1) Psalm 23 And the valley of the Shadow

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

In context, the psalmist is speaking of when he is 'lead in the paths of righteousness'. It is in these paths that he walks in the shadow of death and experiences evil. Note the psalmist experiences evil but does not fear it. And the comfort is from God's presence in difficulty.

If you are comfortable, chances are that you are not doing anything. Our experience of the natural world reinforces a truth shown in the scriptures. When we are physically comfortable our muscles weaken. When we are thermally comfortable our bodies lose the ability to cope with thermal stress. It is when we are working physically we become strong physically.

Walking with Yahweh is the same. Nowhere does it say the reward for faithful work is a comfortable life now, or even in the future. The writer to the Hebrews speaks of faith as an exercise overcoming trouble through the ages into the writer's day of trouble, where the faithful endured much,

Others were tried by mocking and scourging, yes, moreover by bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned. They were sawn apart. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword. They went around in sheep skins and in goat skins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (of whom the world was not worthy).... (Hebrew 11:36-38)

Paul speaks to those at Corinth of his trials, rebuking them for being comfortable.

You are already filled. You have already become rich. You have come to reign without us. Yes, and I wish that you did reign, that we also might reign with you. For, I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last of all, like men sentenced to death.... We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we have dishonor. Even to this present hour we hunger, thirst, are naked, are beaten, and have no certain dwelling place. We toil, working with our own hands. When people curse us, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure. Being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, the dirt wiped off by all, even until now. I don't write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. (1Cor. 4:8-14)

Paul says to be wary of being “filled” and rich, not to be shamed when we are, but to understand the nature of the extreme discomfort of the work of preaching an unpopular message, as compared to the “strength” of wealth and comfort.

The most striking warning is from the uncompromising doctrine of Yahshua.

"But woe to you who are rich! For you have received your consolation. Woe to you, you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. (Luke 6:24-25 WEB)

Did Yahshua say this to make those with wealth feel guilty or was he merely stating a truth? Was Yahshua being tough when he advised the young man to give up all this wealth?

Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross." But his face fell at that saying, and he went away sorrowful, for he was one who had great possessions. Jesus looked around, and said to his disciples, "How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into the Kingdom of God!"

It is to be noted that this advice of Yahshua is given in love. What is it about riches that can prevent salvation? He continues

Jesus answered again, "Children, how hard is it for those who trust in riches to enter into the Kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God." They were exceedingly astonished, saying to him, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus, looking at them, said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God."

Again we wonder why it would be so hard for the rich, but Peter gives the clue,

Peter began to tell him, "Behold, we have left all, and have followed you." Jesus said, "Most certainly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or land, for my sake, and for the sake of the Good News, but he will receive one hundred times more now in this time, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land, with persecutions; and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last; and the last first." (Mark 10:21-31)

This particular account adds a clarification that Yahshua made to the disciples, that it is difficult for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom. Yahshua does not say it is impossible, but rather that it is difficult for them to leave what they are doing to work for him due to this trust in their riches. Hence, they now are first in consequence in this world but if they make it to the next they will be last, for they could not give up their houses and associations to serve wholeheartedly.

2) Wealth and Trust in God

Yahshua discerns that trusting in what we have now prevents us trusting in Yahweh.

He said to them, "Beware! Keep yourselves from covetousness, for a man's life doesn't consist of the abundance of the things which he possesses."

He then tells us a parable of a person blessed with goods.

"The ground of a certain rich man brought forth abundantly. He reasoned within himself, saying, 'What will I do, because I don't have room to store my crops?' He said, 'This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns, and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. I will tell my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, be merry." ' "But God said to him, 'You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared-whose will they be?' So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." (Luke 12:15-21)

It is clear the rich man was trusting in riches and not trusting in Yahweh to provide. If we have enough for this life we trust we have enough for tomorrow. Yahshua's point is that at some point our soul will be required. The rich man had told his soul to be at 'ease' or in other words to be comfortable.

Still we might ask why should having enough for tomorrow cause people to fail spiritually? Surely all good things come from Yahweh? Surely if people are 'blessed' with these things, isn't the ease that is given of Yahweh? To understand this complexity, a proverb may help.

Remove far from me falsehood and lies. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with the food that is needful for me; lest I be full, deny you, and say, 'Who is Yahweh?' or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. (Proverbs 30:8-9)

This leads us to ask the question, why if we are full do we deny Yahweh? It seems there may be a connection between the acknowledgement of need and trust.

It may be suggested that 'trust' is another word for 'faith'. The reliance on Yahweh for every day things leads to a greater trust that Yahweh provides all things. This ongoing reliance also has a consequence, that of a stronger relationship. The psalmist says, “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you” (Psalm 56:3). In this case having enemies that seek the psalmist's life causes him to seek Yahweh's help. And again,

Yahweh will also be a high tower for the oppressed; a high tower in times of trouble. Those who know your name will put their trust in you, for you, Yahweh, have not forsaken those who seek you. (Psa 9:9-10 )

A key is given here. Those that trust do so for they have experienced and understood Yahweh's help, which is extended to those who seek Him. Due to our nature we tend to seek Yahweh only when we are in need. Yahshua puts it like this,

Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. (Matt. 9:12)

Yahshua's comment equates 'comfort' with 'consolation'. Those who are in distress need comforting. Paul speaks of this comfort as a concept essentially related to our salvation.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound to us, even so our comfort also abounds through Christ. But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer. Our hope for you is steadfast, knowing that, since you are partakers of the sufferings, so also are you of the comfort.(2Co 1:3-7)

There is a strong connection between the endurance now and the comfort now. And a connection between the fellow suffering of Yahshua and the comfort in the knowledge of the grace of Yahweh.

Paul's letter to the Thessalonians suggests that the source of eternal comfort is really founded in hope. In this case the hope is available through grace.

brothers,stand firm, and hold the traditions which you were taught by us.... Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us andgave us eternal comfort andgood hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word. (2Th 2:15-17 WEB)

The hope available through grace is associated with a consciousness of fear and an expressed need for comfort. This only comes to those who know they are in need of redemption.

We should draw this out a bit more. Without always a sense of need and of seeking Yahweh's grace we are not in need of the comfort of the hope. It is this understanding of the eternal comfort, as opposed to the temporal comfort of mere bodily rest, that establishes good work. We have a picture from the scriptures of working and being comforted, rather than being comfortable.

The writer to the Hebrews calls the eternal comfort 'rest' and speaks of working to achieve it.

For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day. There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. ..Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:8-9,11)

The issue cannot be put more plainly than in Yahshua's letter to the Laodiceans.

"I know your works, ...So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Because you say, 'I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;' and don't know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich;... As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent. ...He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father on his throne. (Revelation 3:15-21)

Their comfortable life led to a comfortable attitude that they had need of nothing. They were rebuked and reminded they were still in need of salvation and they still had to put in significant effort, involving their discomfort, into achieving that. It is a warning to all that comfortable conditions now are something to be “overcome”. It is hard work to get out of a comfortable position. But look at the reward for working!

If one is entirely comfortable now the flip side is possible future eternal death. If one now walks with Yahweh's comfort in the shadow of death and overcoming obstacles in faith, the flip side is life eternal.

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