Bible Financial Experts

While many people today limit their reading to such financial experts as Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, the Bible tells us of Top Financial Experts from some of the richest dynasties in history. Each of these men, all from humble beginnings, were placed in positions to control the entire financial structures of their respective nations. Neither Gates or Buffet can make such a claim.

Four Financial Experts from the Bible are:

• Joseph – found in Genesis 37:1 to Genesis 50:26

• Mordecai – the book of Esther

• Daniel – the book of Daniel

• Nehemiah – the book of Nehemiah

These men, through their knowledge of finances and their devotion to serving God, not only secured the lives of their countrymen, but actually changed the course of history. “What,” you may ask, “made these particular men so powerfully influential?” Good question.

These men had 8 things in common:

1. They were men of prayer and fasting. All spent time in solitude and prayer seeking the wisdom and direction from the Lord. It was a personal relationship in which they often stood with God alone.
2. They suffered extreme circumstance and hardship before and after being elevated to positions of power. Joseph and Daniel were thrown into prison; Daniel was thrown to the lions; Mordecai, along with his countrymen, was threatened with death; Nehemiah’s enemies were a constant threat.
3. They were in the right place at the right time. Mordecai heard the death threat against the king, Joseph was in Egypt before the famine, and Nehemiah was the king’s cupbearer.
4. God gave them insight and knowledge regarding the current economic situations. Joseph and Daniel both were able to interpret dreams. Joseph implemented the grain storage practices that later saved the people from famine. All managed vast amounts of the kings lands and holdings reporting only to the king.
5. They respected the king’s authority even though the king was not a believer. Each of them showed utmost respect and was trusted as the king’s confidant. They were able to remain Godly even in an ungodly nation.
6. Men sought their lives because of envy or because they hated their convictions. Joseph was cast into a pit and accused of adultery; Daniel’s enemies, because of his devotion to God, devised a clever plan to have him killed, and Nehemiah’s work was temporarily stopped due to lies.
7. They accomplished great things while in their positions. Joseph’s plan enabled Egypt to become the richest nation in the world during a seven year famine. The king of Babylon acknowledged the Lord as Creator of the universe, under Nehemiah’s direction the city of Jerusalem was rebuilt.
8. They gave glory to God and God received the praise. Because they each realized that their wisdom was a gift from God, their influence caused the nations to know and acknowledge the one true God.

How about us?

There is much more that could be said about each of them and the lessons we can learn from their lives about enduring faith, the power of prayer, forgiveness, and service. Our challenge is to model their exemplary behavior in all of our own business endeavors and life situations. Who knows? Maybe someone reading right now could become advisor to the leader of his nation.

That someone could be you.

Today’s guest post is written by Carol Schultz-Weil, the author of “In The Trenches – Financial Survival During Times of Hardship“.  Carol also authors the blog In The Trenches.   She also thrives on following and discussing the political developments and reading detective novels.  You can also find her on Facebook.