Current Message - Rich Folks in the Bible

You are probably familiar with some of the names on the “Forbes 400” (forbes.com) list of the top 20 riches people in America in 2008.

William Gates III - $57 bil. ($57 billion) , 52yo (52 years old) - Microsoft

Warren Buffet - $50 bil. , 78yo - Berkshire Hathaway

Lawrence Ellison - $27 bil. , 64yo - Oracle

Jim Walton - $23.4 bil. , 60yo - Walmart

S Robson Walton - $23.3 bil. , 64yo - Walmart

Alice Walton - $23.2 bil. , 59yo - Walmart

Christy Walton & family - $23.2 bil. 53yo - Walmart inheritance

Michael Bloomberg - $20 bil. 66yo - Bloomberg

Charles Koch - $19 bil. , 72yo - manufacturing, energy

David Koch - $19 bil. , 68yo - manufacturing, energy

Michael Dell - $17.3 bil. , 43yo - Dell

Paul Allen - $16 bil. , 55yo - Microsoft investments

Sergey Brin - $15.9 bil. 35yo - Google

Larry Page - $15.8 bil. 35yo - Google

Sheldon Adelson - $15 bil. , 75yo - casino, hotels

Steven Ballmer - $15 bil. , 52yo - Microsoft

Abigail Johnson - $15 bil , 46yo - Fidelity

Jack Taylor & family - $14 bil. 86yo - Enterprise Rent -A- Car

Anne Cox Chambers - $13 bil. 88yo - Cox Enterprises

Donlad Bren - $12bil. 76yo - real estate

Let us go through the scriptures and take a look at some of the folks who had some cash/wealth during biblical times.

When it came to wealth in the bible, Adam no doubt ranks number one. God gave Adam Dominion over all that he made.

Psalms 8:3-9 -

Abraham was no doubt a man with some cash. Genesis 13:2 - And Abram (Abraham) was very rich in cattle, in silver and in gold.

Abram and his Nephew , Lot, had such a great abundance of flocks and herds that the land could not bear them all, so they had to split into two groups. Gen. 13: 5- 13

Genesis 30:43 - And the man increased exceedingly and had much cattle, and maidservants, and camels, and asses. This passage of scripture is referring to Jacob who had been working for Laban for 14 of the 20 total years he worked for him. Jacob was such a blessed man, that even Laban prospered just for having Jacob around , Genesis 30:27 - And Laban said unto him (Jacob) , I pray thee if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake.

Prior to going to work for Laban , Jacob had a falling out with his twin brother Esau, for he had tricked Esau into giving up his birthright , Genesis 25:29-34.

In Genesis 27 - you’ll find Rebekah’s & Jacob’s scheme to get Issac to bless Jacob first, rather than Esau , who was the first born, and by tradition should have been blessed first.

After Esau realized he had been taken advantage of, and had given up his birthright, he swore, that after their father Issac died, he would kill his brother Jacob.

After working for Laban for 20 years, Jacob had acquired much wealth, and desired to see his brother Easau, but he feared his brother’s anger had not been quenched. Below is what Jacob sent to Esau as a gift prior to their meeting.

Genesis 32: 13-15 -

In Genesis 33 - Jacob and Esau joyfully and tearfully reunite, and we also learn that Esau has prospered greatly also, and at first tells Jacob that he has no need for theses gifts, but the gifts were a pledge of peace between the two brothers, and refusing it would have indicated intentions of hostility and revenge, so Esau took the gifts. Refs. Dks. Bible pg. 48 letter g.

And he lodged there that same night and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother. Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, thirty milch camels (yielding milk) with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.

Joseph was another prosperous man - Genesis 39 - And the Lord was with Joseph and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

After being wrongly accused of attempted raped Genesis 39:7-23, Joseph finds himself in prison. However some time after this incident Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dream, and suddenly finds himself ruler over all of Egypt - Genesis 41.

Solomon - After Adam, when one speaks of silver and gold and other riches, and ad to that incredible wisdom, there has never before nor since been a man like the one named Solomon. He was David’s second son and also the temple was built during his reign. I always tell people if you want to be rich, then perhaps you should take note of King Solomon and his answer to God when God said to him “Ask what I shall give thee”. 1 Kings 3:5-15

Finis Dakes - has done a wonderful job at giving further details of Solomon’s wealth.

In 1 Kings 4:7-23 - we find 12 individuals who were responsible for taxing the people to supply the king and his household and all those in the king’s court. Each man was responsible for this task for one month out of the year. Refs. Dks. Bible pg. 623 letter m.

315 bu. fine flour @ $6 $1890

630bu. coarse flour @ $6 $3780

10 fat oxen @ $325 $3250

20 pasture oxen @ $325 $6500

100 sheep @ $20 $2000

Total, less other animals $17,420

Yearly cost $6,358,300

Estimated number of people fed at the royal board - at least 30,000

More on Solomon2 Chronicles 9 - in these passages of scripture we find King Solomon getting a visit from the Queen of Sheba who states that she did not believe the reports she had heard concerning Solomon, and that she had to come and see for herself, only to find that she had not been told the half of all of Solomon’s riches and wealth.

Solomon’s daily provision: (Est. cost)

Gifts from the Queen of Sheba

120 talents of gold @ $29,085 = $3,490,200

Spices & precious stones - may have been in equal value to the gold - neither was there any such spice as the Queen of Sheba gave King Solomon 2Chr. 9:9

From Hiram (1Kings 9:14) - $3,490,200

Gold in one year ( 1 Chr. 9:13) - $19,370,610

200 targets;300 shields of gold (v 15-16 ) - $2,035,950

Total gold listed -

Gold and silver in great amounts (v 14)

Throne of ivory and gold with steps, footstool, lions (v 17-19)

All drinking vessels of gold (v 20)

Gold, silver, ivory, apes, peacocks from the ships (v 21)

Yearly gifts from kings (v 24)

4000 stalls for horses, and chariots (v25)

12,000 horsemen

Silver as stone (v27)

$28,386,960

More of Solomon’s riches

Job 1:1-3 - Job’s wealth

7000 sheep @ $20 each $140,000

3000 camels @ $100 each $300,000

1000 oxen @ $325 $325,000

500 asses @ $50 $25,000

Total est. value $790,000

Job’s Restored wealth

14,000 sheep @ $20 $280,000

6,000 camels @ $100 $600,000

2,000 oxen @ $325 $650,000

1000 asses @ $50 $50,000

Total est. value $1,580,000

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and stars, which thou hast ordained; what is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet. All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! The above passage places man at the head of all of God’s works - the heavens, including the sun, moon, and stars, and the earth including all living things. Thus Adam was originally made higher than the angels. Ref. Dks. Bible pg. 1029