Usually, when we hear of an impending shortage of something, we see massive runs by the public to begin hoarding that which we hear will be in short supply. (TP, anyone?)
I could be wrong, but I don’t believe the famine God warns of above will create much of a stir.
And why should that be of concern to anyone?
I will attempt to explain here.
We’ve all heard those history quotes over the years, like ‘those who forget history are doomed to repeat it’; or my favorite- ‘The only thing we learn from history is we don’t learn from history.’
The bible is a classic case study and collection of ‘evidence’ of this very thing when it comes to God’s people and their ability to ‘soon forget’. We are quick to forget God’s goodness and faithfulness and we certainly seem to forget His stern and sobering warnings about doing what He asks of us.
Peter encourages us in his first letter: “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby’ (1 Pet 2:2).
You don’t have to have a Ph.D. to answer this next question- IF you are not feeding, you are not ________.
And we have all seen those images on the news of malnourished people on the cusp of death, sickly, frail, and barely enough strength to hold their heads up because of famine and starvation.
Throughout history (which we tend to forget, remember?) it was not an uncommon practice in war between nations and peoples to cut off food supply chains. A no brainer on that one…keeping folks from eating would weaken them quickly and make them easy picking for the enemy.
Yeah…I could probably stop there and that last paragraph ought to have you thinking. (But I’ll go a tad longer)
You can read of a similar account in 2 Kings 25. God had enough of His rebellious and disobedient people and as warned, multiple times by His prophets, He ‘lowered the hedge’ of His protective hand and brought the neighboring enemy in to destroy them. You can read where Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon (bad guy) and all his army came against Jerusalem and encamped against it; and built a siege wall against it all around. (vs 1)
We read on where “the famine had become so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land.” (vs 3) It was just a matter of time before there was a breach in the wall and the Chaldeans (bad guys) stormed the city.
It was not a good day for God’s people.
Have you ever heard that verse in Isaiah where he speaks of the ‘enemy coming in like a ‘flood’?
We see that word picture of a ‘flood’ used an awful lot in the bible. Jesus spoke of the days prior to His return being as it was in the days of Noah and the ‘flood came and took them all away’. (Matt 24)
Hosea voiced God’s somber warnings saying ‘I will pour out My wrath on them like a flood” (5:10)
And it’s no coincidence that Jesus wrapped up his sermon on the mount with this illustration “Everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and DOES THEM, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
But everyone who hears these sayings of Mind, and DOES NOT DO THEM, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house and it fell. And great was it’s fall.” (Matt 7:24-27) The floods came against Both houses. While you are taking notes and looking up these verses, give Revelation 12:15 a quick look as well.
Before I wrap up here this morning, consider this: How much ‘word’ do you think the ‘average believer’ is taking in on a weekly basis?
Consider all the churches and pulpits that dot the landscape…how much ‘Word’ actually comes across that pulpit once, maybe twice a week for what…30, 45, 60 minutes at most? And how much of that is actual ‘Word’ compared to heart warming, fuzzy ‘chicken-soup-for-the-soul’ sermons?
Can I be just be blunt here? There is plenty of ‘blame’ to go around.
Jesus warned us of all the ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing’ that would lead people astray. Paul did as well. But those sitting in the pews shoulder much blame as well.
Consider these sobering accusations spoken through Jeremiah and Isaiah:
“The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so” (Jer 5)
“This is a rebellious people, lying children, children who will not hear the law of the Lord; Who say to the seers, ‘Do not see’, and to the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy to us right things; speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!” (Isa 30)
Even Ezekiel weighs in with this observation: “everyone saying to his brother, ‘Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.’ So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.” (Ezek 33)
You have read where a man deprived of food will at some point eat …anything to satisfy his raging hunger, be it shoe leather or even dirt. Men stranded at sea without fresh water, have succumbed to drinking salt water to their own peril.
A famine of God’s word has similar effects. God said His people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. It’s only a matter of time before God’s people ‘will no longer endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and turn aside to fables.” (2 Tim 4:3)
Please understand, I know where I have been…and from the pit of darkness He brought me out of.
I throw stones at no one. I simply offer you the word God is putting in my heart to share. It’s not an easy word to hear.
But He is trying to get our attention because He loves each and everyone and does not want to see any perish.
So what are You having for breakfast this morning?
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