How we know that we’re in the end times. For purposes of this blog, the End Times = those less-than-ten years just prior to the Tribulation (which starts with the signing of a seven-year treaty between Israel and “the many.” Dan 9:27)
God has a long history of using famine to accomplish His purpose stretching from Genesis, where Abraham leaves his ancestral home due to famine Gen 12:10 and Joseph stockpiles food in Egypt in preparation for a foretold coming famine Gen 41:46-57, to the opening of the third seal of Revelation 6:5-6 which sets off famine that lasts until the end the Tribulation.
Although pestilence has been known to wipe out a crop in a day or two, usually it’s weather – particularly drought – that causes massive crop failure. Famines don’t occur suddenly, they require multiple years of crop failure combined with the depletion of all stored food. Most famines are caused by severe multi-year droughts.
So if famines are a warning sign Luke 21:11; Mt 24:7; Mark 13:8, how do things look?
Bad.
- The world’s drought areas have increased by 1/3 in a single generation. “…facts and figures …all point in the same direction: an upward trajectory in the duration of droughts and the severity of impacts.” UN publication Drought in Numbers 2022 051222
- Half of China hit by drought, rice crops threatened in worst heatwave on record
- China’s water crisis is nothing new, but it’s gotten worse – and is now on the ‘brink of catastrophe‘ and could trigger a global catastrophe, according to Foreign Affairs.
- European Corn Yields Expected To Plunge Amid Worst Drought In 500 Years
- French Farmers’ Union Official Warns Of a shortage of feedstock caused by severe drought may lead to a milk shortage
- Millions of people in the Horn of Africa are facing food shortage due to worse drought in 40 years and rising food costs Al Jazeera 090722
- The megadrought in the Western U.S., the region’s worst in 1,200 years; Colorado River is drying up, mandating water cuts to downstream places such as Los Angeles
Drought’s contribution to famine isn’t only about failure of crop growth, but drought also impacts the products needed to produce it, ship it and distribute it. If waterways dry up, hydroelectric plants cease to operate, barges can’t move fertilizer, seeds and machinery where they are needed. Lack of feed for animals means livestock dies adding to food shortages.
- The Rhine River is set to become virtually impassable at a key waypoint in Germany, as shallow water chokes off shipments along one of Europe’s most important waterways. Bloomberg 81122
- Power grid collapse looms: Drought forcing drastic cuts in hydroelectric power generation
According to the United Nations, “a record 345 million acutely hungry people are marching to the brink of starvation, a 25% increase since January.” Notice this number only reports “acutely hungry.” How many more people are moving towards that status?
Life in the United States has always seemed immune from most catastrophes, but that is changing. We weren’t immune from Covid and neither are we going to be immune from food shortages nor from ever increasing prices.
So what are we to do?
1) Keep on keeping on and trust that the Rapture will happen before things get too bad?
2) Use Biblical Joseph as a model and get seriously stocked up?
3) Pray for protection when food riots start?
Did that last point startle you?
We’ve looked at Pestilence and Famine as Biblical warning signs and seen that they are on the increase. Next time we’ll talk about another sign warning us that we’re in the End Times (those ten or less years before the Tribulation starts): kingdom rising against kingdom. Mt 24:7; Mark 13:8; Luke 21:9-10
Please, neither offhandedly accept nor reject what is said in this blog. Check it out. Look it up for yourself in the Bible. If you are a child of God, you are in good hands and there is the most wonderful eternity waiting for you. If you are not a Christ follower, now is a really good time to honestly explore the truth claims of the Bible.
Ringing the Bell 