Coronavirus fears caused global panic. The financial institutions, speculative markets, manufacturing, retail outlets, travel, supply chains — pretty much anything that is the basis of our modern economy and trading infrastructure were affected. It can’t help but remind us of the volatility and complexities of this world’s forms of trade. Trade is such a foundational part of how any society operates and, by extension, how each of us operates. Whether we like it or not, nearly every aspect of our life is steeped in unequitable trade.
Can anything good come from the world’s system of trade? The early history of archangel Lucifer gives insight into attitudes within our current world trade system:
Ezekiel 28:14-15 reveals who’s being discussed. The anointed guardian cherub was very powerful and had a significant amount of authority within God’s realm. Eziekiel continues: “By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, and you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God; . . .” (Ezekiel 28:16).
We see what Satan’s nature became and the results, but what factor contributed to it? We read about pride, and corruption because of his beauty, and the corrupted wisdom for the sake of his splendor. But we learn that trade was somehow involved in all of it. But is trade really a problem here?
The Benson Commentary states: “The riches which your great trade has produced have but increased your love of gain more and more, and induced you to commit acts of violence, fraud, and extortion, to make further additions to your power and your riches; therefore I will cast you out of the mountain of God — I will cast you down to contempt from the super-eminent degree of power and glory to which I had raised you, and from the exalted station of governing others, and being able to afford them protection, and from all your great pomp and magnificence.”
That is an interesting way to put it. Over a period of time, this being’s values began to change. It was facilitated by this act of trade, but it was his desire for power and riches that led down the wrong path. When Lucifer decided to build his kingdom, he wanted it to replace God’s Kingdom. That’s what he set about doing. He took God’s concept of trade and distorted it.
The distortion became the way of narcissism versus the way of godly outgoing concern for others. That way became a root method of thought and practice that leads towards all kinds of financial and relationship ruin. That’s how the systems of this world currently operate. They are powerful, pervasive systems. Our society is largely organized around the doctrine of economic rationalism, which basically says that the only reason for anything is economic prosperity.
The Bible uses the metaphors of Tyre and Babylon to mean the world and its systems. It’s part of the judgments on these systems referred to as nations of trade. They were rich civilizations condemned to destruction for their neglect of the poor and for their haughty attitude towards God.
“‘As I live,” says the Lord GOD, ‘neither your sister Sodom nor her daughters have done as you and your daughters have done. Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit’” (Ezekiel 16:48-50).
We live in this system, and it affects our thinking more than we think. In the modern temples of Satan’s system—financial systems, consumer economy businesses, the lottery — the atmosphere is totally designed to remove all traces of God, of liberty and true justice and mercy. People love the free market, but the truth is that market systems completely reject the Kingdom of God.
I’m not talking about capitalism versus socialism versus any other ism. All mankind’s systems, they are just that, mankind’s. They are not God’s. The final Babylon in the book of Revelation is a vast trading empire. The ultimate decision in the end times will be a tough choice for many. The choice will be to participate in the Kingdom of Babylon’s market system or be in the Kingdom of God’s system. Babylon’s market system will reject godly people unless they turn to worship the prince of trade, Satan.
Spiritually speaking, even since the time in the Garden of Eden, Satan has continued to trade with humanity. He offered to trade with Eve, and she accepted the deal. Our acceptance of sin signals the acceptance of a trade. Every time we choose to sin, we take away part of our godly inheritance and our destiny. We are stepping onto the enemy’s trading floor and eating the fruit he’s offering. By doing so, we take away part of our righteous identity in Christ.
What’s interesting is that God allowed “trade” in His Kingdom, in His spiritual realm. It doesn’t appear to be something that Lucifer invented. He just reinvented it. The difference clearly is in the motivation. Under the government of God, will there be trade? Yes! Will the motives, attitudes, and systems in place still support trade as we know it, still be “in place”? No. Will people be sinning by trading goods and services in the future world? No.
However, covenants between God and mankind require something from each party. Any agreement designed by God is created to have mutual lasting benefits to each party. “Obey My laws and you will have blessings.” Those are not just blessings as a natural result of living that way of life. God says He will specifically and actively and intentionally bless them abundantly.
What does God gain? In this case, a special people who are to be an example to the world around them, so that more can understand and experience God’s way leading to life. He gives the gift of true life. We don’t earn that. What we earn is death. God cancels the debt by sending Jesus Christ to trade places with us making the gift of life possible. Christ’s sacrifice turns worldly concepts of trade on its head.
But, at the same time, it is still scripturally sound to say that growth or gain is expected. And that’s done through wise trade. Think about the parable of Luke 12:41-48. The faithful servants worked with what they were given. They trade time and energy—hard work for good fruits and an increase for the master, who is expecting an increase.
You could carry that on into Matthew 25:1-10, and the ten virgins and their oil (represented of the Holy Spirit). They are told to trade to gain more oil. Five were foolish and took no oil with them. The bridegroom came and the door was shut. That leads me to the concept of gain that is not from a self-centered motive. The gain for the 5 wise virgins is eternal life because they chose God’s path which leads to life.
But it’s also scripturally sound to say that God gives His Spirit, and He expects it to return to Him with some positive gain attached to it. Those are called fruits: ” But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
So, what can we know about the future government of God? “Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end…” (Isaiah 9:7). The Kingdom of God will not be just some kind of continual balancing act between loss and gain. God created beings that have a desire to create, to work and to bring forth increase, to produce through application of His principles of life. It’s done in a way that brings satisfaction, not envy, strife or pride:
“Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment. For we brought nothing into this world, so we can take nothing out of it. And if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich, some have wandered away from the path, and pierced themselves with many pains” (1 Timothy 6:6-10 NRSV).
So, here’s the contrast again between these concepts of trade. The gain is to be spiritual in nature because, as opposed to the physical, it lasts. Mankind’s trading systems are built on incredibly flimsy foundations and have no real or lasting benefits. It contributes to the demise of character, and the feeding of our carnal human nature. They feed the desire to get the better end of the deal, unequitable trade.
Godly forms of trade, however, are illogical to humanity because they are not viewed as profitable. The Kingdom of God runs on the service motive, not the profit motive. God says to us, “Reject the world’s systems of trade. Come out of that way of thinking.” He will not allow that to enter His Kingdom.
So instead, trade in humility. Trade in outgoing concern, forgiveness and longsuffering, and joy and peace. Those are the fruits worth trading for. That’s the way of life that results in a trade-up, for ever-increasing gain for the Family of God.
Tim Vail