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There is something about gold that raises the ambitions of men. From the mythical lost city of El Dorado to the Gold Rush in California, gold has captured many imaginations. Gold is the dragon’s hoard and the leprechaun’s pot at the end of the rainbow.
For thousands of years, gold has been seen as the pinnacle of wealth and status. In the ancient world, no one had more of it than King Solomon, who constructed the Jerusalem temple with vast amounts of gold.
In the days of the prophet Haggai, that temple had been destroyed and God wanted it rebuilt. The temple was the meeting place between heaven and earth, the place where God manifested his presence. But sadly, instead of rebuilding God’s house, the people cared more about remodeling their own houses.
The Lord used Haggai’s words to stir their hearts and the people of God went to work rebuilding the temple. Some of them feared that this second temple would not compare to the original. How could it without the extravagant wealth of Solomon to furnish it? That’s when God said something astounding:
“I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the LORD of hosts.”
A little girl once told her mommy that she wanted to go to heaven before her. Disturbed, the mother responded that she would prefer they go together. “No,” said the little girl adamantly, “I want to go there on my own.” Puzzled, the mother asked why. That’s when the little girl announced, “Cause that way God will give me all his gold!”
The girl understood what many of us forget. The God of the Bible is incomparably rich. Money may be kept in bank accounts. Real estate may be carefully titled. Gold and silver might be tightly guarded, but over them all God still says, “Mine.” If having wealth was bad, then God wouldn’t have any, but he does. God owns it all.
How surprising then that the one who owns it all left his riches behind.
Jesus entered this world as a baby, born into an ordinary Jewish family. At thirty, he set aside his profession and his income in order to travel, speak, and heal. He had no possessions to speak of and no place to lay his head. Jesus became poor.
At the end of Jesus’ life, even his clothes were stripped off and taken by soldiers. Jesus had nothing. Then, his body was pierced on a Roman cross and his blood poured out. The King over all gave himself up to being beaten and executed like a criminal. His life was the gift he came to give.
Never has a wealthy person condescended so low as our Lord. And it was for our sake, Scripture says, that by his poverty we might become rich. When we see and believe that Jesus suffered to make us his treasure, we realize that we are the richest people on earth. We get him… forever!
A day is coming when every believer will join King Jesus in glory and in that place even the streets are made of gold.
King Jesus, we worship you for being rich and generous. Everything belongs to you and yet you gave it all to save us. Please make us more like you. Amen.
© 2025 John Rinehart
