Chapter 13

Together with the Famine—
the
Deadly Pestilences

And There Shall be . . . Pestilences

Matthew 24:7

“And when He had opened the 4th seal, I heard the voice of the 4th beast say, ‘Come and see.’ And I looked, and behold A PALE HORSE: And his name that sat on him was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over A FOURTH of the earth, to KILL with sword, with HUNGER, with Death and by the Beasts of the earth” (Revelation 6:7-8).

Taking into consideration the present population is approximately six and one/half billions of people, the Death Toll from the FOURTH PART of the earth will be almost Two Billion people!

Warnings of Curses for Disobedience

Though the following prophecy spoke by the LORD God through His servant Moses was given in ancient Israel many years ago, its application can be witnessed today by the fury of nature, a failing economy, drought, a lack of rain, too much rain, terrorists, a collapsing society, hospitals filled to capacity, etc., with the worst yet to come to pass.

All of these curses are now being witnessed in the House of Joseph in their initial stages with the worst yet to come due to their rejection of God and Jesus Christ and God’s holy righteous laws as made known in the overview of Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26, plus many other prophecies that fill in greater detail in these two chapters.

The Seven Times of Punishment to befall Israel

Leviticus 26— The “Seven Times”: The word is defined in the Hebrew as “Seven Times” and conveys the meaning of a DURATION of punishment. However by studying each of the Seven Times in this chapter, one can see it also has the meaning of “Seven-Fold”.

This can be determined by the progression of the Seven Times, each one following the other. It also has the meaning of Seven-Fold as conveying INTENSITY of punishment in those Scriptures; this is also made known by the following writing:

THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN IN PROPHECY, Page 217, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong (1980 Publication): What is the Great Tribulation:

“Now it becomes painfully clear! The Great Tribulation is this sevenfold intensity of corrective punishment which God is now soon going to lay on Britain-America. . . .”

The ever-growing intensity, as made known by each of the Seven Times, has a prolonged duration that will not end until the conquering of the House of Joseph, then to be followed by the captivity, and slavery, as both Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 make known— due to their rejection of God and Jesus Christ and Their holy righteous laws as made known by God through His servant Moses:

Deuteronomy 28:15 “But it shall COME To Pass IF you do NOT obey the LORD your God, to OBSERVE carefully ALL His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these (following) CURSES will come upon you and OVERTAKE you (progressive, growing intensity with each of the Seven Times).”

The Pale-Green Horse

Deuteronomy 28:22, 27 “The LORD will strike you with consumption (Tuberculosis (TB) is a potentially fatal contagious disease, plus), with fever, with inflammation, with severe burning fever . . . The LORD will strike you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors, with the scab, and with the itch, from which YOU CANNOT BE HEALED.”

Further, the LORD God said:

Deuteronomy 28:52-62 “If you do not carefully observe ALL these words of this law that are written in this Book, that you may FEAR this GLORIOUS AND AWESOME NAME, THE LORD YOUR GOD, then the LORD will bring upon you AND YOUR DESCENDANTS extraordinary plagues—

From the Internet: (Spanish flu was the worst pandemic of the 20th century. Up to 40 percent of the worldwide population became ill when it occurred in 1918-1919. The WHO estimates the Spanish flu resulted in upwards of 50 million deaths -- or more deaths than those during World War I, Asian Flu 1957, HIV, AIDS, etc.) —

“. . . great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses (such as: cancer, heart, mental, Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, Alzheimer's Disease a Form of Dementiaetc., Parkinson's disease).

“Moreover He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt (verse 27) of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you. Also every sickness and every plague which is not written in the Book of this Law, will the LORD bring upon you UNTIL you are destroyed. You shall be left FEW in number, whereas you are as the stars of heaven in multitude, BECAUSE you would NOT OBEY the voice of the LORD your God.”

The Coming Death Toll in the House of Joseph

The deadly pestilence will be stalking and accompanying this coming famine. How many in the house of Israel will die during the most severe part of the famine and the terrible disease epidemics?

The prophet Ezekiel gives the answer: “One third of you shall die of the pestilence, and be consumed with famine in your midst . . .” (Ezekiel 5:12).

This is hard to imagine but this is what God tells us through His prophet!

In this country alone, with a population of over 300 million people, one-third would mean 100 million people to perish within that three and one-half year period of time.

This is staggering!

Though the famine symbolized by the Black Horse is still a short distance away it nevertheless is coming toward us at a full gallop; and accompanying it will be the deadly disease epidemics symbolized by the pale-green horse!

Very soon all will witness the devastating results of what these two horses symbolizes (Revelation 6:5-8).

The Famine in ancient Israel

With this coming famine in mind it would be well for us to consider a little more in depth the famine during the time of Elijah and contrast it to the one about to befall Israel, especially the House of Joseph.

This is very important for the severity of the famine will be accompanied by these horrible diseases from which medical science will have no cures.

In actual fact, they cannot cure the diseases of today— how much worse will it be then?

As Scripture makes known the famine of that time, as severe as it was then, is only a miniature type of the one that is closing in on us.

God brought the famine on them, and will on this country, for basically the very same reasons; the flagrant disregard of God and His Holy and righteous laws!

In previous years, the Church of God was warned things were going to change from what we now see them by God’s late apostle and the promised Elijah of the end-time (Malachi 4:5; Matthew 17:10-11)! That statement is now coming to pass! The better times experienced over past years are very close to coming to an end!

The Famine in Samaria

Let us now take a close look at that famine that fell on the land of Israel many years ago. In so doing, please realize the Bible only gives us an overview of what did occur. From what it does reveal we can read between the lines, as well as from history, to aid us in our understanding.

The following Scripture tells us about the severity of that famine which was very probably during the last six months of it:

“. . . there was a SEVERE famine in Samaria” (I Kings 18:2; Luke 4:25; James 5:17)

The prophet Elijah had told King Ahab:

. “. . . there shall be no dew or rain these years, EXCEPT at my word!”

The International Bible Encyclopedia, volume II, page 931, I Kings 18:1) “How sorely both man and beast in Israel were pressed by drought and the resulting famine, is shown by the fact that king Ahab and his chief steward Obadiah were in person searching throughout the land for any patches of green grass that might serve to keep alive some of the king’s own horses and mules (verses 5-6).”

The famine was pressing with extreme severity on the capital and throughout Israel. At the same time, it is believed by some to have affected the whole inhabited world at that time (Luke 4:25).

During this terrible time some grain was probably obtained from Egypt, as it was when Jacob sent his sons from Canaan to Egypt for wheat when they were also experiencing a famine at the time (Genesis 42:1-2). Possibly some could have been obtained from other nearby countries as well.

Whether true, or not, life could not have existed much longer after having entered the most harsh or brutal part of it. An example of its severity was the great concern that Ahab had for his livestock.

Ahab’s Desperate Search for Elijah

Toward the end of the three and one-half year period of time, while seeing and experiencing the real beginning rigors of the famine with no rain in sight, the parting words of Elijah were at the very forefront of King Ahab’s mind:

Recalling this, and with no hope for rain, the king knew he had to find Elijah.

King Ahab was a powerful king and had great influence over the nations around him. This can be seen because he exacted an oath from these kings that they did not know the whereabouts of Elijah (I Kings 18:10-11).

Desperation drove King Ahab to find him, for even his nation was at risk due to the lack of rain that would have provided the food necessary for his horses that were essential for military use.

The hardship of the famine was also severely affecting the people and creating a national problem as well. Death was at hand for the people of Israel!

Though the King looked upon Elijah as his enemy, he knew there was no choice but to find him! He knew the nation had been weakened so greatly by the famine that his powerful rule was diminishing.

The nation could have been completely broken and conquered for the nearby nations, for upon seeing their weakness, they would know Israel could be defeated easily. They would then seize this advantage and conquer them! King Ahab’s rule would then come to an end!

The Pride of Our Power Broken

In view of the exact parallel between Israel at that time and Israel today, it can be seen why God sent Elijah then and another Elijah today. Both would make known a very severe famine to come upon Israel!

This is why we should compare the nation at that time with the nation of today a nation with the same problems! This should also help us to understand why the man to follow Elijah 2800 years later would be in the same role.

Just as other nations had respect for Israel during the reign of King Ahab the presidents of this nation have also been largely respected because this nation is known as the one super-power of the world!

President Harry Truman - 1951

This nation emerged from World War II as the most powerful nation on earth and with great respect shown to it by other nations, but true to an end-time prophecy, it began losing its pride and power in 1951 during the last year of the presidency of Harry Truman; it has been declining ever since.

Leviticus 26:19-20 “I will break the pride of your power; I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. And your strength shall be spent in vain; for your land shall not yield its produce, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruit.”

The Department of State Bulletin, Vol. XXIV, No. 615, Publication 4185, April 16, 1951, p. 603-605

RECALL OF GENERAL MacARTHUR

Preventing a New World War - Address by President Truman

“I want to talk plainly to you tonight about what we are doing in Korea and about our policy in the Far East. In the simplest terms, what we are doing in Korea is this: We are trying to prevent a third world war. . . . So far, by fighting a limited war in Korea, we have prevented aggression from succeeding and bringing on a general war. And the ability of the whole free world to resist Communist aggression has been greatly improved. . . .”

After having the backbone to drop the two atom bombs in August 1945 on two of the cities in Japan to end the war with them, here we find President Truman choosing the course of appeasement in 1951. And from that time this nation began losing its recognition as a respected super world power:

Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 6:41:25 AM by Nextrush

General MacArthur: "In war there is no substitute for victory"

“But as Ann Coulter pointed out in her book "Treason" the spy scandals of Alger Hiss and the controversy over Communist (Soviet) infiltration of the government was coming out of the woodwork at this time in history.

Truman probably felt the political heat and knew he couldn't just stand by in the face of communist aggression. So he went to the United Nations and started a "police action," not a war.

The media resurrected an image of Harry Truman as a tough president in the 1970's and although he could cuss with the best of them, the real story of Harry S. Truman was his unpopularity for firing MacArthur, not winning the war in Korea and allowing his Administration to be infiltrated by Soviet spies and appeasers. He decided to back out as a candidate for re-election in 1952.”

Isaiah the prophet speaks of the continuing lack of real leadership today:

Isaiah 3:4, 12 “I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them (childlike) . . . and women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths.”

Though its power and influence has been declining since 1951 to a very low level today it still maintains the name of a world super-power, but not in leadership! The coming famine, as this prophecy makes known, will be the final breaking of its power and loss of whatever little influence it yet has.

Whatever respect is yet held for this once great nation it is rapidly deteriorating in Europe and in other nations.

This is largely due to a divided congress and very vocal groups inside its borders that appears to be against any constituted authority.

This makes the leaders afraid of both public and world opinion! As the result they are fearful of using its power and have been since the end of World War II.

The Loss of Wars Due to Appeasement

The wars in Korea and Vietnam were lost because of these very reasons. And it appears this nation is just holding its own in Iraq and Afghanistan; very probably America will have to retreat from there as well.

It should be realized the nations in Europe and Asia do not have the respect for America as they once did. As the result they bend very little to its will.

They made known their opposition even from the beginning of the war in Iraq. And because their views were not heeded they became upset and have since turned against America as the wars drag on.

Thus, America is losing any further influence that it may have had with them. Without trust in God to fight this nation’s battles there seems to be no choice but to struggle on with what appears to be a no-win war.

This nation loses either way!

Whatever influence the house of Joseph might yet have, it will be completely lost during the coming famine and the fallout from it! The pride of our power is going to be completely broken just as God tells us (Leviticus 26:18-19).

There will be no respite for Israel today, such as there was at the time of Elijah, for the nation at that time turned back to the true God! It won’t happen this time.

Embargoes and Barricades

To compound the hardships and severity of the coming famine, there will be barricades and embargoes set up by enemy nations to prevent desperate needed food supplies being brought into the nations of Ephraim and Manasseh, very similar to those brought against Jerusalem in 70 A. D. (II Chronicles 36:17-19; Lamentations 1:5; 2:7, 9;4:12. II Kings 25:11; Deuteronomy 28:52).

The Roman commander Titus had his enormous army build a barricade around the city, just as Jesus Christ said would take place and brought about its demise (Luke 19:43).

To better understand, consider the following example, minuscule in comparison to what is coming on us:

THE BIBLE AS HISTORY, by Keller, pages 402-404

“Shortly before the full moon (Passover) in the spring of 70 A.D. Titus appeared with an enormous army outside Jerusalem (in type – the Beast Power) ... To SEAL OFF the city hermetically, Titus ordered the erection of a circumvallatio. This MASSIVE HIGH WALL of earthworks in a wide circle round Jerusalem eliminated any possible smuggling of supplies and provisions into the city and stopped even the last meager reinforcement.

“The specter of famine haunted the city. The craving for food, no matter of what sort, drove men beyond all bounds and killed all normal feeling. The terrible famine that INCREASED in frightfulness DAILY annihilated whole families of people. The terraces were full of women and children who had collapsed from hunger, the alleys were piled high with the bodies of the aged. Children and young people, swollen with lack of food, wandered around like ghosts until they fell.

“They were so far spent that they could no longer bury anyone, and if they did they fell dead upon the very corpses they were burying. The misery was unspeakable, for as soon as even the shadow of anything eatable appeared anywhere a fight began over it, and the best of friends fought each other and tore from each other the most miserable trifles.

“No one would believe that the dying had no provisions stored away. Robbers threw themselves upon those who were drawing their last breath and ransacked their clothing.

“These robbers ran about reeling and staggering like mad dogs and hammered on the doors of homes like drunk men. In their despair they often plunged into the same house two or three times on the one day.

“Their hunger was so unbearable that they were forced to chew anything and everything. They laid hands on things that even the meanest of animals would not touch. They had long since eaten their belts and shoes and even their leather jerkins were torn to shreds and chewed.

“Many of them fed on old hay and there were some who collected stalks of corn and sold a small quantity of it ... But why should I describe the shame and indignity that famine brought upon men, making them eat such unnatural things?” asks Josephus in his History of the Wars of the J///////

Note another historical writing of that time:

ANCIENT HISTORY IN BIBLE LIGHT, Dorothy Ruth Miller, page 261

“THE TERRORS OF THE SIEGE: None of the previous calamities which had befallen Jerusalem is to be compared with this terrible siege. It lasted 134 days. The city was crowded for the Passover.

“The public granaries became empty. Private supplies were plundered. At length no table was spared, nor regular meal eaten in Jerusalem. People bartered all their wealth for a measure of corn, and ate it in secret, uncooked or snatched half-baked from the coals.

“They were often compelled, by torture, to discover their food, or were cruelly treated if they had eaten it. Wives would steal the last morsel from their husbands, children from parents, mothers from children; and there were instances of dead infants being eaten by their parents, so that the ancient prophecy (Deuteronomy 28:56, 57) in which Moses had described the punishments of the unbelieving Jews was fulfilled.”

These quotations depict in lurid detail what took place then; and what will take place in Israel in the near future.

Though the Book of Lamentations describes in graphic detail the famine in the time of Jeremiah, and in Jerusalem in 70 A. D., it also illustrates, in type, this coming famine as well.

Jerusalem was the capital of all of the tribes of Israel up until the splitting off of the 10 tribes after the death of King Solomon. Sometimes it is used in the writings of Scripture by the prophets and Christ in end-time prophecy in that manner (Matthew 22:37; Ezekiel 4; Jeremiah 4). It was the capital city of Israel for many years.

Abnormal Times

As anyone should be able to see and understand, these are not normal times and we need to realize we will never see them again! Prophecy reveals it will only become worse until the horrors that have been prophesied reach their fulfillment with all nations!

This will not come to pass until Jesus Christ has returned to this earth and established His kingdom, taking over the reign of all the nations and ruling them with a rod of iron (Psalm 2:9).

It is not difficult to see the comparison and relevance between the two eras, though there is a difference of about 2800 years between them.

It is worthwhile to note through the millennia great changes have come to pass in virtually all areas of endeavor in Israel, and the nations of this world, especially so, during this past and present century!

People who lived before those years would be utterly awed to see the incredible changes that have taken place in the past few years as made known in some detail in chapter 10 of these writings. Changes that have brought Israel to the brink of being conquered by the soon-to-be revived Holy Roman Empire.

Elijah Makes Known the Famine to Ahab

Now let us consider further the parallels of the famine at that time and the prophesied one that we are on the verge of now.

It is worthwhile to note in the meeting between Elijah and King Ahab, the magnitude of the words spoken by God’s prophet to this very evil king:

“As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word” (I Kings 17:1).

“AS THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL LIVES”

King Ahab, and Israel, had removed themselves so far from the true God and His laws He was no longer real to them.

Possibly God was thought of AS BEING DEAD, just as was said by some a few short years ago in this country.

Besides, they now worshiped other gods that were much more pleasing to them for they made no demands on them. They had liberty to do as they wished without remorse or fear – the laws of God had been done away.

“BEFORE WHOM I STAND”

Remember the meaning of the name, ELIJAH: “YHWH IS MY GOD!” Undoubtedly, Ahab knew the meaning of his name but it meant nothing to him. And to “STAND BEFORE GOD”, Elijah was in reality, saying, “God has sent me. I am His TRUE representative and His presence is right here with me.” To reinforce his words to the king, he boldly stated:

“THERE SHALL NOT BE DEW OR RAIN THESE YEARS EXCEPT AT MY WORD!” Elijah was telling him, as did Moses and Aaron before the Pharaoh in Egypt, “God has told me to tell you there will be NO DEW OR RAIN until He tells me to make it known to you!”

King Ahab was very much like the Pharaoh in the time of Moses, who showed no fear at the pronouncement of plagues to come upon Egypt, for he had his priests and magicians who could duplicate whatever they did or so he thought! Certainly, it was the same with King Ahab. He believed his god, Baal, controlled the rain.

UNGER’S BIBLE HANDBOOK, page 220: “Baal, the Phoenician god, was held by Ahab, Jezebel and his other devotees to CONTROL THE RAIN . . . Baal was supposed to also PRESIDE OVER FIRE!”

With his belief in Baal’s ability to control the rain, Ahab had no fear of what he had been told by Elijah and simply passed it off as nothing to be concerned about.

Possibly two years or more went by with no rain falling on Israel before he really became alarmed and his faith shaken in Baal‘s ability to bring rain to the nation! There had been no rain at all, even though the prophets of Baal had been crying out desperately to their pagan god.

Undoubtedly, they pleaded with King Ahab and Queen Jezebel for time! They confidently stated they knew Baal would yet hear them and miraculously bring rain.

It did not happen!

They had forgotten that the true God in heaven above controls the rain, whether too much or too little, or no rain at all! Jeremiah 5:24.

Corrective Punishment

It is necessary to repeat that when God is compelled to bring major problems on His people, it is with the intent to be corrective with the desire that repentance will result.

The drought, or famine, was a major constructive punishment from God upon Israel then, just as the one that is soon to come upon Israel today because of forsaking Him and turning after other gods. The following comment is a correct one:

Clarke Commentary, volume II, page 454 “It is mostly in times of adversity that we duly consider our moral state; outward afflictions often bring about deep searching of the heart.”

This is truly the purpose of any corrective measures brought about by God on His people, whether in the Tribes of Israel or in God’s Church.

Consider the Scriptures in the first five books of the Bible that were available to the kings and priests during that time in which God FOREWARNED them of calamites to come upon them IF they forsook the writings of His laws.

It was with this in mind that the LORD required each king of Israel to meticulously copy those Scriptures and read them all the days of his life (Deuteronomy 17:18-20). Most of them failed to do it.

The Complete Disregard for God’s Laws

God also sent Elijah to Ahab to make known the prophesied famine was upon them due to their terrible sins and complete disregard of Him and His laws!

The prophesied famine that is just before us is for the same reasons! And Israel has not been without warning of it or all the other curses God said He would bring on His people for their disobedience to Him!

“Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke; among the tribes of Israel, I make known what is sure . . . I have written for him the great things of My law, but they were considered a strange thing . . . For Israel has forgotten his Maker. . . .” (Hosea 5:9; 8:12, 14).

There were the radio broadcasts in earlier years from then-called pirate ships just beyond the boundary of England’s territorial waters! Ephraim did hear, just as the Scripture here makes known!

Also, there were the Plain Truth and Good News Magazines and the Correspondence Course that were made available to them on News Stands and upon request.

As an added witness against the nations of Israel today, there is the availability of the complete Holy Bible in our time, which has been the best seller for years and is a WITNESS to all who possess it as well as all those who have never bothered to obtain one.

Unlike Israel of old, virtually every home, every room in every motel, hotel, and inn, has a Bible in America. No one is without access to the warnings from the Bible as to what is looming before us.

With all this in mind there is no real and justifiable excuse by anyone.

The forewarning of the famine has not completely come to pass as of yet just as it had not before Elijah went to Ahab! However there is little time left to heed the warning!

Though the following Scriptures were to serve as forewarnings of famine in the ongoing history of Israel, the one we are entering into very soon has an end time duality, as can be seen from the following warning prophecies:

“Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them, lest the LORD’S anger be aroused against you, AND HE SHUT UP THE HEAVENS SO THAT THERE BE NO RAIN, AND THE LAND YIELD NO PRODUCE, and you PERISH quickly from the good land. . . .” (Deuteronomy 11:16-17).

“I will BREAK the pride of your power; I WILL MAKE THE HEAVENS LIKE IRON AND YOUR EARTH LIKE BRONZE and your strength shall be spent in vain for your land shall NOT yield its produce, NOR the trees of the land yield their fruit” (Leviticus 26:19-20).

“The LORD WILL CHANGE THE RAIN OF YOUR LAND TO POWDER AND DUST; from the heavens it shall come down on you [remember the miniature type experienced in the 1930s – the dust bowl, drought, stock market crashing, banks closing their doors] UNTIL YOU ARE DESTROYED . . . The LORD will cause you to be defeated by your enemies [remember little Vietnam] . . .” (Deuteronomy 28:24-25).

This country experienced this in type with the great depression in the early part of this past century. Those who lived during that time would do well to remember and keep it in mind, for history does have a way of repeating itself, and will!

The Great Depression in America

Due to terrible drought conditions that came to exist in and about 1929, along with the crashing of the stock market, real hardship was brought about on virtually everyone in this country. Those were very hard times and they continued through the mid-1930s.

Wall Street Crash of 1929

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, searchCrowd gathering on Wall Street.

“The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as the Crash of ’29 , was — taking into consideration the full scope and longevity of its fallout — the most devastating stock market crash in American history. Three catchphrases, Black Thursday, Black Monday, and Black Tuesday, evoke this collapse of stock values. All three are authentic, for the crash was no one-day affair. The initial crash occurred on Black Thursday (October 24, 1929), but it was the catastrophic downturn of Black Monday and Tuesday (October 28 and October 29, 1929) that precipitated widespread panic and the onset of unprecedented and long-lasting consequences for the United States. The collapse continued for a month. Economists and historians disagree as to what role the crash played in subsequent economic, social, and political events. The crash in America came near the beginning of a period of economic decline in the industrialized nations, the Great Depression, and led to the institution of landmark financial reforms and new trading regulations.”

Please view and think about the pictures as presented here and note the pathetic expressions of the people and the homeless conditions of many who lived during those hard and trying times!

Even so, most survived that period due to a different spirit and attitude than what is in evidence today. For the most part people looked out for their neighbor and helped one another out as best as they could, even though they had little to share with those less blessed.

The pictures of that time should be a grim reminder of what is soon to come. That chapter in this nation’s history is minuscule in comparison to what is now prophesied for the near future. One should look back on that time as a forewarning from Christ of the one that is almost here now.

Tragically, this coming time will dwarf that period and will soon be experienced on both a national and international scale.

It will be a type of what occurred in Jerusalem in 70 A. D. that is to befall the House of Joseph and other tribes of Israel! Multiple millions are prophesied to die from this coming famine and the accompanying disease epidemics.

With the foregoing and accompanying pictures in mind, I suggest the reader rent and view the old movie, "The Grapes of Wrath". This movie gives a preliminary picture of the coming terrible times when God will SHUT UP THE HEAVENS just as He promised He would through His prophets of old!

For many years Mr. Armstrong made this warning from God very clear, time and time again, both in literature and in his broadcasts, and later in his telecasts, he also spoke of this famine that is to soon take place in the House of Joseph.

Famine Prophesied for Our Time

In addition to the warnings from the Scriptures just quoted, let us consider what the prophet Ezekiel wrote about this coming famine.

It would be well to remember that at the time of his writing Israel had already been in captivity and removed from their land by their enemies for well over 100 years and this, therefore, is to take place in the end time (II Kings 17)!

“I [will] execute judgments among you in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes . . . I, the LORD, have spoken. When I send against them [nations of Israel - Jerusalem is used as a type for it was the capital of Israel], the terrible arrows of famine which shall be for their destruction and which I will send to destroy you, I WILL INCREASE THE FAMINE upon you and cut off your bread [in addition an embargo put in place by other nations] . . . Pound your fists and stamp your feet, and say, ‘Alas, for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! For they shall fall by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence’” (Ezekiel 5:12).

One should read the Book of Joel for a description of this coming famine. The Book of Lamentations also pictures the horrors of this coming time. Both portray in lurid detail the very sad times that came upon Judah, and will come again in our time – especially so on the House of Joseph.

The Present State of the USA

The people of the United States are in such a condition of apathy and lethargy they never seriously consider their eroded moral fiber nor the other problems that are bringing this great nation to its knees and eventual destruction. Please read the following article that makes this statement very plain (a lead-in note by the sender):

“The following is a most interesting analysis of where we are today, and where we could very possibly be headed. If only we could enlighten those who don't see this, know it or understand its meaning. But then, maybe we can. . . .

Subject: A great history lesson

“At about the time our original 13 states adopted their new constitution, in the year 1787, Alexander Tyler (a Scottish history professor at The University of Edinburgh) had this to say about "The Fall of The Athenian Republic" some 2,000 years prior.

“A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury.

“From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, (which is) always followed by a dictatorship."

“The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence:

“From Bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to great courage; From courage to liberty; From liberty to abundance; From abundance to complacency; From complacency to apathy; From apathy to dependence; From dependence back into bondage."

Professor Joseph Olson of Hamline University School of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota, points out some interesting facts concerning the Presidential election between President Bush and Senator Al Gore:

Population of counties won by: Gore=127 million, Bush=143 million Square miles of land won by: Gore=580,000, Bush=2,2427,000 States Won By Gore=19, Bush=29 Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by: Gore=13.2, Bush=2.1

Professor Olson adds: "In aggregate, the map of the territory Bush won was mostly the land owned by the tax-paying citizens of this great country. Gore's territory mostly encompassed those citizens living in government-owned tenements and living off government welfare. . . ."

Olson believes the U.S. is now somewhere between the "complacency” and "apathy" phase of Professor Tyler's definition of democracy; with some 40 percent of the nation's population already having reached the "governmental dependency" phase. . . .”

Compare the voting map in the most recent election between President Obama and Senator McCain:

Frightening indeed, but to the point! The signs are all around us, revealing we are almost to the very end-time).

Agricultural Problems

Notice also what is written about our problems with agriculture:

U.S. Agriculture To Collapse

Pravda, June 28, 2004 U

North Americans are simply not prepared for what is facing them in the future. The American dream is slowly becoming a nightmare. Our prosperity is built on the principal of exhausting the world's resources as quickly as possible, without any thought to our neighbors, all other life on this planet, or our children.

As the rest of the world awakens to America's extravagant use of energy and resources, for their own survival, they may restrict energy transfers to the United States!”

He is speaking of an embargo to be placed on us by other nations.

Present Diminished Food Supply in the United States

A fairly recent letter to an editor of a newspaper in western Kansas, the wheat belt of America, by a knowledgeable official, made known in startling finite detail how critically low are our food reserves at this time. One would do well in view of the foregoing to seriously consider his sobering letter that is reproduced here by permission from the editor of the Western News, Wallace, Kansas. It is shocking!

The Western Times, Sharon Springs, Kansas, December 30, 2004

Dear Editor, My jaw nearly hit to the floor when I examined a copy of the November 1, 2004 inventory list of U.S.D.A. Commodity Credit Corporation [C. C. C.] owned stocks. There is no doubt the levels are at AN ALL TIME LOW.

I find it difficult to imagine in a time of war, we would allow ourselves this vulnerability. The current C. C. C. inventory is as follows: corn - 100,000 bushels, barley -100,000 bushels, oats - 100,000 bushels, wheat [Minus quantities committed to the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust] 2,300,000 bushels, non-fat dry milk [minus quantities committed to Dairy/ Donations] 3,700,000 pounds, cheese [minus quantities to Dairy/ Donations] 1,100,000 pounds.

The C. C. C. owned inventories are ZERO for the following commodities: butter, soybeans, sorghum, rice, honey, peanuts, canola, flax seed, sunflower oil and seed, dry peas and lentils.

Do the math! Total these figures and divide them by current U. S. Population [293, 027, 571 as of 7-1-04] and you discover our food reserves can be measured in ounces!

Imagine less than one pound of commodity per citizen. ‘The cupboard is bare.’

In fact, the entire nation’s non-committed C. C. C. grain stocks could be stored in Pawnee County, KS elevators utilizing less than 50% of storage capacity!

One has to see that the “Freedom to Farm” law, with the objective to get the government out of supply management and food reserves, was a resounding “success”. Now the likes of Cargill, Tyson, and ADM own and manage the world’s food supply/security. What a sobering thought!

There is no surplus of food in our world, or for that manner, this country. Stocks of food and fiber must be viewed as an asset, not a liability. The fact of the matter is the United States now operates with ‘a trade deficit’ with regard to agriculture. So much for the old slogan, “we feed the world.”

The world now feed us!

We are steadily replacing a policy of agriculture trade and food reserves with the export of guns, bombs, and weapons of war.

I believe food is a far more powerful tool in promoting peace than a bullet. Humanitarian food programs, such as P. L. 480 [Food for Peace] have been minimized. The success of these programs is well documented, but somewhere along the line, we have lost sight of their value. . . .

We must utilize our great resources in a humane fashion, to guarantee an ample, safe and stable food supply, both here and abroad.

Respect for the land and those who cultivate and harvest the bounty must be recognized and elevated. Hunger, poverty and war will ‘continue to blossom’ if we stay on our present course. Why assume all the risks and suffering when there is so much more to be gained from a judicious food and fiber policy?

Tom Giessel, President, Pawnee County Farmer’s Union

The Wheat Belt Country of America

Small community towns are very few in this part of Kansas and Colorado with often thousands of acres being farmed in between, and with very tall and large elevators prominently seen within the breadbasket of America.

One may recall that it was only a few years ago pictures in the Plain Truth showed huge piles of wheat piled high in the streets of towns due to these elevators being full and running over.

This huge storage of grain no longer exists!

In conjunction with this startling information, farmers reveal that a very serious water shortage is developing in that area due to the overuse of irrigation of the aquifer, and the water level is dropping dangerously low. It was reported to be 25 feet below its normal level. Rainfall does not replenish it.

Further, news articles of very recent times reveal there is no storage of food in the pantries of America or England!

Reflecting on this startling information, it should be with sober thought that we realize the imperative need of preparing ourselves mentally and spiritually for these soon-coming catastrophes that we will be experiencing in the near future.

This is no time for sleeping and complacency, but remaining vigilant while in a state of readiness. For, whether we want to believe it or not, TERRIBLE TIMES ARE SOON TO BEFALL US! And when it comes, it will be upon us virtually overnight.

The FAMINE is not yet here in its greatest severity and will not for possibly a year or more. In the interim there are a few other things that have to tie in with it. But when the severity of it comes, and it will come, remember our lack of food supplies, and the fact that much of our food is imported!

Due to a prophesied embargo the needed food supplies will no longer be shipped to us by other nations:

“They shall BESIEGE you in all your gates (ports of entry) UNTIL your high and fortified walls come down throughout all your land which the LORD your God has given you” (Deuteronomy 28:52).

These are indeed very sobering times in which we live.

Sooner Rather Than Later

The United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and South Africa, are soon to experience the horrors of the coming famine with the accompanying pestilences! Sadly, multiple millions of people will die from both of them.

(There will be more in detail about this famine in a later chapter.)

The Interim Period of Time

What more can be expected in the near future for Israel and for the Church?

Before we continue with the answer to this question, we need to understand a little more the background of the Elijah of ancient Israel, and where Israel is today. This is necessary to see in even greater depth some of the other major areas of the sins of Israel today.

The Famine of Elijah’s Time and Today

These writings have made known the parallels between the time of the original Elijah and our time today. They make known just where we are in regard to the fulfillment of the prophecies in our time.

Please consider the parallel with the famine at the time of Elijah and the prophesied famine of our time today, as found in Joel, and the causes for it. If one is viewing the weather conditions as well as their results it is then easy to see that the exact same causes presently exist.

Let us consider this as we again review some of the background to enable us to better understand the comparison.

Background of Israel at the Time

Both Scripture and reputable historical writings make know the horrible evils that existed among the nation of Israel during that time. For the most part the nation was almost completely saturated with evil. Only a bare few thousand Israelites remained faithful to God in their worship. (I Kings 19:18).

The great evils that absorbed Israel were primarily due to the rule and example of the King and His Queen at the time God sent Elijah to them. This couple was very evil, as can be seen in the following historical writings:

UNGER’S BIBLE HANDBOOK, page 220 (I Kings 16:29-33) “Ahab outstripped his predecessors in wickedness and shrewdness [much like president Clinton, 1991-2001, and his wife, as has been well documented and seen on national television. Also read – “Slouching Toward Gomorrah” Judge Bork, pages 2, 183, 284, 309, 341], erecting an altar to Baal the great NW Semitic fertility god, in the Baal temple. He also made an Asherah, 33, a wooden pole symbolic of the Canaanite fertility goddess Asherah.

“Asherah was the patroness of sex and war. Snake worship, both male and female prostitution, child murder, and sacrifice, and every conceivable vice was associated with Canaanite religion. Priests and prophets of Baal were official murderers of little children and hence deserved death themselves (18:40).”

CLARKE COMMENTARY, volume II, page 457: “The king and queen had different religious establishments. The king and his servants worshiped Baal, the supreme lord and master of the world, the sun. For this establishment 450 priests were maintained. “The queen and her women worshiped Asherah, Astarte, or Venus, and for this establishment 400 priests were maintained. These latter were in high honor eating at Jezebels’ table; they made a part of her household. It appears that these 850 priests were the domestic chaplains of the king and queen, and probably not all the priests that belonged to the rites of Baal and Asherah in the land.”

The Commentary continues by making known that Ahab, and his father Omri before him, led the people of Israel into idolatry and all forms of evil by precept and example– which included the involvement of demons.

To be continued—

Your servant and friend,

Don Billingsley

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