“No man is a fool who gives up what he cannot keep in order to gain what he cannot lose.” This quote came from Jim Elliot’s journal dated October 28, 1949. Jim Elliot and four other men died on January 8, 1956 killed by Auca tribe natives in Ecuador, South America. These men died in an attempt to share the gospel with the natives who had never heard about God’s love through Jesus Christ.
Perhaps the Descendants of Korah wrote this psalm because Korah dies as a fool. He was supposedly a very wealthy man and one of the 70 advisers who were chosen to help Moses according to Jewish tradition. Korah thought himself so important that he challenged Moses’ leadership position perhaps thinking he should have that job. But God had a different idea. God saw Korah’s challenge as a challenge to His leadership and allowed Korah and his followers to be swallowed by a sink hole.
The question becomes, “What do we treasure, what is important to us?” Is it our wealth? The writer said that when enemies surround him, “Why should I fear. . .They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches. Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God. Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can ever pay enough to live forever and never see the grave.” Verses 5-9 (NLT).
Some people make fame, fortune, family or possessions their treasure. All of these things will be lost when we die. The only thing that we can take with us is our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. What will we choose?