END OF TIME PROPHECIES 094

THE THIRD SEAL .......... GLOBAL FAMINE           Revelation 6v5-6

"And when He had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say come and see'; and I beheld and lo a BLACK horse and he that sat upon him had a pair of balances in his hand.   And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say  "a measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see that thou hurt not the oil and the wine."         

We note for the first time that the four living creatures are never apart; they operate as a unit as in verse 6  "a voice came from the midst of the four living creatures."   It is the third beast who does the summoning but the others are with him and in the midst a voice, presumably the voice of God.   What we have here is worldwide famine and economic collapse.

The black horse symbolizes famine/economic depression.   It is interesting in the last century the two major stock market crashes in USA 1929 and in UK 1987 were called  "black Tuesday" and "black Monday" respectively.   The symbols here could not be more apt.   What are the natural consequences of war?   Famine and economic depression.   However, this, that is coming, is on a scale beyond what anyone has ever seen.   The effects are devastating; what we have here is rampant inflation, food scarcity, food rationing, financial collapse such as never before.   In 1932 - 1934 there was a forced famine on the province of Ukraine by Stalin which resulted in the deaths of between six and eight million people.   In China in 1958 -1960 an attempt by the government to control food production resulted in twenty million deaths through starvation.   Even as late as 2016 there are thousands of children dying for lack of food due to greed and maldistribution:all these things we have seen but nothing like this.   Conditions here are infinitely worse than has ever been known.   Some of the features are as follows: 

• A man on the black horse with a pair of balances in his hand.    The balances speak of measuring portions of weight.   The context clearly speaks of wheat/barley/oil/wine.   It is a measurement of basic food.   The balances are in the hands of one man.   This man controls totally the food of the world.   He sets the terms, He controls the distribution.  
• He is given instructions as to the trading terms.   "One measure of wheat for a penny and three measures of barley for a penny."   The significance of this is huge.   A measure of wheat and three measures of barley was the portion of food for a day for a slave (i.e. minimum portion).   This was a poor man's meal.   A penny or "denarius" was the equivalent of one man's wages for one day.   Therefore at that time one day's wage will pay for one man's food for the day.   There is nothing left over for his wife or his children or his clothing or his rent or his travel etc. etc.   The greater number in the world will be reduced to unprecedented poverty.   In these days of plenty we can scarcely conceive of these conditions which will come in the form of divine judgment.   A reading of Deuteronomy 28v15-68 describes the kind of situation that will exist but on a global basis.
• Another feature of this is that the famine will last all year round.   The barley was the first of the harvest and the wheat was the last of the harvest, so what is indicated is year round famine.  
• There is however a limitation placed on this.   "See that thou hurt not the oil and the wine."   Before we look at this glorious aspect of divine limitation in judgment, we consider first the significance of the oil and the wine.   There are some who consider these to be the province of the rich, but scripture never presents it so, and we have to abide by the scriptural usage of these terms.   It is summed up in Luke 10v34 in the story of the good Samaritan.   It was said that "he went to him (that is the wounded man) and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine."   It appears the oil and the wine were used for medicinal purposes.   It is said the oil spoken of in James 5v14 was a mixture of oil and wine.   There is an aspect of divine mercy in all of this, that at a time of worldwide carnage and starvation the one product required to be in plentiful supply would be the oil and wine.   The medicinal value of oil and wine is mentioned in the following scriptures: Deuteronomy 7v13 - 2nd Chronicles 31v5 - Nehemiah 5v11 - Hosea 2v5 - Joel 1v10 - Haggai 1v11.   We consider now the truth of Divine limitation in judgment.   When Satan would demand the downfall of Job, the Lord granted it but placed limitations upon it saying in Job 1v12  "Only on himself put not forth thy hand."   Again in Job 2v6 the Lord says to Satan  "behold he is in thy hand, only touch not his life."   In Revelation 2v10 to a church undergoing severe trials the Lord Jesus said  "you shall have tribulation ten days."   In 1st Corinthians 10v13 the apostle says when considering the matter of divine government upon his people  "He will not allow you to be put to the test above that you are able."   God must judge, He must govern the world, but it is comforting to know that He sets the boundaries of each action before it commences. GOD CONTROLS THE DESPOT WHO BESTRIDES THE EARTH as if by his own power.