Peace to the Markets

This post is sequel to the post: ‘Speaking to the Soul of the Market’. It announces that the world is shortly about to see businesses rising as reformers of their industries. They will do so by reconfiguring their business models to focus on: (i) obedience to God; (ii) generosity to the poor; (iii) fair business practices; and (iv) commercial profitability. In so doing, they will become credible examples to follow, and so bring peace to their industries. (October 2021)
Texts – please read the Bible passages (below the post) as you read the post.
Key Points
- Business executives across the world wake up each morning to check the news. They update themselves on the latest developments in the markets, and the likely impact on their businesses. This post announces that business executives are shortly about to receive a different kind of news in the market. This news is the proclamation of peace to the markets by God Almighty. Isaiah 52:7 foretold this proclamation of peace. It says: “how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “your God reigns!”
- It is standard practice for God to visit the markets. This practice began in the first ever market established on earth. This market was the garden of Eden (Genesis 2:8-9, 15-17). It was an orchard of trees. The first transaction was between God and Adam. God contracted Adam to take care of the garden. In return, he could eat freely from the fruit of the trees bar one. We understand from Genesis 3:8 that it was God’s practice to visit this market in the evenings. This continued until Adam and Eve violated the market regulation as regards the forbidden fruit. As penalty for this violation, God drove them out and shut down the market.
- Even after the demise of the first market, Psalm 65:9-10 confirms that God has continued His practice of visiting our markets. Indeed, God has been the force behind the economic development and innovations the world has enjoyed till date. Whenever He visits, He gives to people knowledge for science and technology, new business models, etc. He gives such blessings as are required for our economies and markets to produce and thrive.
- God is about to visit our markets again. This visitation will be unique. He will visit through the examples of businesses that have reconfigured their business models to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, prioritise generosity to the poor, ensure fair business dealings, and are commercially profitable. I term them: righteous business models. God will raise up these kinds of businesses in many industries of our markets. As these emerge in each industry (Luke 10:1-12), God expects the business executives in such industries to follow their example and reconfigure their own business models.
- Our markets are troubled by poverty, materialism, and inequality. God will shortly speak peace to our troubled markets through the righteous business models. As more businesses follow the example set by these righteous business models in their industries, our dire statistics on poverty and inequality will greatly improve. Like the Gadarene demoniac healed by Jesus Christ, our markets will be in their right minds (Mark 5:1-17).
- There is a consequence should an organisation’s business leadership refuse to follow the example set by a righteous business model in their industry. In line with Luke 10:11-12, the righteous business model company will shake off the dust of their feet against them. They may find it increasingly difficult to remain a going concern (Hebrews 2:1-4).
- God expects business organisations to follow the example set by the righteous business models for their respective industries. This will set organisations free (like captives and prisoners) from the degenerate nature of the Gadarene demoniac that currently drives our markets. It is the salvation of the markets, the acceptable year of the Lord according to Isaiah 61:1-3. May the poor and all stakeholders in the market rejoice because of your obedience. Amen
Peace to you and peace to your business. Amen.
Texts – please read the Bible passages (below the post) as you read the post.
Genesis 2: 8-9, 15-17 – The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food…Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (NKJV)
Genesis 3:8 – And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. (NKJV)
Psalm 65:9-10 – You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; You provide their grain, for so You have prepared it. You water its ridges abundantly, You settle its furrows; You make it soft with showers, You bless its growth. (NKJV)
Luke 10:1-12 – After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages.
Do not go from house to house. Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’ But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city. (NKJV)
Mark 5:1-17 – Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.
When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.” For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” Then He asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.
Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. So all the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us to the swine, that we may enter them.” And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea. So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened.
Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region. (NKJV)
Hebrews 2:1-4 – Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? (NKJV)
Isaiah 61:1-3 – “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” (NKJV)