ToddGaddisBook_October2023_8.5x5.5.indd

Bernie Madoff was an American financier who orchestrated the largest Ponzi scheme in history, a lengthy and lucrative ca per that he finally admitted was “all just one big lie.” 2 Fabricating records in the asset management side of his business, he defrauded clients out of nearly $65,000,000,000. For years, the Madoffs enjoyed the fruits of this deceit. “Court documents show that Bernard Madoff and his wife Ruth lived a life of high luxury, with exclusive homes, yachts and other assets worth 823 million dollars. . . Long known for lavish tastes, the Madoffs are revealed to have owned 2.6 million dollars in jew elry, a 39,000 dollar Steinway piano and 65,000 dollars worth of silverware in their NewYork apartment alone. 3 ” Gehazi didn’t have that luxury of enjoying his tainted bounty, as his apparent accumulation quickly gave way to intense interroga tion. It was after his second lie that his master said, “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you?” (2 Kings 5:26). A special man of God who possessed a double portion of Elijah’s spirit, Elisha obviously discerned Gehazi’s deceitful behav ior. He then posed a follow up question: “Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes -or olive trees or vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves?” (2 Kings 5:27). The Lord’s interrogation of Cain began before his lie and murder. Cain became angry when the Lord accepted Abel’s offering but rejected his, to which the Lord replied, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up?” (Genesis 4:6,7).Then after the murder, the Lord asked, “Where is Abel your brother,What have you done?” (Genesis 4:9,10). Once Ananias and Sapphira held back money from the sale of property, then subsequently lied about it, Peter peppered them

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