Introduction

There are diverse reasons for and approaches to writing a book on money. This one intends to shed light on a rarely considered perspective to it.

Systems are supposed to serve people and not vice versa. The Sabbath is but one example, where Jesus made that clear (Mark 2:27). When people are forced to serve a system, something is obviously wrong, especially if the system is unjust, enslaving and destructive. 

The world financial system is such an unjust, enslaving and destructive system. It should therefore be replaced by a just, liberating and constructive approach to handling money that does not enslave. This will only be possible in the context of the Kingdom of God. 

At the highest level, the Bible is divided into the Old and New Testament. People often don’t like to read the OT, for to them it seems boring and outdated. But unless we do so we are unlikely to fully understand and embrace the NT message. Similarly in this book, I’d like to describe our current money system and its all around negative effects first, even if it may not be the most thrilling story. However without reading it, the biblical alternative to this may not be fully understood, appreciated and embraced.

This book is written for those unfamiliar with the financial lingo, the common man if you like. My aim is to explain things in a normal, short and understandable way. I want to be as brief as possible avoiding overload and complicated detail. However, the information provided will be sufficient to get a good grasp of the secular money system and God's alternative to it. 

Whom Do We Serve?

From time to time, the media feeds us with the latest facts about the ever-increasing economic inequality in this world. Here are the most recent ones from early 2018:

• The six richest people are together wealthier than the bottom half of the world’s population (= 3.7 billion people). 
• In 2017, 82% of all capital gains went to the richest 1% of the world’s population. 18% went to the other 49% of the top half. The wealth of the bottom half didn’t grow at all.
• The top 1% of the world’s population have more money than the bottom 99%. 
• 15% of the world’s population struggle to survive on less than $1.25 a day. 
• 40% of the world’s population (= 3 billion people) own next to nothing.
• By contrast, the world’s corrupt elites, oligarchs and anachronistic monarchies spend countless billions on the most absurd luxuries. 
• To avoid paying their fair share of taxes, the world’s wealthiest people and largest corporations stash their money in offshore tax havens. The Tax Justice Network estimates that to be at least $21-$32 trillion. 
• Even in the developed world countless millions of people are working longer hours for lower wages now than people did 40 years ago. 
• The global economy rewards those at the top at the expense of everyone else. The powerful feed on the powerless. 

Clearly, money ‘rules’ this world and the vast majority of mankind serves money. Most people would probably never say it that way, but that's exactly the way it is. It’s an age old issue.

The Bible records Satan’s failed attempt to overthrow God and usurp His place (Is 14:12-14). For that reason he was banished from God's presence and will in time be thrown down to earth (Ezek 28:17; Luke 10:18, Rev 12:9). His ultimate fate (eternal hellfire) is also sealed (Rev 20:1-6). In his fury about losing his privileged place in heaven, the devil is out to take revenge. Powerless to win against God Himself, he targets God’s image (mankind) instead. 

The last paragraph looks a bit out of place in the context of money. But it gives, in a nutshell, the spiritual backdrop for the current unjust, enslaving and destructive monetary system. How come?

God is omniscient, omnipresent and almighty. The devil isn’t. He is an angelic being. He doesn’t know everything, can’t be everywhere simultaneously and has only limited power. So, unlike God, Satan depends on a centralised, enslaving top-down approach with him at the top to stay in control of things on earth. Expressions of this are the push for a one-world government, a progressively globally connected or single market economy, or the already existing world financial system. As outrageous as this might sound, all this is designed to enslave and in the end destroy mankind, God’s image. Jesus left no doubt that the works of the world are evil (John 7:7). Money is Satan’s most effective tool to force people into complete dependency and servitude (Rev 13:16-17). He knows that man’s bondage to money in the end will also cost their place in heaven (see e.g. Matt 6:24; 1Tim 6:10).

More than 2,000 years ago Jesus stated,

No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matt 6:24, emphasis added)

Remember, creation has delivered its own Creator to the cross for a ridiculous 30 silver coins (Matt 26:15)! Isn’t it disturbing that the image of God (here the man Judas) has delivered God Himself for a pittance to die innocently?

How can money have such a destructive influence on humans? How is it possible that our money system can force its rule on us? To understand this we need at least a rough understanding of how the world financial system works. This system is no accident, but a planned, sophisticated construct. It serves the world system, whose ruler is Satan, the prince of this world (John 12:31, 14:30; Rev 12:9). Its complexity is used to disguise its true intention.

In Part A we will, thus, avoid that complexity and rather focus on the important basics. This will still be sufficient to understand the evil intent behind this system.