The first horseman (white horse) represents religious deception and the second horseman (red horse) represents war. The third horseman (black horse) represents famine (Rev 6:5), one that follows directly after a bitter war that is prophesied to happen just before the return of Jesus Christ. Some sixty years prior to the Apostle John penned Revelation, the Lord Jesus Christ gave a similar reply to His disciples when asked when the end of the age would come. 'For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences and earthquakes in various places.' (Matthew 24:7).
There are numerous biblical accounts of famines from the time of Abraham (Genesis 12:10) to Joseph (Genesis 41:56) to the famines caused by warfare, corrupt leadership and sins (2 Samuel 21:1; 2 Kings 25; Jeremiah 16:4; Isaiah 14:30). After the city of Jerusalem was ravaged by the Roman army in 70 A.D., the famine was so severe that according to Jewish historian Josephus, many people resorted to cannibalism!
During the first several centuries after the first millennium A.D., also known as the Dark Ages, wars and diseases took their toil on soldiers and civilians alike. Some whole cities were struck by famine that famished people did resort to cannibalism.
The famine of modern times is usually structural in nature due to poverty and neglect. Images of drought, famine and hunger in Third World countries are all too familiar scenes splashed over the mass media. Inspite of massive aids given to many of these countries, the problems seem to stay. Some of the main reasons are due to war and corruption that allow funds and resources to be channelled to the wrong causes.
In places where war and corruption are not so rampant, land and water pollutions have done irreparable damage to crops and their yield. The biblical law of land sabbath (Leviticus 25:2-5) by allowing the land to rest every seventh year to replenish its nutrients has been ignored. The result is poor crops and poor harvest. Many people today, especially the young, are malnurished. This is because the foods are no longer providing the required nutrients due to over-cultivation of the land. Popping of vitamins and minerals may help to some extent, but they are not feasible for the masses, especailly for those living in the Third World.
Man has not only ignored the land sabbath, but has continually contribute to destruction of the eco-system that God has created. All the greed and selfishness of man has brought the problems of this world to its knee. Just like the 'Parable of the Prodigal Son' (Luke 15:11-32), it took 'severe famine in that land' (verse 14) for him to come to his senses. It looks like it may take the next big one to wake many from their slumber.
The Good News to follow after the calamity is that in the coming kingdom of God, all His laws and statutes will be obeyed. The result is abundance, fruitfulness, peace and blessings like never before. The prophet Amos put it succinctly in Amos 9:13-15 thus, 'Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, And the treader of grapes him who sows seed; The mountain shall drip with sweet wine, And all the hills shall flow with it. I will bring back the captives of my people Israel; They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them. I will plant them in their land, And no longer shall they be pulled up from the land I have given them - says the Lord your God'.
In the age to come after Christ's return, the world will be taught the whole truth and counsel of God. The people who survived the Great Tribulation will then hunger and thirst after righteousness. That will be the time when deception, war, famine and pestilence will be eradicated (Revelation 7:16-17). Are you praying for it ?-Your kingdom come (Matthew 6:10).
