THE BLACK HORSEMAN OF THE APOCALYPSE

We saw in my earlier blogs that false religion can be forced upon the people through violence and war. When the third seal was opened (Revelation 6:5-6), the horseman riding on the black horse signifies FAMINE. Though famine usually follows after war, it is not always the case necessarily. Sometimes, it is due to freak weather conditions resulting from global warming, at other times it could be due to pestilence or poor soil conditions due to over-cultivation. Whatever the reason(s), famine has plagued mankind for centuries and will contine with greater intensity as the final phase of the end times draws to a close before the Lord Jesus Christ returns to set up His kingdom on earth.

The main difference between famines of the past and the big one yet to come is that the latter will fall upon the FIRST WORLD. This is prophesied in Ezekiel 5:12 when the Word of God reveals that the peoples inherited from the birthright nations of the lost ten tribes of Israel (mainly the modern nations of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and some of the nations of Western Europe ) will be inflicted so badly that one-third will perish. This is because of their disobedience of God's laws and commandments and the resultant curses that follow as given in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28! The scenario to come is so gruesome that some will resort to cannabalism...yuk yuk!! (Ezekiel 5:10). This had happened before as recorded by the Jewish historian Josephus during the Roman siege on Jerusalem. As duality is a principle of bible prophecy, this will happen again during the close of the church age.

Tragically, most will have to undergo such severe sufferings before they will surrender to God (Philippians 2:10). For the minority that believe and obey God and do His biding, they will be shielded from such calamities for the Word of God promise so, 'Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword?' (Romans 8:35). Only those so protected will hear from God as the rest will experience a severe 'spiritual famine of the Word' (Amos 8:11-12).

Man thinks he is wise enough to solve all his problems. But God tells us that all manmade solutions will ultimately fail, as it will lead to disaster (Deuteronomy 12:8; Proverbs 14:12, 16:25; Jeremiah 10:23). Christ warns us ahead of time that famines would immediately precede His Second Coming (Matthew 24:7). God promises in Leviticus 26:1-13 and Deuteronomy 28:1-14 that blessings would follow for all who would obey His laws and statutes and warns of curses to follow in Lev 26:14-39 and Deut 28:15-68 for all who disobey, and that includes famine. Sadly, most are either ignorant, being deceived into thinking that Christ had done away with all that on the cross, or showing a cavalier attitude towards the Word of God. As the prophecy relates to the whole world, there is no way of escape, save for the elect. Most will be paying a very high price for their disobedience!

Consider that most nations' food warehouses do not have more than a couple of months food supply, should there be a major war and or severe famine, pandemonium will strike as society will operate on the principle 'of every man for himself '.The seven-year famine that befell Egypt as recorded in Genesis 41:30 is not the only one in their history. Around the end of the twelve and beginning of the thirteen century, the nation of Egypt was plagued by famine, plague and civil unrest that according to some eyewitnesses, many parents ate their own children!

According to some 'think tank experts', water shortages in some countries could lead to war as they fight over shrinking water resources. I am utterly amazed at the countless reports of government investigations reacting to recurring accidents and disasters which nobody seems to have learnt anything from past experiences! Proverbs 22: 3 states, 'A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished.' It goes to show that the only thing people learn from history is that they don't learn anything from history. Those who failed to learn from history are doomed to repeat it!

God says in Leviticus 26:3-4, 'If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them, then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.' It is clear that the weather - sunshine and rainfall - and food yields are under the soverign hand of God. Looks like only through severe discipline and punishments will mankind wake up to realise their own folly and turn to the Almighty for mercy!

Throughout the 6,000 years of man on earth, hardly any country or land has not been ravaged by drought, famine or natural disaster in one form or another. Whatever food aid and mercy relief - noble as they are - will only address the effect and not the root cause of all the problems that has plagued mankind. The main reason is simply because human nature remains unchanged with Satan on the throne, and man's systems of government are but his proxy. Unless and until God's law such as the land sabbaths (Leviticus 25:1-7) and crop rotations without the use of fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides and chemicals for cultivation are put into effect when Christ returns to set up His kingdom on earth, paradise is only a fool's dream anyway! The good news to follow after the bad news is that 'Thy kingdom comes'.