Drought and Cold Affecting Food Supplies

Unusual weather has caused disasters in many places this year. The front page of our local newspaper yesterday spoke of dry conditions in parts of the Southern USA affecting food production. Cold also seems to be a factor:

Chill blasts crops, record book

Miami Herald – Dec 13, 2010

The coldest weather of the season is hitting South Florida even before winter officially gets here…

The cold weather brings farmers more than worries; it also costs them money. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/12/13/1971175/miami-braces-for-cold-front-freeze.html

USA Today reports that there has been a significant drought across the South, causing farmers to have to deal with abnormally dry weather.

Farmers Experiencing Significant Drought in the South

The drought began this spring, giving a disadvantage to the crops which later had to also endure scorching heat that affected peanut fields and cotton plants, as well as stressing citrus fruit. http://www.tothecenter.com/index.php?readmore=14345

Scientists expect drought conditions to worsen in the USA–and much beyond “normal” or “typical” seasonal variations:

US Southwest Could See Decades-long Drought: Study

Posted on: Tuesday, 14 December 2010, 06:25 CST

An unprecedented, decades-long combination of heat and drought could be headed to the Southwest United States sometime this century, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Arizona.

The scientists reviewed previous studies of temperature changes and droughts in the region over the past 1,200 years, and concluded that a 60-year drought similar to the one that occurred during the 12th Century could be in our future.

“Major 20th century droughts pale in comparison to droughts documented in paleoclimatic records over the past two millennia,” the researchers wrote, referring to the elevated temperatures combined with lengthy and widespread droughts that occurred during the Medieval period. http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1965854/us_southwest_could_see_decadeslong_drought_study/

Additionally, there seem to be droughts in the Middle East and Madagascar:

Drought Hits Middle East Farmers, Again
By Rebecca Murray
AL-RAQQA, Syria, Dec 14, 2010 (IPS)…

If the dry spell stretches through December, the staple wheat and lentil crops and their livelihood are a write-off for another consecutive year.

Swathes of Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territories have all been hit by a devastating drought this fall.

Although a ferocious storm hit the region this past weekend, with snow and rain lashing Syria, farmers remember last year’s winter season, which started well. Then the rains stopped abruptly and extreme weather and diseases like yellow rust set in and decimated the wheat. http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=53853

DAMASCUS – Syria’s capital was on Sunday lashed by a snowstorm which disrupted traffic but brought some relief from a drought which has gripped the country for the past four years. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20101212-308563/Storms-hit-drought-gripped-Syria

The United States is giving $3 million in emergency food aid to the World Food Program to try to prevent widespread famine in southern Madagascar. The United Nations agency predicts 720,000 people in three regions could be severely affected in the next few months by a drought and lack of basic resources. http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/east/-US-Gives-3-Million-for-Emergency-Food-Aid-Program-in-Madagascar-111803984.html

Famines, of course, are biblically expected (Matthew 24:7).

The weather situations around the world affect many things, including the economy, people’s lives, and the food supply. The fact that so much is happening now, may be consistent with certain end time prophecies. But the end is not yet.

LCG has long had a booklet of possibly related interest titled “Who Controls the Weather? ” that is available for those interested in more on the weather and Bible prophecy.

Jesus foretold on a time of natural disasters, including famines, as part of “the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:7-8), but the Book of Revelation (16:8-11) tells of a time of even greater disturbances during “the Day of the Lord”. These will go beyond what normally have occurred in the past century. World events are aligning towards the fulfillment of biblical prophecies.

Now there is good news as ultimately, God’s kingdom will come and those issues will be gone (Revelation 7:16). But a terrible hour of trial is coming first (Revelation 3:10).

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? True religion should be based upon the true gospel.
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2010, 2011, or 2012? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?
Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians. We all know the Bible prophecies famines. Should we do something?