In a previous blog entry titled Famines in diverse places / The growing food crisis, it was hypothesised that based on Biblical prophecy one of the prominent signs that the end of the world is near will be the lack of food. The shortage of food would be caused both for supply reasons and due to the price of essential food items going so high that even subsistence quantity foodstuffs will be priced out of the reach of poor people. Even the middle and upper classes will be forced to devote more and more of their disposable income to food; this in turn will strain an already strained beyond repair world economy. The world has become a consumer economy, even for countries like China and India where most of the world’s goods are manufactured but not consumed by the citizens of those nations. However if the consumers in western countries cut down their consumption of non – essential goods such as designer clothing, TVs, computers, video games etc., it effects the economy of the manufacturing countries dramatically. Due to rampant globalization and so – called ‘free trade’ the economies of almost all countries have become interlinked and even their survival depends on the health of the economies of countries far removed from their borders. This is true more so for North America (not including Mexico) and Western Europe than the rest of the world. The majority of consumers, outside of Australia, Japan and South Korea are to be found in the US, Canada and Western Europe. When these consumers stop buying disposable junk; TVS, DVD players and such it impacts third world nations far more severely than the people in wealthier nations, at least where subsistence is concerned. The current misnomered ‘Economic Crisis’ has not impacted all nations equally; in the US or Spain or Ireland many have lost their houses, and have been forced to turn to the State for their essential needs, food, clothing and shelter. 40 million people are on food stamps in the US now, but they are getting fed, at least for now.In third world nations the story is a little different and far more tragic as some of the following news reports prove. This article will cite many mainstream sources as evidence that the food crisis is in fact growing rapidly, and may reach catastrophic levels much sooner than most people anticipate.
The following headlines have not yet taken centre stage in our world but I fear that they will very soon. I fear not for my own body that I might have to go without some day in the future, but I fear that the poorest in the world that are barely surviving today will be starving tomorrow. As a matter of fact many are already starving and that number is sure to grow. As proven in ‘What is the real Matrix’ series of articles and radio programs, Satan keeps the majority so focused on their own little world through pressures of work, entertainment and other meaningless activities that they do not stop to consider the suffering of the rest of the world as their problem. If the problems are in a far away country or even nearby city or state they mistakenly believe that such problems will never impact their world. Jesus forewarned us that ‘tribulation’ would come upon the whole world; no corner of the globe is going to escape. Besides praying and fasting, and doing whatever we can to help those already suffering, we should pay heed to these problems as signs of pending bigger catastrophes, signs of the end of the world. In a separate series of articles and podcasts coming soon, I will expound in detail on the Biblical meaning of the term ‘the end of the world’...and more importantly what sort of timetable can be determined for the prophesied events, prominent among which is ‘famines in diverse places’.
Matthew 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 21For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
Look at the meaning of the word TRIBULATION in the original Greek: thlípsis; gen. thlípseōs, fem. noun from thlíbō (G2346), to crush, press, compress, squeeze, which is from thláō (n.f.), to break. Tribulation, trouble, affliction.
Are the majority of people in this world not already in tribulation, living a stressful life, filled with pressures? For the majority of the Middle Class in the world, the pressure in these times is that of crushing debt but sadly there are many more pressures coming that will crush them completely. No wonder ‘Stress’ is such a killer for people in developed countries; the life of the average American or Canadian is one of extreme stress, but in most cases these are pressures and stresses of their own choosing. In the days ahead, they will discover a whole new meaning of tribulation, of pressure, of stress as they join the billions worldwide for whom tribulation means the pressure of daily survival, of having enough food to survive just for one day. Though the Middle Class may bemoan the fact that they will lose houses and cars and their toys yet in all likelihood they will be able to survive the soon coming food catastrophe, at least in the short run. But as always the heaviest burden will once again will be borne by the poorest of the world; their present tribulation is going to be greatly magnified leading to the loss of life in the tens of millions through starvation, the most horrifying of deaths that may be suffered by any person. And tragically as seen in the picture below it is children who are most often the victims.
- Millions at risk as crops fail in central Africa / After years of drought, flash floods have destroyed harvests in Niger:
“Hundreds of thousands of children across central Africa are at risk of death from starvation and disease after flash flooding worsened an already chronic humanitarian crisis caused by drought. Aid agencies warned yesterday that 10 million people are already facing severe food shortages, particularly in the landlocked countries of Chad and Niger, after a drought led to the failure of last year's crops. As many as 400,000 children are at risk of dying from starvation in Niger alone, according to Save the Children.”
The story speaks for itself so I do not need to comment on it.
“Floods in Pakistan, droughts in Russia, rising grain prices. According to award-winning Australian science writer Julian Cribb, these are warning signs of an impending disaster that will dwarf the financial crisis. In his new book The Coming Famine: The Global Food Crisis and What We Can Do To Avoid It, he warns that looming scarcities of water, land, nutrients, oil and fish will leave us unable to feed ourselves within 50 years.”
The signs that are already visible would indicate a much shorter timeframe than 50 years, With extreme weather continuing to cause havoc, and manmade crises such as wars and economic problems displacing millions, food scarcity is not a future problem but a growing present day one.
- Seven killed as rising food prices spark riots in Mozambique / By Emanuel Camillo in Maputo - Thursday, 2 September 2010
“Young men rampaged through Maputo, Mozambique's capital, yesterday, throwing stones, looting shops and drawing police fire that killed at least seven people. The violence was triggered by the rising cost of food, fuel and water. Rising prices around the world have raised concerns about a return to the political instability of 2008, when Haiti, Kenya and Somalia were among impoverished countries that saw riots over the cost of living. Egypt, where rioting also broke out in 2008, has in recent months seen protests over rising food prices. The UN said Wednesday that international food prices have soared to their highest in two years.”
The above news report proves that the fundamental need for all people is Food and Water, they should not have to protest and die just for the sake of these necessities. Most people will miss the fact that this story states that the cause of the violence, among other things was the rise in the cost of WATER. Now how much more basic a need can a person have? What kind of world are we headed for where the poorest among us cannot even afford the most basic of all necessities: WATER? Again most people will think that the root causes for such problems are internal but as was the case with Bolivia, the root cause of most of these problems is GLOBALIZATION that enriches the few at the expense of the many. The insidious ‘climate change’ laws now being implemented in many countries along with ‘carbon taxes’ even attempt to privatize the very air we breathe; how long will our God keep silent when such evil gallops across the land even as the majority slumber and sleep. The people wonder why would God send judgment upon our planet?
- Psalm 50:3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.
- Isaiah 65:6: Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom
Vladimir Putin has announced Russia will not lift a ban on grain exports before next year’s harvest, extending the embargo for another year, sparking fears over a global food shortage. The Russian prime minister said that it was “necessary to note that we will only be able to consider lifting the grain export ban after next year’s harvest ... and we have clarity on the balances”. His announcement came after deadly protests in Mozambique and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation calling an emergency meeting to discuss the shortages. The export ban from such a key global exporter sent wheat prices to 231.5 euros a tonne, just short of last month’s two-year high of 236 euros, sparking worries of a crisis in global food supplies.
It would be safe to conclude that with the problems in Russia, and the floods in Pakistan and India, not to mention many more weather related catastrophes that have already visited the planet this year, the price of essential foods is bound to rise even higher, and hunger amongst the poorest set to grow dramatically. Two years ago when there was a food crisis due to unprecedented rise in prices, there was no supply problem. Next year the world food supply will surely be impacted by the problems noted in this article and previous articles, and combined with speculation on commodities markets, food prices could see new highs in the coming year. The cost as usual will be borne by the most impoverished amongst the human race, prepare now so that these shortages do not take you by surprise. We saw rationing of rice, not in Cambodia or Vietnam, but in Los Angeles two years ago, I believe that was only the trailer; the feature length movie will begin playing soon.
Although it would be tempting to say ‘I told you so’ considering the fact that the things I have been predicting for some time now are upon us and may only be denied by those who have drunk deep from the river of denial. They are intoxicated with the kool-aid of comfort, their lives are still going on more or less as they always have therefore the end of the world is the last thing on their minds. As I have been warning for many years now the world is truly in for a very rude awakening that will send many to eternal perdition, and bring many more into the joy of their Lord, whom they have looked for with anticipation in the midst of tribulation. I beseech all readers not to be complacent, to not be like the rest of the world that mocks the words of the Living God, who has promised the return of His only Begotten Son Jesus to the planet to vanquish evil once and for all from all God’s creation. Please please do not be like those who mock and ask ‘where is the promise of His coming?’ but be like the faithful servants who kept their lamps burning in the midst of an ever darkening world. Tribulation is not fun and games, it requires one to be prepared to endure, even to the end of the age or of one’s bodily life if need be. However our suffering that is but for a moment works for us an ETERNAL weight of glory that cannot be valued by any earthly treasure.
- 2 Peter 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
- Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
- Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
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