“I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand” (Revelation 6:5b)
An article appeared in an online publication earlier this week by an American journalist/writer regarding the economic collapse coming to America which would see food in short supply. The headliner read; “Buy Lots Of Food And Store It Some Place Safe, Because Very Difficult Times Are Approaching.” The article was suggesting that stocking up on food for a long stretch might be the answer to the coming global famine.
Part of the article read; “Right now we have a window of opportunity before the next wave of trouble comes along, and I would greatly encourage you to use this window of opportunity to buy lots of food and store it someplace safe. Some people seem to think that if they have stored up a couple of months’ worth of food that they will be just fine. Unfortunately, that is not the reality of what we are facing. The truth is that you should have enough food to feed every single person in your household for an extended period of time, and many of you will need much more than that. Because when things get really crazy, many of the friends, neighbours and extended family members that neglected to prepare will come knocking on your door asking for help.”
Already across America there have been cars lined up for hours waiting to get access to food banks. Many of the cars are being driven by middle, and upper class people. The article likened it to the days of the great depression when thousands lined the streets for food handouts. While things have not come to this yet on a global scale the Bible tells us this will come when the black horse takes its last ride across the surface of the globe bring famine and scarcity on a scale never before seen in the past. (Revelation 6:5-6) Even now we see terrible famine in many third world countries but it is not limited to these nations. It will come to the western democracies. It will be a global ‘famine’.
In Australia we have seen ‘panic buying’ in this current ‘Pandemic,’ they call it, of the Coronavirus but there is more to come if we read the Bible correctly. Should we stock up on food (canned food)? I guess one asks the question “How much food should you stock up?” We know the end is coming but how far it is down the track is not clear although I think we have entered into the time of the birth pains (Matthew 24:5-8). I am inclined to think they started some time ago now. This matter of food shortage needs to be thought through as believers. Our Lord Jesus did say some very wise words for times such as these. He spoke about a sense of apprehension over our daily necessities and that we were not to be worried or anxious as He would provide for His children (Matthew 6:25-34).
I am also reminded that it was the ravens that fed Elijah. God had commanded the ravens to feed him at a certain place he was to go to. As he obeyed and went, the Lord had already provided the food Elijah would need when he arrived at the place God had told him. Somehow when things get rough God will supply, how? we cannot know at present as I think multitudes of believers in the western democracies have not had to face really ‘hard times.’ However, the key to surviving is to be in God’s will.
I think it was Hudson Taylor who said; “God’s work done in God’s way never lacks God’s supplies!” We must believe this and seek to walk in obedience now. How we walk now will determine to a great degree how we will walk in the future. Another thought is that trials and tests are repertory steps to bigger ones down the track. God gives us tests, not to afflict us, but to strengthen our confidence in Him that we might pass these ‘tests’ to make our spiritual progress stronger and more consistent. This takes time of course but doing things God’s way saves time! I am not sure just stocking up food is the answer for the long term haul. Having said this though, it may provide many opportunities to witness to the unsaved who may well come knocking on the believers doors to get food. These are my immediate thoughts considering this time of scarcity.
Will the next crisis be a mass food shortage on a global scale? Our Lord Jesus also gave us some very sound and sane advice when He said; “There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near”(Luke 21:25-28).
Notice what He said to His followers when they see these things beginning to take place. We are to straighten up and not bend over at the knees with anxiety and to lift up our heads with expectant faith because our redemption and deliverance from this present evil age is near, even at the very gates! As I have said before let’s not focus on the ‘birth pains’ but rather focus on the ‘birth’ of the baby (the Messianic Kingdom to come). When the baby arrives, in the joy and euphoria of its arrival, who remembers the ‘birth pains?’
God knows how our lives will end and if we keep trusting Him in this life we can most certainly trust Him to carry us through into the Messianic Age and then after a thousand years into the life to come when there will be no more pain, suffering, death, tears or heartbreak because these former things will have passed away. All things will be new and the past erased! (Revelation 20:1-6; 21:1-4)
