The Parable of the Rich Fool

    “And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:13-21).

    We have before us the parable of the rich fool. It sets before us a striking example of man’s readiness to mix wealth and godliness, as though the two were inseparable. We are told that a certain hearer of our Lord asked him to assist him about his temporal affairs.

    Here is a man who wanted what God had given to his brother (v. 13). “Master”, he said, “speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.” How little this man knew of the Lord Jesus, or of his business in this world! He probably had some vague idea that the Lord Jesus was going to set up a kingdom in this world, and would reign upon earth as a mere earthly monarch. He certainly regarded him as a rabbi, a respected religious teacher. Therefore, he sought the Master’s help in securing an earthly inheritance. He tried to get the Son of God to cater to his covetousness. He should have set his heart on the world to come; but his heart was consumed with greed for this present perishing world and its wealth. When David envied the prosperity of the wicked, his very soul was horrified by his covetousness (Psalm 73).

    How many there are just like this man! Multitudes incessantly plan and scheme about the things of time, even under the very sound of things eternal! The natural heart of man is always the same. Even the preaching of Christ did not arrest the attention of all his hearers. Those who preach the gospel of Christ in the present day must never be surprised to see those for whose souls they labour consumed with worldliness, just as this poor man was

    Here is a man who tried to get Jehovah’s righteousness Servant involved in the affairs of state (v. 14). “And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?” It would be a good thing if every gospel preacher would imitate our Master’s conduct in this. Let us walk in his steps. The less preachers have to do with secular things, the better. That applies most particularly to political and civil matters. The gospel preacher has no business involving himself in such drivel! When the preacher of the gospel undertakes any work except the preaching of the gospel, it is the work of the gospel that suffers. God’s servants must be men of one thing! Let us confine ourselves exclusively to that one thing! “Give thyself wholly to these things”! Like Paul, let us be “separated unto the gospel”!

    Here is a man who was very covetous. He looked upon all he possessed as his own. He thought upon his treasure. It was the consuming thought of his heart. He looked upon his wealth as the fruit of his labour. He bestowed his goods to his barns, a hole in the ground!

    “And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods” (vv. 15-18).

    In response to this man’s request, the Lord Jesus pronounced a very solemn warning against covetousness. “He said unto them, take heed and beware of covetousness.” I am sure I am safe in saying that there is no evil to which our hearts are more prone than covetousness. It was covetousness that led God to cast down the angels who fell. They were not content with their first estate. They coveted something better. It was covetousness that drove Adam and Eve out of the garden and brought death into the world. Our first parents were not satisfied with the things God gave them in Eden. They coveted, and so they fell. It is covetousness that, ever since the fall, has been the cause of misery and unhappiness in this world. Wars, quarrels, strifes, divisions, envyings, disputes, jealousies, hatreds of all sorts, both public and private, may nearly all be traced to this foul fountain.

    Let us hear the Master’s warning. Let us seek wisdom and grace to be content with such things as we have. Strive to learn the lesson that Paul learned, when he wrote, “I have learned in whatever state I am therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11). Pray for a thorough confidence in God’s wise and good providence over all our earthly affairs, trusting his perfect wisdom in all his arrangements concerning us. If we have little, it would be not good for us to have much.

    If that which we have is taken away, there is a needs be. Happy is the man or woman who is persuaded that whatever is is best, and has ceased from vainly wishing for more. That person and that person alone is “content with such things as he has” (Hebrews 13:5).

    Idolatry comes in many packages and wears many names, but none is more deceitful, dangerous, and destructive than covetousness. How often the Word of God warns us to “beware of covetousness” (Colossians 3:2-5; Ephesians 5:5; 1 Timothy 6:10, 11).

    Covetousness is an ardent desire for the things of this world, an undue affection for and attachment to the riches, pleasures, and comforts of this world. Some covet the world’s money, others its applause. Some covet the world’s fame, others its comforts. Some covet the world’s honour, others its pleasures. But all covetousness is idolatry.

    What fools they are who love and seek this world! We cannot be warned sufficiently of the danger of worldliness, that is of loving, seeking, and living for this world! “The fashion of this world passeth away”! Trying to hold to this world is like gripping sand. The tighter you grip it, the faster it slips away. If you love and seek the things of this world, you cannot love and serve the Lord God (Matthew 6:24; James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17).

    Nothing is more likely to ruin our souls than “covetousness, which is idolatry”! Nothing will more effectually keep a person from faith in Christ than “covetousness, which is idolatry” (Luke 18:18-26). Nothing is more likely to turn the hearts of men away from Christ and the gospel than “covetousness, which is idolatry”! “The care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word” (Matthew 13:22). May the Spirit of God inscribe these words upon our hearts: “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of things which he possesseth”!

    If we would avoid this snare of Satan, we must set our affection on things above and get our priorities in order. Seek grace to honour God in the use of those things with which you have been trusted. Use what God has given you for hospitality and the thoughtful care of others. Be generous. Out of our abundance, let us ever minister to those who are in need and generously provide for the preaching of the gospel around the world.

    Our Lord Jesus clearly displays the folly of worldliness. He gave this parable a rich man who was a fool¹⁴. His heart and mind were set on earthly things. He schemed and planned for his wealth, and ways to secure it. He acted as if he was master of his life, as if had but to say, “I will do a thing”, and it would be done.

    Then the picture changes. God required the worldling’s soul, and asked, “Whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?” “Folly”, nothing less than “folly”, is the right word by which to describe the conduct of the man who thinks of nothing but his money. The man who “lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God”, is the man whom God declares to be a “fool”.

    The character our Lord brings before us in this parable is very common. Multitudes in every age of the world have lived continually doing the very things that are here condemned. Multitudes are doing them at this very day. They are laying up treasure upon earth, and thinking of nothing but how to increase their riches. They continually add to their riches, as if they were to enjoy them forever, as if there was no death, no judgment, and no world to come.

    These are the men who are called clever, and prudent, and wise! These are the men who are commended, and flattered, and held up to admiration! Truly, “the Lord seeth not as man seeth”! The Lord declares that the rich man who lives only for this world is a “fool”!

    Nothing is more dangerous to the souls of men than riches. “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.” He who is given wealth is in great danger. A very eminent, wealthy man, said on his deathbed, “Heaven is a place to which few kings and rich men come.”

    Even those wealthy men and women who are converted by the grace of God carry a great weight and run the race to heaven under great disadvantages. The possession of money has a hardening effect upon the conscience. We never know what we may do when we become rich. “The love of money is the root of all evil. While some have coveted after it, they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10). Poverty has many disadvantages; but riches are dangerous.

    Here is a man who speaks to his soul. “And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry” (v. 19). Oh, how sad it is to read of a man speaking to his soul in such a way! Someone said, “If this man had only had the sense of a hog, what other thing could he have said?”

    In spiritual matters, multitudes think themselves rich before God, rich in righteous deeds, rich in knowledge, and rich in grace, and say to themselves, “All is well”, when nothing is well. Those who know God and experience his free grace in Christ know that they are poor and seek riches in heaven, seeking Christ and his righteousness. “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven … Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:3, 6).

    Here is a question for my soul and yours: Are we rich toward God?

    “But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (vv. 20, 21).

    Blessed are they who are rich toward God! O soul, Seek to be rich toward God! This is true wisdom. This is truly providing for time to come. This is genuine prudence. The wise man is he who does not think only of earthly treasure, but of treasure in heaven (Matthew 6:31-33; Colossians 3:1-3).

    When can it be said of a man, that he is rich towards God? Never, until he is rich in grace, and rich in faith. Never, until he has come to Christ, and bought of him gold tried in the fire (Revelation 3:18). Never, until he has a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens! Never, until, by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, he reads his name inscribed in the book of life, and is made an heir of God and a joint heir with Christ!

    He that is rich toward God, acknowledges that he receives all his riches from God. He gives all into the hands of God. He depends upon the providence of God. He seeks to use all he has for the honour and glory, the furtherance of the gospel, and the good of men’s souls. He who is rich toward God is principally concerned for the riches of God’s grace and glory in Christ. He who is rich toward God has Christ! Such a man is truly rich! Rich with grace (Ephesians 1:3), rich in grace (Galatians 5:22, 23), rich with forgiveness, rich in righteousness, rich in glory.

    Such a man, I say, is truly rich! His treasure is incorruptible. His bank never breaks. His inheritance fades not away. Man cannot deprive him of it. Death cannot snatch it out of his hands. All things are his already: life, death, things present, and things to come (1 Corinthians 3:23). Best of all, what he has now is nothing to what he will have hereafter.

    The eternal riches of God’s free grace in Christ are within reach of every sinner who comes to Christ. Never rest until they are yours, until the Son of God says to you, “Thou art rich” (Revelation 2:9; 1 John 2:15-17; 1 Timothy 6:6-11, 17-19; Proverbs 21:26; Ecclesiastes 5:10; Job 21:7-15; Proverbs 8:18-21).