The Third Horseman of the Apocalypse: Food Shortages and Food Inflation

14th Century Tapestry of the Third Horseman of the Apocalypse

The Bible is tells of a time that there will be food shortages and serious food inflation:

5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.” (Revelation 6:5-6)

Is this now starting to happen?

Some time back, Wyatt Ciesielka of the Living Church of God wrote:

Is the nation that was once “breadbasket to the world” now seeing its very ability to feed itself erode? Are food shortages and food riots in the USA and other “wealthy nations” looming? Food scarcity is a very real problem that will become much more severe in the years ahead and is a harbinger of the severe famine that will affect every nation, when the third seal of Revelation is opened, and the third horseman rides!

Revelation 6:5-6 reads, “When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” And I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.” A denarius was worth about one day’s wages during Christ’s time. Converted to US 2008 dollars, a denarius would be worth approximately $100 to $150! So, we see Scripture warning us that food prices will increase significantly prior to the Great Tribulation.

The third horseman’s ride will soon tear apart the very fabric of our society. Do you fear for your own and your family’s safety, or do you trust in God? If we truly repent and seek God, then He promises us eternal life (I John 5:10–12) and promises to provide for us, even in the midst of global famine – even during the ride of the third horseman of the Apocalypse! Notice Psalm 33:18 and 19 – which is especially clear in the Moffatt translation – “the Eternal’s eye rests on His worshippers, who rest their hopes upon His kindness, that He may rescue them from death, and during famine-days keep them alive.”

God promises to provide for us if we obey Him and seek His Kingdom (Matthew 6:31-33), so do not fear the rising food prices. Do not fear the third horseman! Instead, humbly submit to and obey God. God’s kind eye will then indeed rest on you and your family now and in the days to come.

While some time back, LCG Evangelist Dr. D. Winnail wrote:

Warnings about famine may sound absurd to affluent overfed nations in Western Europe, North America and other parts of the world, where obesity is a growing problem! However, large segments of the human family experience daily hunger and starvation as agonizing facts of life.

Warnings about famine may sound absurd to affluent overfed nations in Western Europe, North America and other parts of the world, where obesity is a growing problem! However, large segments of the human family experience daily hunger and starvation as agonizing facts of life. Remarkably, many religious leaders talk about love, peace and tolerance, yet ignore ancient prophecies about literal events that are coming alive today!

Jesus warned that one of the prominent signs that would precede His Second Coming would be increasingly severe famines on a global scale (Matthew 24:3–8; Mark 13:8; Luke 21:11). He used the symbol of the Third Horseman of the Apocalypse—a rider on a black horse carrying scales (balances)—to depict an era of famines that would mark the end of this age (Revelation 6:5–8). These prophecies reveal that, before Christ returns, warfare, widespread famines, disease epidemics and a string of natural disasters will bring death to one quarter of the earth.

To modern ears, this sounds like morbid science fiction or the scare tactics of an alarmist. This is a subject that trendy, “feel-good Christianity” does not like to talk about. But actual global conditions show that the world is beginning to resemble what the Bible has long predicted. According to the World Health Organization, one third of the world’s population is starving and another third is malnourished. Only one third is considered well fed. Each year, millions die from starvation—including 100 million children in the 1990s alone. Every minute, 23 children die of malnutrition and preventable diseases. Drought-induced famines threaten the lives of 15 million people in the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia and Eritrea) and in Mauritania (in northwest Africa). In nations of southern Africa, 14 million struggle to get enough food. These are facts of life today!

Though most of the world’s current famine-induced suffering affects developing countries in Africa and Southeast Asia, Bible prophecies indicate that a similar situation will develop in more affluent Western countries. Long ago, God told the rebellious house of Israel that “one third of you shall die of the pestilence, and be consumed with famine in your midst; and one third shall fall by the sword [war] all around you; and I will scatter another third to all the winds” (Ezekiel 5:12). The lack of rain and ensuing drought will be major factors contributing to this dire situation (Leviticus 26:19–20; Deuteronomy 28:23–24).

The situation we are now in will get worse (see, for example, TW: Food Prices May Cause Riots Within a Year).

Notice something that Ezekiel was inspired to write:

15 ‘So it shall be a reproach, a taunt, a lesson, and an astonishment to the nations that are all around you, when I execute judgments among you in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I, the Lord, have spoken. 16 When I send against them the terrible arrows of famine which shall be for destruction, which I will send to destroy you, I will increase the famine upon you and cut off your supply of bread. 17 So I will send against you famine and wild beasts, and they will bereave you. Pestilence and blood shall pass through you, and I will bring the sword against you. I, the Lord, have spoken.'” (Ezekiel 5:15-17)

Notice that this shows famine, then pestilence, and then the sword. The above sequence seems to be slightly different than that Jesus listed as part of the “beginning of sorrows” (Mathew 24:7-8) as the sword comes afterwards. But since the sword should begin the Great Tribulation, the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7), this may be part of how the beginning of sorrows ties into the Great Tribulation–this also may suggest hunger and disease problems for the Anglo-nations prior to the start of the Great Tribulation.

We in the Living Church of God teach that the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand are essentially descendants of the biblical tribe of Joseph. And while those nations have connections to him, it does not appear that they want to live like he did, nor is it likely that they will be able to store enough grain before it is too late.

The sons of Joseph were named Ephraim (Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand) and Manasseh (USA). In a recent co-worker letter, Dr. Roderick C. Meredith of the Living Church of God wrote:

So it seems that the “beginning of sorrows” has certainly been escalating in Ephraim and Manasseh! Maybe it will help some few people to actually “wake up”! (Meredith RC. LCG Co-worker letter, August 15, 2011)

The sorrows and troubles are just beginning and will get much worse. Hopefully, people will wake up.

As Jesus said:

7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
(Matthew 24:7-8)

37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch! (Mark 13:36-37)

Tougher times are coming. And for some parts of the world these tougher time may be here now. People who can prepare, should: both spiritually and physically. Westerners need to realize that this will not only affect people in places like Africa, Asia, and the Middle East–the Anglo-descended nations of the West will themselves suffer hunger, civil unrest, famine, and worse. Super wheat will not be the solution–it is much more likely to contribute to a disaster.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2011 or 2012? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What is the “beginning of sorrows”? 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?
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.
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it. Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2018 or 2019?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people?
Canada in Prophecy: What Does Bible Prophecy, Catholic Prophecy, and other Predictions Suggest About the Future of Canada? There are prophecies that suggest involvement with Canada. And many are not positive about its future.
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West?
Is Tony Blair Apocalyptic? The former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom converted to Catholicism shortly after leaving his office and has been active in European affairs. What role might he play?