Is income equality just a dream?
You might have heard that half the world’s population lives on $2 (or less) a day. You might have seen documentaries of people living in abject poverty, scraping together what they can to get enough to feed themselves. Their situation seems hopeless, and no amount of relief aid appears to change things.
On the other hand, the world’s rich just keep getting richer. In fact, while many have been hit hard by the economic effects of the COVID pandemic, the wealth of billionaires increased by $US3.9 trillion between March 18 and December 31.
The gap between rich and poor has truly grown exponentially and shows no signs of slowing down.
Should we give up on ever achieving income equality?
Fortunately, the Bible promises there is a time coming when money as we know it will have no value. In fact, it speaks of everyone enjoying self-sufficiency and independence.
They will build houses and live in them,
And they will plant vineyards and eat their fruitage.
They will not build for someone else to inhabit,
Nor will they plant for others to eat.
For the days of my people will be like the days of a tree,
And the work of their hands my chosen ones will enjoy to the full.
Imagine a world without millions of people in debt, everyone able to enjoy their own home, not enslaved to anyone else, and able to comfortably provide for themselves.
Of course, that will never happen in the world we live in. The current system works very well for those in power. But the Bible explains a practical solution to this obstacle.
Daniel 2:44 explains what will happen to the powers that rule this world:
In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. And this kingdom will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it alone will stand forever,
The governments, the ruling powers of this world will be physically removed. No endless debates going in circles, no pointless committee meetings — problem solved, end of story.
When will this happen?
Jesus explained to his followers that we would see a period of time called the last days. What we are seeing in the world today — earthquakes, wars, famines, lack of natural affection and a global preaching work — tells us that we are living in that time period now.
