In recent months people have been aware of shortages in toilet paper, hand sanitizers, and other products because of the covid-19 pandemic. Now there are predictions that there will be food shortages, which includes meat products and even vegetable shortages. Food processing plants have had to close, farmers have had to plow under their crops because they had no way to ship their produce and little demand for them, and even animals have had to be euthanized.
“Words from Above” in the Bible tell us that such shortages are not at all new in the world. When Abraham left his homeland and lived in a land promised by God to his descendants, there was a famine in the land, causing him to move temporarily to Egypt. His son Isaac later faced a famine and he was forced to seek relief in the land of the Philistines. Isaac’s grandson Joseph helped the Pharaoh of Egypt deal with a famine by storing food for seven years during times of plenty, which he used during seven years of crop shortages.
A family from Bethlehem during a famine moved to Moab, where the father of the family and his two sons died. His wife Naomi and daughter-in-law Ruth eventually returned to Bethlehem, where Ruth married Boaz. They became the grandparents of one of the greatest kings to ever rule over the land of Israel, namely King David. There was a famine in Israel during the days of Elijah the prophet because God withheld rain for three and a half years to punish the people for their sins.
Although God punished His people with famines throughout their long history, what He really wants to do is to bless His people with plenty if they will obey His commandments and live by His ways. The apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:19, “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” In Matthew 6, Jesus spoke about people worrying about what they shall eat or drink, and what they shall wear. He declared that if people would “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness”, God would supply all their needs.
Jesus also promised in John 10 that He would give people life, and that He would give it to them abundantly. He contrasted this to how the devil seeks to kill, steal, and destroy people’s souls and their lives. There He called Himself the Good shepherd, and said He was willing to lay down His life to pay for the sins of all the people of the world, and so that their sins could be forgiven and their souls could be saved.
Larry R. Steffee is pastor of the Center Hill Brethren In Christ Church on Miller Road in Smithville. Everyone is welcome to attend. For informa-tion, you may email lrsteffeetn@yahoo.com.
