They cry “we are dying” but who hears them?

We in the west have no understanding of famine although many of our own citizens even in America go hungry every day. But in many third world countries, famine is a widespread plague upon the land affecting large numbers of people.

From Google Bard: “According to the World Food Programme (WFP), an estimated 900,000 people worldwide are living in famine-like conditions in 2023. This is ten times more than five years ago, an alarmingly rapid increase. The majority of these people are concentrated in Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Yemen, and Afghanistan.

The factors that have contributed to this increase in famine-like conditions include:

• The COVID-19 pandemic, which has disrupted food production and distribution, and led to economic hardship for many people.
• The war in Ukraine, which has caused food prices to rise sharply.
• Climate change, which is causing droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events that are making it more difficult to grow food.

The WFP is calling for urgent action to address the global food crisis. The agency is urging governments to provide more funding for food assistance, and to invest in sustainable agriculture and climate-resilient food systems.”

Famine is often a consequence of war which disrupts food production and distribution. It also disrupts the supply of inputs needed for good harvest. Russia is the top producer of urea needed for fertilizer. Needless to say Russia is not motivated to sell fertilizer to countries aligned with the west. Whatever fertilizer supplies do get in are too costly for farmers. The same applies for other inputs such as pesticides. If inputs are not available at just the right times in the planting and growing process, yields are significantly reduced.

Famine is also the result of climate that shifts and changes due to a very complex solar system interaction with the earth. It has nothing to do with carbon dioxide. Wetter, cooler weather delays planting and harvest, reducing yield.

Drought affects the poorest countries because they don’t have the money or technology to put in modern irrigation systems.

I am often perplexed by the lack of focus the western church has on human suffering in the world. Out of sight, out of mind for most of western Christianity. I don’t recall even one sermon in 30 years as a Christian on the topic of international famine or persistent hunger in our own country and the suffering it causes much less our call to engage in the Name of Jesus.

I used to minister in the government housing areas of Lowell, MA and there were many people who had very little food. The ministry, which started spontaneously by some people in the church, was to bring bags of groceries to anyone who had need within one of the housing project areas. Someone saw the need, read the Bible, and decided to do something. No committee proposal, no pastoral permission, just go and implement something they saw in the Bible. Nobody knew what they were doing or had any experience.

Hunger existed in Lowell just blocks away from many churches and yet people continued to go hungry every day. That ministry went on for years and led to some relationships with the poor of the housing project who began to recognize us and welcome us into their friendship.

I’ll have to write a more detailed post about that someday. It’s a story of the supernatural work of the Lord as people simply respond in obedience to His commands.

Ironically the practical care of people is the basis of the final judgement.

“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

Matthew 25:34-40

What can YOU do?

Are local churches doing anything in regards to these God given ministries? There are many that do but often it’s in the form of contributions to outside ministries who specialize in those things. That’s fine but I would submit that believers are missing out on the value and life changing power of hands-on ministry. Get involved in something that meets the needs of people in the Name of the Lord. You won’t regret it.

Churches that do nothing practical to take care of people should do something. Start internally. Make sure the needs of the brothers and the sisters are met. Did you know that the original biblical role of a Deacon was to ensure the internal needs of believers were met equitably? Then think outside of the boundaries of your church. Start with raising awareness through newsletters or sermons. Do SOMETHING. Do anything as long as it’s in obedience to what the Lord said. I will promise you one thing based on my experience. God will be with you. It’s never a matter of Him showing up…it’s always a matter of you showing up.

Back to the prophecy.,.

Like all of the birth pang signs, famine must be present in an ever increasing and intense way to qualify. Its odd that famine is rarely mentioned by even prophecy teachers who are focused on Rapture. The other signs are typically the focus: war, earthquakes, uprisings and such. But famine is not on the radar even though its one of the most pervasive and intense signs in existence in the world today, and the one that causes the most human suffering and death in large numbers.

War, famine, weakness, disease in ever increasing intensity. Sounds like the four horses of Revelation. They always ride together.

I believe this sign qualifies as a birth pang sign even though it doesn’t get the press. Expect it to increase in the very near future as the climate continues to change, crop yields diminish, war and uprisings increase and availability of agricultural inputs and equipment continue to diminish.

Nations that used to export are now finding it hard to meet the needs of their own people and may be on the market as importers where they can find the grain. More competition for less export grain will escalate food prices even more which will make it more concerning for poor nations.

Famine is coming to the very poor nations in increasing measure and rationing may be coming soon even to the west. Keep an eye on the planting and harvest seasons in the top producing nations: corn, wheat, barley, rice.

Much more could be said about famine but I would urge churches to do a few things: 1) raise awareness and keep it visible, 2) decide as a congregation what to do and take action – don’t just raise money – mobilize your own people for hands-on ministry, 3) begin to teach biblical end times prophecy and relate it to what is happening all around the world. Open your eyes. Your parishioners want to know.

If you are part of a bible believing church then for the sake of the gospel, do something!