They felt that they could hide behind their wealth, and since they lived in the Great City of God in Jerusalem, nothing would ever happen to them. The rich with all their wealth and luxuries were thinking that they were secure with no fears. Under the influence of the Holy Spirit, James gives a great warning for these rich to repent because of the soon coming devastation upon their city.

James here now gives the reason as to why he writes to these rich that they were to weep and mourn for their miseries that were going to come upon them. for your miseries which are coming upon you. James adds that the reasoning for the weeping and howling is for the miseries that are about to come upon them. The word also means to cry aloud as if one would cry aloud to a god. James also says the word howl means to shriek. The word here that James uses for weep means to wail and lament and is not just the shedding of tears but an outward expression of grief as if wailing over someone who has died. James tells them to take heed of the fact that they are to weep and to howl. Now again, James uses these terms for the rich man as a means to say that they too need to repent due to what is about to happen to their riches that cannot save them. James has already talked about the emotions of weeping and mourning in connection with repentance in chapter four. James is warning them that they need to not be overly concerned about their riches in light of what is about to happen to them. The rich have more of a tendency to perceive that they have no need for God but can depend on the security of their wealth. However, the rich have the greater temptation to let their earthly riches surpass their need for the incredible riches in Christ. In the above passage, James singles out the rich saying you rich weep and howl, in their need for urgency to take heed to his words. This is not because the rich are more sinful than others are. James is calling for the rich to take heed of what follows. 6 You have condemned, and you have murdered the righteous one he does not resist you. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.

5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in sensual indulgence. 4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have laid up treasure in the last days. 3 Your gold and your silver have rusted and their rust will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire.

2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten.

James 5:1-6 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)ġCome now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you.

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