Sin is a liar. It promises us riches but it leaves us destitute. It entices us with pleasures but ultimately makes us miserable.
The Israelites had been lured away from God by the idol Baal. Baal was a pagan god who promised abundant harvests and lavish wealth. The Israelites were assured they would become rich, if only they compromised themselves with Baal’s standards. So they did.
Yet rather than immense wealth, pillagers came and removed every possession they had painstakingly accumulated. Because they had forsaken God for riches, God refused to let them retain their possessions. It was a cruel irony. Because the Israelites cherished what the world valued, the world lusted after their possessions and ultimately stole them.
The world covets material possessions. It cares nothing for the eternal. When we value what the world does, we will always run the risk of losing what we have. When we treasure what God prizes, no one can remove it from us.
For some Christians, their life is dominated by their efforts to hold on to what they have. They live in constant fear of losing what they have collected. And, their fears are well grounded. For when we collect worldly trinkets, we become a target for worldly treasure seekers.
Examine your life. Are you spending more energy protecting your treasures than you are investing in God’s kingdom?