The prophet Amos wrote about a coming famine during the end times. It was a three-fold prophecy. An immediate end of harvest was at hand. God’s longsuffering with the disobedient people had run out, so he was going to bring an end, and Israel was going to be carried off into captivity. But the prophecy goes beyond these endings to the final end when God’s patience and longsuffering with the whole world will have run out. Sometimes it seems like we have already reached that point.
“The time is coming when I will send famine on the land. People will be hungry, but not for bread; they will be thirsty, but not for water. They will hunger and thirst for a message from the LORD. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken. People will wander from the Dead Sea to the Mediterranean and then on around from the north to the east. They will look everywhere for a message from the LORD, but they will not find it. On that day even healthy young men and women will collapse from thirst. Those who swear by the idols of Samaria, who say, ‘By the god of Dan’ or ‘By the god of Beersheba’—those people will fall and not rise again.” (Amos 8:11-14 GNT)
And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. (Amos 8:12 KJV)
This famine should not surprise us, or catch us unaware
This famine will be for a message from the LORD. God’s word will be far from them. They will have turned away so far from God that they won’t be able to find their way back. They will look everywhere except the Bible (and the church). But they won’t find him.
- And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision. (1 Samuel 3:1)
- And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets… (1 Samuel 28:6,15)
- We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long. (Psalm 74:9)
- The 2 religions of the world as illustrated by Invictus versus My Captain
- Useless rules and regulations with an appearance of wisdom
- The fear of religion is a dangerous trap
Why did that famine happen, why will it happen again?
Amos 8:11. Behold the days come, saith the Lord — This is spoken of events which were yet at some distance. That I will send a famine in the land, not of bread, &c., but of hearing the words of the Lord — When Amos prophesied, and for a considerable time after, there were several prophets, and abundant opportunities of hearing the word of the Lord, in season and out of season: they had precept upon precept and line upon line. Prophecy was their daily bread; but they despised it as Israel did the manna in the wilderness; and therefore God threatens that he would hereafter deprive them of this privilege. It appears that there were not so many prophets in the land of Israel, about the time that their destruction came upon them, as there were in the land of Judah; and after the ten tribes were carried away captive, they saw not their signs; there were no more any prophets among them; none to show them How long; Psalm 74:9. –Benson Commentary
Verse 11. – This shall be the bitterness at the end; they had rejected the warnings of the prophets (Amos 7:12, etc.); now the Word of God and the light of his teaching should fail them. Famine. When the light of God’s revelation is withdrawn, their longing for the Word, however sore and great, shall remain unsatisfied, like that of Saul (1 Samuel 28:6). They may grieve like the psalmist, “We see not our signs; there is no more any prophet; neither is there among us any that knoweth how long” (Psalm 74:9); but it will be in vain (see a similar punishment threatened, Lamentations 2:9; Ezekiel 7:26; Micah 3:7). –Pulpit Commentary
- The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure–who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9)
- We know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. (Romans 6:6)
- I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3)
- So I tell you this, and testify to it in the Lord: You must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. (Ephesians 4:17)
- So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors… (Matthew 24:33,34)
- So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors… (Mark 13:29,30)
- to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; (Ephesians 4:22)
- And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed… (Romans 13:11-13)
- See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God. But exhort one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly to the end the assurance we had at first.… (Hebrews 3:13)
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- I fear that you will be corrupted by religion
- Ministry of reconciliation (how to be reconciled to God)
How should we prepare for the coming famine?
There are many preppers in the land, but how many are preparing for this famine? Here are some things to consider:
- For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)
- They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2:42)
- The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:12)
- his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. (1 Corinthians 3:13)
- For, “In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay. (Hebrews 10:37)
- Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. (Hebrews 12:1)
- Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly receive the word planted in you, which can save your souls. (James 1:21)
- Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. (1 Peter 2:1)
- I urge you, brothers, to bear with my word of exhortation, for I have only written to you briefly. (Hebrews 13:22)
- Examine yourselves test your faith (2 Cor 13:5)
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- We need a new personal commission
Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. (Isaiah 55)