I was a wealthy man, endowed with servants, vast lands, animals, merchant vessels, and immense respect from my people. I lacked for nothing. My coffers overflowed with gold and silver; I had numerous children, multiple wives, and such honor that I became the constant subject of envy and town gossip. My offspring were adorned in the finest attire and jewels, and my table welcomed guests daily. Each day, no fewer than five goats and sheep were slaughtered to cater to my table’s guests, who were never fewer than fifty. My home was perpetually alive with feasts and celebrations, nestled within an expansive 15-acre estate, embraced by manicured gardens, lush trees, lawns, fountains, and a collection of exotic animals tamed for aesthetic and sensory pleasure.
My residence was a complex of homes, each boasting no fewer than 10 rooms, adorned with patios, statues, ponds, swimming pools, palm trees, fruit-bearing trees, and bespoke furniture. Every room in these homes featured an en suite bathroom and toilet, along with balconies graced by pergolas, beneath which sat flowerpots and sofas for occupants to unwind and savor the fresh air wafting from the fountains and foliage. Several of these homes spanned multiple stories, housing two to four living rooms or internal courts, each distinctively appointed with sofas, floral arrangements, aquariums, wall and ceiling lamps, jacuzzis, and intricate floor patterns. Dotting the spaces between the houses and across the lawns were gazebos, encircled by pools with fountains, meticulously groomed trees, gardens bursting with fragrant blooms, bird baths inviting avian visitors, and statues equipped with lamps to illuminate the night.
I had peacocks, deer, gazelles, zebras, horses, rabbits, pigeons, parrots, squirrels, sparrows, geese, swan, ducks, turtles, monkeys, within this complex and they walked and ate freely on this 15-acre garden and forest. This magnificent cluster of buildings sat on a hill overlooking a beautiful river and lush forest of beautiful trees. Then there were the houses and cottages of the citizens beyond my estate, and they could be seen from the hilltop. The whole complex was walled, and guards were stationed around it daily to keep the security of the place. In essence, it was a castle, and I was favoured and envied by all within the city and surrounding towns.
We were having a feast as usual one day when we heard loud cries, crackling sounds of fire and burning, smell of smoke, and disturbances in the city. We rushed out to see the whole city in flames and people running for their dear lives. The city was under attack! Without a thought, we all made a rush to leave the castle and rushed for the river, swimming or running beyond the mountains and trees towards safety. We could not even stop to talk or think. No one even cared for any material stuff; it was all about running for dear life before the enemy soldiers could catch us. Thousands were caught and put in chains, thousands more were butchered and slain, dying in a pool of blood with their houses on fire.
The enemy forces scoured through the city and stole all goods, gold, silver, and beautiful clothes. They took the women captives and the men as slaves of war; the rest, they killed. They spared nothing. My beautiful house was not spared either. They stole everything they could lay hands on and burnt down that beautiful house. Running as far as our legs could take us, we became fugitives in the forest and wilderness to save our dear lives, without a bed to sleep on, sofas to relax on, and simple food and water to quench our hunger and thirst.
We walked through swamps and grass, with little or no sleep or water to even take a bath, until some collapsed and died on the way. During the day, we yearned for the night, to hide us from the scouting soldiers and at night, we prayed for the day to relieve us from haunting dreams, fear of the darkness, and anxiety of encountering preying animals.
I do not know if my wives or children were spared; neither do they know about my whereabouts. I do not know if they were killed, captured, or enslaved, for we all ran for our dear lives. From town to town, village to village, we saw destruction, burning, crying people, corpses of the slain, and looting. There was no safe place to hide and for the first time I wished for death! My good life was gone, and I cared not for my wealth again: I only wanted to have peace. What was wealth without peace? If I could only have peace, even without my former wealth, I would be the happiest man on earth! How I cherished my wealth in times past, but now I cared not for it: I only wanted peace!
Then it dawned on me that this must have been the experience of Lot when he was captured by the Four Kings who attacked Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Belah (Zoar) and took him away captive with all his goods and wealth. Lot had so much wealth with Abraham that they had to separate into different areas. Lot chose beautiful Sodom and pitched his tents towards Gomorrah, but he had no peace to enjoy his wealth! It occurred to me this must have been the experience of those who lived in Israel during the invasion of the Assyrians, Babylonians, and Romans to sack and burn down Samaria, Jerusalem, and all the surrounding towns and villages.
If you were a rich man living in those times, then you would have no peace to enjoy your wealth. If you were a rich man in Egypt during the Babylonian, Grecian, or Roman invasion, you would have no peace to enjoy your wealth. If you were a Roman in Rome, Constantinople, or Alexandria during the Barbarian and Islamic invasion, you would have no peace to enjoy your wealth.
Prior to this war, I valued wealth above everything in life. I worked all my life to build and secure my wealth. I allowed nothing to come between me and my wealth. I made my gold, silver, and buildings my god on earth: I worshipped them with all my heart, soul, and strength. Where are they now? In a few hours, my years of toil are gone! My idols of gold and silver could not save me; I even forgot them and run for dear life, forgetting my wife and children. What is wealth without peace? I would rather have peaceful wealth or have no wealth at all!
Your wealth is not guaranteed to last. Do not take your peace for granted. When you pray on your knees daily, seek peace first and if possible, peaceful wealth. Have a Happy Sabbath.
