Posts Tagged ‘famine’

Whale off Israel’s coast, Jonah and End-Times animal behavior

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

(IMMRAC)(May 13, 2010) A grey whale was spotted off the coast of Israel. (Scientists stunned as grey whale sighted off Israel ) According to this article, “The whale, which was first sighted off Herzliya in central Israel on Saturday, is believed to have travelled thousands of miles from the north Pacific after losing its way in search of food. ‘It’s an unbelievable event which has been described as one of the most important whale sightings ever,’ said Dr Aviad Scheinin, chairman of the Israel Marine Mammal Research and Assistance Center which identified the creature. A population of grey whales once inhabited the north Atlantic but became extinct in the 17th or 18th centuries and has not been seen there since. The remaining colonies live in the western and eastern sectors of the north Pacific.”

Of course the most famous “great fish” incident occurred when a whale or some other large sea creature swallowed and then vomited the prophet Jonah onto the shores of Israel:

“15 So they look up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging. 16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows. 17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights…10 And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.” (Jonah 1:15-17,2:10)

God had wanted Jonah to pronounce His coming judgment upon the Assyrian capital Nineveh unless they repented. Jonah hated the Assyrians because of the way they treated Israel and the Jews. Therefore, he did not want the Ninevites to repent because he knew God was merciful and would not judge them if they did repent. God had a great fish swallow Jonah in order to get Jonah’s attention and ultimately his obedience. After leaving the fish Jonah did preach God’s judgment to the Ninevites and they repented and God mercifully spared them.

The article cited above indicates this is a very bizarre incident which caused the whale to end up in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Israel. It reminds me that during the Tribulation Period God’s judgment will also change animals’ behavior towards human beings. God chose to show the End-Times to His servant John. What John saw was a series of judgments that were going to come upon the earth. The first series constituted seven seals of a scroll which after each one is opened a judgment occurs. The opening of the Third Seal leads to famines (it indicates that food will cost a days wages because of shortages caused by famine) which Jesus confirmed as one of the apocalyptic signs in chapter 24 of the Gospel of Matthew:

“6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.” (Revelation 6:6)

Next John sees the Fourth Seal judgment begin:

“7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.” (Revelation 6:7-8)

Jesus again confirms the End-Times revelations which John observed:

“7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in various places. 8 all this is but the beginning of the labor pains.” (Matthew 24:7-8)

Famines, pestilences, earthquakes, and wars are going to devastate the earth and its natural processes. Scarcity of food will cause even the animals to start attacking and killing humans. For the most part animals are afraid of human beings as their behavior illustrates whenever they encounter people. However, because of God’s judgments upon the world, animals’ behavior will change as John witnessed, “to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.” Billions of Humans will die during the Tribulation Period including many deaths caused by animal attacks. Tragically as Jesus declares, “this is but the beginning of the labor pains” that the earth and its inhabitants will endure.

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Leaders want to restructure world’s economic system

Saturday, November 15th, 2008

(November 15, 2008)  According to the Washington Post the Group of 20 nations (G20) agreed today to restructure the economic systems of the world over the next year. (World Leaders Agree to Sweeping Economic Plan) This agreement “would reshape international financial institutions and overhaul worldwide regulatory and accounting rules.” The article goes on to state,“The communique said that over time the International Monetary Fund and other global institutions ‘must be comprehensively reformed so that they can more adequately reflect changing economic weights in the world economy.’” The German chancellor Angela Merkel wants to establish a “world risk map” that would allow “global financial institutions to allow financial authorities to quickly identify future trouble spots.” (Germany to advocate ‘world risk map’)

The Book of Revelation indicates that in the last days a unified world economic system will be in place under the reign of the Antichrist: “16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” (Revelation 13:16-18) The beast or Antichrist will control this system and will allow only those who swear allegiance to him to participate in the buying and selling of commodities and services. With the digital age such a program is possible. It could be that this current financial agreement will consolidate the economies of the world and lay the groundwork for such a global financial system declared in Revelation 13. It is noteworthy that Adolph Hitler rose to power out of the horrible postwar economic chaos of the 1920s. He was a great orator and he used the Jews as a scapegoat for all of Germany’s problems. The Germans readily accepted him as their leader and some treated him as a messianic figure.

Along a similar vein the Washington Post had an article on the Great Depression. (The Great Depression, Not So Far Away) This article explores the possibility of parallels between that time and the current economic crisis of the world. The Bible indicates that in the last days there will be severe economic times that leads to widespread famines. Jesus said “6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Matthew 24:6-8) Economic hard times are also indicated in the Book of Revelation when it costs a day’s wages to buy food: “5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.” (Revelation 6:5-6)

If nothing else the speed with which the world’s financial crisis suggests that even if the End-Times are still a ways off it would take no time at all to repeat this scenario.

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Oil prices spark food riots in Egypt

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

(May 14, 2008)  As I have pointed out in other news stories, oil prices affect the costs of almost all commodities including food. In Egypt the price of bread is skyrocketing and leading to violence over the increasing costs of food staples. (OPEC Stands Silent While Oil Prices Spark Food Riots In Neighboring Egypt) The article states that ten people have been killed while waiting in bread lines. A three dollar bag of flour costs forty-five dollars on the black market. Thus far, OPEC nations have been unwilling to help out their Arab neighbor. The Bible predicts famines in the End-Times that will cause an upheaval in the global community. Out of this an evil world leader will arise seemingly having the answers to all the world’s problems. With China and India’s population growth and thereby oil consumption increases, it seems unlikely that the oil problem will go away in the long term. This means that the price of commodities will continue to increase and societal unrest will follow in its wake.

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UN Secretary-General calls food price rise a global crisis; biofuels contributing to food shortages?; WSJ: Americans should stockpile food

Friday, April 25th, 2008

(April 25, 2008)  The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, addressed the issue of the rising costs of food, “This steeply rising price of food — it has developed into a real global crisis,” (UN secretary-general calls food price rise a global crisis) Another United Nations official noted that the UN food agency, World Food Program, needs 755 million dollars to help offset the rise in food prices. (UN food agency needs hundreds of millions for hungry)

On another front, it appears that biofuels (a solid, liquid, or gas fuel consisting of, or derived from recently dead biological material, most commonly plants. This distinguishes it from fossil fuel, which is derived from long dead biological material – Wikipedia) are contributing to food shortages around the world. (Food Crisis Starts Eclipsing Climate Change Worries) This article reports, “‘One factor being blamed for the price hikes is the use of government subsidies to promote the use of corn for ethanol production. An estimated 30% of America’s corn crop now goes to fuel, not food…’ A study by a Washington think tank, the International Food Policy Research Institute, indicated that between a quarter and a third of the recent hike in commodities prices is attributable to biofuels.” The reporter mentions that some governments of the world could collapse if food prices don’t recede.

A contributing writer for the Wall Street Journal, Brett Arends, suggests that Americans should start storing up food, “I don’t want to alarm anybody, but maybe it’s time for Americans to start stockpiling food.” (Load Up the Pantry) The point of the article is that people should purchase non-perishable food items now before the prices increase and therefore lessens your money’s current purchasing power.

I am not suggesting the hoarding of food by anyone. I used these news stories to illustrate the possibility that we will experience a global famine which biblical prophecy declares will occur in the End-Times. Whenever this prophetic famine occurs, I believe that the Antichrist will use it to rise to power. In the first news article listed above, there is an interesting statement made by the reporter that is unrelated to the food crisis. The Associated Press writer briefly mentioned the background story for the occasion of the UN Secretary-General’s address: “He spoke to reporters at U.N. offices in Austria, where he was meeting with the nation’s top leaders for talks on how the United Nations and European Union can forge closer ties.” It is biblically possible (see Ch. 10 of my book Even at the Doors ch.10 – Armageddon) that the Antichrist will come to prominence via the European Union. It may be that he will then consolidate his power through the United Nations.

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Americans hoard food, food rationing, limit rice buying, hungry Japan, era of cheap food ends

Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008

(April 23, 2008)  Worldwide food prices and shortages continue to increase. As a result of this, a Washington Times article states that some Americans have resorted to hoarding food: “Farmers and food executives appealed fruitlessly to federal officials yesterday for regulatory steps to limit speculative buying that is helping to drive food prices higher. Meanwhile, some Americans are stocking up on staples such as rice, flour and oil in anticipation of high prices and shortages spreading from overseas.” (Americans hoard food as industry seeks regs)

The New York Sun newspaper is reporting that some retailers in America are limiting consumer purchases of some food staples: “Major retailers in New York, in areas of New England, and on the West Coast are limiting purchases of flour, rice, and cooking oil as demand outstrips supply. There are also anecdotal reports that some consumers are hoarding grain stocks.” (Food Rationing Confronts Breadbasket of the World)

In San Francisco, at least one store is asking customers to limit their rice purchases. (Bay Area Shoppers Asked To Limit Rice Purchases)

Sam’s Club and Costco are limiting sales of rice because of food shortage fears. (Sam’s Club, Costco Limit Rice Purchases)

Across the Pacific, Japan’s food problems are increasing. (Japan’s hunger becomes a dire warning for other nations)

The British newspaper, The Times is reporting that high food prices are here to stay, “Families have been warned that the prices of basic foods will rise steeply again because of acute shortages in commodity markets. Experts told The Times yesterday that prices of rice, wheat and vegetable oil would rise further. They also forecast that high prices and shortages — which have caused riots in developing countries such as Bangladesh and Haiti — were here to stay, and that the days of cheap produce would not return. Food-price inflation has already pushed up a typical family’s weekly shopping bill by 15 per cent in a year.” (Era of cheap food ends as prices surge)

The problems facing the world’s food supply are not going away. According to the Bible, one day in the future there is going to be a global famine which may lead to the rise of the Antichrist.

“4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Matthew 24:4-8)

“5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.” (Revelation 6:5-6)

In the first passage Jesus predicted famines in the end-times. In the second passage the equivalent to a day’s wages will be necessary to pay for food staples at some point in the future. Out of this famine a global leader will arise and seem to have all of the answers to the world’s problems including the economic woes of the people. Just such a scenario played out in the 1920s and 30s when Adolph Hitler used the people’s suffering to rise to power. So too will the Antichrist.

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Worldwide famine in the near future?

Friday, April 18th, 2008

(April 18, 2008)  The last couple of months global food prices and shortages have been in the news. The price of the world’s food staple, rice, is soaring to all-time highs. (Jump in rice price fuels fears of unrest) Rising prices affect over 2.5 billion people in Asia alone. Egypt and India are protecting their own supplies of the grain.

The Financial Times reports that record levels of oil and rice prices could lead to widespread social unrest. (Oil and rice race to record levels)

Australia’s drought is contributing to the shortage of rice around the world. (As Australia dries, a global shortage of rice)
This article states, “The collapse of Australia’s rice production is one of several factors contributing to a doubling of rice prices in the last three months — increases that have led the world’s largest exporters to restrict exports severely, spurred panicked hoarding in Hong Kong and the Philippines, and set off violent protests in countries including Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Haiti, Indonesia, Italy, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, the Philippines, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Yemen.”

Rising oil prices are affecting the cost of most commodities. Martin Crutsinger, Associated Press Economics Writer, reports that wholesale prices have increased substantially. (Wholesale prices soared in March) The article states: “With the crude oil price rising to a record close of $113.79 per barrel on Tuesday, analysts said consumers should be braced for more bad inflation news to come. ‘Wholesale prices are rising and the consumer should expect more shocks at the supermarket and the gas station,’ said Joel Naroff, chief economist at Naroff Economic Advisors.”

Ellen Simon, AP Business Writer, also reports on the rising food costs and how they affect the population, especially lower income families:
“For the U.S. poor, any increase in food costs sets up an either-or equation: Give something up to pay for food.
‘I was talking to people who make $9 an hour, talking about how they might save $5 a week,’ said Kathleen DiChiara, president and CEO of the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. ‘They really felt they couldn’t. That was before. Now, they have to.’ For some, that means adding an extra cup of water to their soup, watering down their milk, or giving their children soda because it’s cheaper than milk, DiChiara said.” (Food Costs Rising Fastest in 17 Years)

An article in the British newspaper The Independent is titled “USA 2008: The Great Depression” and speaks of the growing number of Americans (28 million) using food stamps (USA 2008: The Great Depression)

According to CBS News: “there have been food riots in Haiti, Bangladesh, Egypt, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Mozambique and Senegal. Rising prices have hit poor countries like Peru (and even developed countries like Italy and the United States).” (Food Shortages Herald “New Era Of Hunger”)

There seems to be no glimmer of hope in the future with rising fuel prices adding to the cost of everything. The Bible indicates that near the time of the end there is going to be a worldwide famine:

“5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.” (Revelation 6:5-6)

The cost of wheat and barley in this passage declares that a day’s wages will be necessary to pay for food staples at some point in the future. Out of this famine a global leader will arise and seem to have all of the answers to the world’s problems including the economic woes of the people. Just such a scenario played out in the 1920s and 30s when Adolph Hitler used the people’s suffering to rise to power. So too will the Antichrist.

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Foreclosures a sign of hard economic times ahead?

Tuesday, March 11th, 2008

(March 11, 2008)  USA Today reports that home foreclosures are having a rippling effect on the U.S. economy. (Foreclosure crisis has ripple effect)

The foreclosure crisis in the U.S. is spreading to other areas of American society. According to this USA Today article:

“The mortgage foreclosure crisis has caused a drop in cities’ revenues, a spike in crime, more homelessness and an increase in vacant properties, a survey of elected local officials out today shows.”

This problem along with the U.S. dollar’s value falling around the world and oil and gas prices spiraling out of control are indicators that the economy of America and possibly the whole world is in dire straits. History has shown us that America and the world have rebounded from economically tough times in the past. However, the Great Depression of the 1930s led to the rise of evil dictators who eventually led the world into a devastating World War. How far the economic indicators fall remains to be seen. The Bible does indicate that at some future point there will be economic devastation around the world that will eventually lead to the rise of a world leader who will seemingly have the answers to the world’s problems.

In Revelation 6 God’s servant John is shown some events that have worldwide effects. He sees these four horsemen who are unleashed upon the world who initiate a series of judgments upon the earth:

“5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. 7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.” (Revelation 6:5-8)

What John saw was food staples such as wheat and barley costing a day’s wages. This would indicate that some economic calamity had occurred in the world. After this he sees death from hunger and the animals of the world. These too would be the result of an economic disaster that would cause not only humans to starve but animals also who would resort to killing people in order to eat. The rest of Revelation deals with what Christians call the Tribulation Period and the rise of the Antichrist and the devastation of the earth and its inhabitants that follows it. As I stated above, it was just such circumstances that afforded a type of Antichrist to enter into world history in the 1930s.

I believe that one day America will cease to be a superpower. The reason for this is because the Bible declares that in the future Israel will be attacked by numerous countries in and around the Middle East. (See my article on this site “Coming Invasion of Israel”) Right now America is protecting Israel from the aggression of other countries. However, if we become militarily or economically impotent then these countries will not have to fear America’s military forces and would feel they could attack Israel with impunity. Like all prophecies in the Bible, the timing of these events is in God’s domain and His alone.

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