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A Study Of Silver: Chapter 4
Silver As A Biblical Symbol Of Wealth Now that we have looked at the biblical reasons for embarking on this study we will get to the heart of the matter. Our question is, using the bible as a guide, what is our best guess as to what might be a viable way to barter for the necessities of life if we happen to be alive during the tribulation period? That is the question, and from the bible it appears that Silver is the answer. We will look at numerous scriptures from the bible concerning silver. According to my electronic concordance the word “Silver” occurs in the King James Version of the bible 320 times. The word “Gold” occurs even more, 417 times. Wealth Is Measured In Silver And Other Commodities Silver, since ancient times has been used as a medium of exchange. Silver is a commodity that has been used like a currency since the time of Abraham and before. The first mention of it in the bible is in Genesis 13:2. (Gen 13:2 NCV) Abram was very rich in cattle, silver, and gold. (Gen 24:35 NCV) The LORD has greatly blessed my master in everything, and he has become a rich man. The LORD has given him many flocks of sheep, herds of cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, camels, and horses. Not much has changed since ancient times. We still have our wealth amassed or measured in commodities such as precious metals and livestock, and number of employees working for us. Abraham possessed much of all of them due to the blessing of God. Note: Abraham’s’ servants were not slaves in the sense that we use the word to pertain to slavery in the United States during the civil war. They were more like the people who are hired to take care of wealthy peoples properties today. Gardeners, maids, cooks, kitchen help, and people to repair thing around the home. Abraham also would have needed people to look after his abundance of livestock. To be an employee of Abraham in those days was a good thing, because he was a benevolent employer. A Warning To Those Who Are Blessed With Many Possessions (Deu 8:11-14 NIV) Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, ... When God blesses a nation or a person with an abundance of goods, including silver, he also gives a warning not to become proud and forget him due to pride in ones material possessions. Silver Was Brought To Solomon Through Maritime Trade (1 Ki 10:22 NCV) King Solomon also had many trading ships at sea, along with Hiram's ships. Every three years the ships returned, bringing back gold, silver, ivory, apes, and baboons. (2 Chr 9:21 NCV) King Solomon had many ships that he sent out to trade, with Hiram's men as the crews. Every three years the ships returned, bringing back gold, silver, ivory, apes, and baboons. (1 Ki 10:25 NCV) Every year those who came brought gifts of silver and gold, clothes, weapons, spices, horses, and mules. Silver Was Used For The Kings Utensils And Vessels (1 Ki 10:21 NCV) All of Solomon's drinking cups, as well as the dishes in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon, were made of pure gold. Nothing was made from silver, because silver was not valuable in Solomon's time. (2 Chr 9:20 NCV) All of Solomon's drinking cups, as well as the dishes in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon, were made of pure gold. In Solomon's time people did not think silver was valuable. An Abundance Of Silver Causes A Nation To Be Known As Materially Prosperous (1 Ki 10:27 NCV) In Jerusalem Solomon made silver as common as stones and cedar trees as common as the fig trees on the western hills. (2 Chr 1:15 NCV) In Jerusalem Solomon made silver and gold as plentiful as stones and cedar trees as plentiful as the fig trees on the western hills. (2 Chr 9:27 NCV) In Jerusalem the king made silver as common as stones and cedar trees as plentiful as the fig trees on the western hills. The Lord blessed Israel during Solomon’s tenure as king that silver was not considered to be very valuable. Today, The United States is very blessed also, because silver is only worth between $5.00 and $8.00 an ounce. It is not the actual price that is important but the percentage of a days wages that it costs to buy an ounce. For most workers in the U. S. buying an ounce of silver takes less than one hours in wages. Though the price of silver is set today on a worldwide basis, in some countries a laborer might not make $8.00 for a days work. The point is that collecting a few ounces of silver every month for the next fifteen to twenty years should be a relatively easy thing to do for most people in the U. S. Silver Used To Describe the Wealth Of Tyre And Nineveh (Ezek 28:4 NCV) Through your wisdom and understanding you have made yourself rich. You have gained gold and silver and have saved it in your storerooms. (Zec 9:3 NCV) Tyre has built a strong wall for herself. She has piled up silver like dust and gold like the mud in the streets. (Nahum 2:9 NCV) Take the silver! Take the gold! There is no end to the treasure-- piles of wealth of every kind. Silver Was Still Being Used As Money In The New Testament (Mat 10:9 NCV) Don't carry any money with you--gold or silver or copper. (Acts 3:6 NCV) But Peter said, "I don't have any silver or gold, but I do have something else I can give you. By the power of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, stand up and walk!" Jesus told the disciple not to take any money with them while they were ministering during his time on earth. He specifically told them not to take gold, silver, or copper, which is what the coinage of that era was made of. That is not too different than today. Many coins in the world today in various countries are made of gold silver and copper. Silver used As An Example Of A Firm foundation (1 Cor 3:12 NCV) But if people build on that foundation, using gold, silver, jewels, wood, grass, or straw, (2 Tim 2:20 NCV) In a large house there are not only things made of gold and silver, but also things made of wood and clay. Some things are used for special purposes, and others are made for ordinary jobs. In passages above the point is being made that our good works after we are saved can be compared to precious items or to virtually worthless items. The good things we do from a pure heart are compared to gold or silver and the other things we do to materials of lesser value. Since God knew beforehand when the new testament was being written that we would still be using it 2000 years later, he knew that gold and silver would still have value today. As we continue this study we will see that gold and silver will still have value in the end times when the prophecies in the book of Revelation are being fulfilled. That means that we can count on silver to always have some value, even though that value may fluctuate up or down regularly. |
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Find out more about end times prophecy. Read "Countdown To
6000." Click on the chapter titles below. |