11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. (NIV)
11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. (ESV)
From my MacArthur commentary....
James draws... a picture of Palestine's flowers and flowering grasses, which colorfully flourish in February and dry up by May. This is a clear allusion to Isaiah 40:6-8, which speaks of the scorching sirocco wind that burns and destroys plants in its path. This picture from nature illustrates how divinely wrought death and judgment can quickly end the wealthy person's dependence on material possessions.
Today's verse is pretty long, so I'm taking the liberty of deciding that we will take 2 days to learn this one. You can divide it into two parts if you like, or just go over the whole thing for two days, it's up to you.
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