every blessing to glorify God. As Paul reminded the Corinthians, “What hast thou that thou didst not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7).

The riches of the earth are not earned, but entrusted. And they are given not to exalt men, but to fulfill God’s covenant, bless His people, and prepare treasure in heaven.