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Hasten The Day!
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. [See Table of Contents for all End-Time Prophecies covered here, best viewed on a big screen]
Future Prophesies - the Stage is Set (Can Happen Any Day)
FAMINE
(See also: 7 Seals: 3rd Seal Famine)
FBI Warns of Cyber Attacks on Food Plants Following Mysterious Rash of Fires
IceAgeFarmer Poll - How Are Your Backyard Gardens Doing?
UN, World Economic Forum Behind Global ‘War on Farmers’: Experts (Links to UN)
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Why famine? - It is God's correction so you will return to Him!
See also: 7 Seals: Seal 3 Famine
Famine at the Destruction of Israel
Famine at Destruction of Judah and Jerusalem
Other Examples of Famine in the Bible
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God's Provision to the Faithful
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The Bible Warned Us About all These Things...And Now They are HERE (The_Watchman_1963 - Start at 30:12 min)
The Coming Global Famine
https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=5167
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Sometime around 4,000 years ago, the Pharaoh of Egypt summoned an imprisoned slave named Joseph. Two dreams bothered Pharaoh, and none of his magicians or wise men could interpret them (Genesis 41:1-8). In his first dream, Pharaoh saw seven fat, healthy cows grazing by the Nile. Then seven thin cows appeared and ate the seven fat ones. In his second dream, Pharaoh saw seven large, beautiful heads of grain. Then seven shriveled heads of grain appeared and swallowed up the first seven.
Pharaoh asked Joseph to interpret the dreams. "I don't have the power to do this," Joseph told him. "But God does, and He can tell you what it means." Joseph went on to tell Pharaoh the meaning of the dreams. He said seven years of famine will follow seven years of plenty.
In response, Pharaoh made Joseph the second most powerful man in Egypt (Genesis 41:40). He put him in charge of the land, and Joseph collected one-fifth of the food produced for the next seven years. He stored up massive amounts. When the famine came, it hit neighboring nations hard. People from the lands all around Egypt came to buy grain from Joseph (Genesis 41:57).
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Eventually, the people ran out of money. They had nothing to buy food. So they gave Joseph their livestock in exchange for food (Genesis 47:17). When their livestock was gone, they offered their land and themselves (Genesis 47:19). Before long, Pharaoh owned all the land in Egypt (Genesis 47:20). The people became his slaves, and Pharaoh's power multiplied.
Like many stories in the Bible, the story of Joseph and Pharaoh is also a symbolic prophecy. It foreshadows a coming time of great famine when, like Pharaoh, one man will gather immense power over the known world.
The seven lean years of Pharaoh's dream mirror the seven year period known as the Tribulation. Like the seven lean years, the Tribulation will begin with widespread famine. And in an effort to survive, people throughout the world will willingly give their power and wealth to one man - just as they gave their power and wealth to Pharaoh four thousand years ago. Do we have any reason to believe such a famine is on the horizon? Unfortunately, we do.
Rising Food Prices
The political push to move away from fossil fuels to renewable energy, coupled with the supply/demand distortions caused by the COVID shutdowns, has resulted in much higher energy prices. This is particularly true in Europe where the accelerated push for green energy has led to a surging energy crisis. What does this have to do with rising food prices?
As Zero Hedge points out in this article:
"You can't make fertilizer without urea and natural gas. As the price of either of these goes higher (both are), it significantly impacts the price of fertilizer. The price of fertilizer impacts in turn the price of food. This is because fertilizer is the second largest cost component of most agricultural production. The first being... you guessed it, diesel."
The rising cost to grow food then impacts the feed cost for cattle, hogs, chickens, and other animals. This means higher costs for meat producers. Throw in increased costs for transportation, a global shortage of workers, and pandemic-induced supply chain problems, and the rising cost of food doesn't show any signs of slowing down soon.
Supply Chain Issues
Global supply chain issues are another reason we see rising food prices, but the broken supply chain is the primary reason many grocery store shelves have gone bare. While increased demand due to COVID lockdowns and hoarding play a factor, the majority of these shortages are due to problems rippling through the global supply chain.
In some cases, a lack of key inputs such as aluminum, cardboard, or artificial sweeteners means manufacturers can't produce or package certain items at the scale they used to (if at all). This results in fewer available products, and thus, empty shelves.
Supply chain problems have also resulted in a global shortage of urea. Not only is urea a key component in fertilizer, it's also a key ingredient in the diesel exhaust fluid AdBlue. AdBlue is used in cars, trucks, buses, and other vehicles equipped with a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system for reducing emissions. All the diesel vehicles in South Korea and Australia use AdBlue, and China supplies 97% of South Korea's AdBlue and 80% of Australia's.
Due to the rising cost of fertilizer (and the need to feed more than a billion people), China recently banned the export of urea. This has taken a heavy toll on AdBlue inventories in those countries and the dwindling supplies threaten to wreak havoc on their economies, which are currently the 10th and 13th largest in the world.
Even worse, if Australia and South Korea can't source new supplies of urea, and they run out of existing inventory, all their trucking will come to a standstill. If trucking stops, their grocery store shelves go bare, and the real prospect of a famine in these advanced economies will become a reality. Given the severity of the situation, we really need to wonder, why would China take such a drastic measure?
China is Hoarding Grain
With such a large population, it makes sense for China to be concerned about rising fertilizer and food prices. Hungry populations revolt, and China's government fears a revolution. From that standpoint, a ban on the export of urea makes sense as it's a critical component in growing food. But China's recent actions go beyond the urea export ban.
According to Nikkei Asia, China is also hoarding massive amounts of grain. In an article titled "China Hoards Over Half the World's Grain, Pushing Up Global Prices," they point out China (which has only 20% of the world's population, is expected to have "69% of the globe's maize reserves in the first half of crop year 2022, 60% of its rice and 51% of its wheat."
The article speculates one of the reasons for China's food stockpile is to offset "food uncertainties due to factors such as its deteriorating relations with the U.S. and Australia, which could drastically alter the import environment." In other words, since China doesn't produce enough food domestically to feed itself, it needs to stockpile enough food in case imports from the U.S. and Australia go away. The question is, why would they go away?
Rumors of War
"Rumors of war" have been common since the end of World War II, but the current situation is different. Rarely have we seen the prospect of several high profile conflicts erupting at the same time. China threatens to invade Taiwan on an almost daily basis. If China does invade, the United States claims it will defend Taiwan. This means two major nuclear powers could potentially go to war. Could that be why China is hoarding food? Even if an invasion of Taiwan doesn't result in a U.S. military response, it would almost certainly lead to major economic sanctions from the U.S. and Australia. Is this an indication China is preparing for an invasion?
The probability rises every day, especially due to U.S. involvement in the current Russia-NATO dispute over Ukraine. If Russia invades Ukraine, and the U.S. does nothing after saying it would defend Ukraine, then China may feel emboldened to invade Taiwan. And if the U.S. does defend Ukraine, China may believe the U.S. is too distracted to defend Taiwan and seize the moment to invade.
Meanwhile, Iran and Israel continue to generate their own rumors of war. If any of these areas erupt into war, the result will be a disaster for the global economy. Oil prices will go much higher. Global trade will contract. Supply chains will break down even further, and food prices will skyrocket. Worse than that, a major conflict could lead to food shortages throughout the world. Is this what China is preparing for?
The Coming Famine
While these events may or may not plunge the world into a worldwide famine in the near future, the Bible is clear - a global famine will strike the world during the Tribulation. This famine will follow a global war (Revelation 6:4). In the aftermath of this war, destruction will be widespread. People will be scattered. The global supply chain will be in ruins.
The Bible describes this famine in detail (Revelation 6:5-6). Riding on a black horse and holding a pair of scales, Revelation 6 says a voice calls out, "A loaf of wheat bread or three loaves of barley for a day's pay. And don't waste the olive oil and wine." This indicates a global famine.
The rider's scales suggest a need to carefully measure and ration the food supply. We know because the voice that calls out indicates a scarcity of food. Three loaves of barley are about one pint. Many believe this is the minimum amount of food needed to survive. Yet this verse is telling us a time is coming when an entire day's wages will only buy enough food to survive.
When this happens, it's possible the Genesis story of Joseph and Pharaoh will play out a second time. Desperate for food, most of the world will willingly give their wealth and power to anyone who can feed them. Just as in ancient Egypt, when the dust finally settles, one man will control everything.
The signs of the times are all around us. Jesus is coming.
Britt Gillette is author of the free ebook Coming to Jesus as well as the books Signs of the Second Coming & Racing Toward Armageddon.
FBI Warns of Cyber Attacks on Food Plants Following Mysterious Rash of Fires
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The FBI's Cyber Division published a notice this past week warning about increased cyber-attack threats on agricultural cooperatives, which comes at a time when a curious string of fires and explosions damage major food processing plants across the country.
"Ransomware actors may be more likely to attack agricultural cooperatives during critical planting and harvest seasons, disrupting operations, causing financial loss, and negatively impacting the food supply chain," the notice read, adding 2021 and early 2022 ransomware attacks on farming co-ops could affect the current planting season "by disrupting the supply of seeds and fertilizer."
The agency warned, "A significant disruption of grain production could impact the entire food chain, since grain is not only consumed by humans but also used for animal feed ... In addition, a significant disruption of grain and corn production could impact commodities trading and stocks. "
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The FBI's warning comes as "nearly two dozen food processing facilities across Canada and the US" have experienced a "string of fires, plane crashes and explosions," according to The Western Standard. ​
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The most recent incidents were fires at two Oregon-based food processing plants. The first, on Monday night, a fire destroyed Azure Standard's joint headquarters and warehouse facilities. The second was an explosion on Tuesday at a Shearer's Foods plant.
Internet sleuths pieced together a compilation of headlines showing a spate of fires at food processing plants across the country in the last year or so.
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One sleuth highlights recent warehouse fires affecting food supply chains in a series of tweets.
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7 Injured in Explosion as Fire Engulfs Food Plant; Smoke Visible for Miles
Plane crashes into Idaho potato and food processing plant, killing the pilot, cops say
Last month, Wal-Mart distribution center
50,000 lb of food destroyed after fire ripped through Maricopa Food Pantry
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This is all happening as the Ukraine-Russian conflict has disrupted the global food supply chain. Food prices are at record highs, and the Rockefeller Foundation just released their timeframe of when a "massive, immediate food crisis" may begin -- they say, "in the next six months."
IceAgeFarmer Telegram Poll - How Are Your Backyard Gardens Doing?
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OPEN SOURCE INTEL: I’d posted to @iceagefarmer that I’d received many reports of poor germination and other issues from corporate seed sources, and asked people to share what they were seeing.
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Over 700 people replied. Here is a summary; huge thanks to Kate B. for reviewing, compiling, and sharing. It paints an interesting picture of a uniquely difficult season. Original thread here (https://t.me/iceagefarmer/2936). (How's your garden doing?)
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[ Join the garden group: @iaf_garden ! More groups: @iaf_groups ]
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Just been through about 700+ comments from the US, Canada, Europe, UK, Sweden, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and beyond:
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a) seeds are showing poor germination from a wide range of suppliers
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b) those that do germinate and start to grow are doing so i) slower than usual OR ii) are getting so far in their growth then dying (a bit like Tesco's herbs unless you transplant into fresh earth!) OR iii) are growing well but producing greenery not edible produce, so poor yields
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c) suspicion is also falling on contaminated bagged compost -- many reports of issues here, some discussion around Grazon contamination
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d) in addition, folks are noticing that store bought veg & fruit is not lasting, plus some is rotten on opening although firm externally
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e) suggestions also being made about soil alkalinity from chemtrails inhibiting growth
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f) some people raising animals are getting all male babies [!?]
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g) sunflowers & other plants are being burnt up by the sun's rays
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h) there is poor growth/yield from fruit trees
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j) plentiful complaints from folks that have been growing for 25-40 years that things just aren't right with a degree of confusion as to the source
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k) livestock feed prices are skyrocketing
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l) many sick & dead animals around this year & dead birds found daily (Italy)
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m) too hot/ too dry/ no rain/ storms/ erratic weather with false forecasting
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n) absence of bees for pollination
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p) cold nights inhibiting growth
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q) abundance of pests & bugs at levels not seen before
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r) zucchini with zero female flowers
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s) blatant chemtrail spraying with some warning of "cancer in the ground for gardeners",
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t) healthy hens stopping laying
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u) pullets dropping dead at 6 months with no obvious cause
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v) cooler spring so plants are a month behind
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w) hard to get the cows/goats back in calf
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x) change in taste of store bought veg/fruit
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y) salads are going straight to seed and bolting
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z) overall poor germination & growth - a weird growing year,
Common phrase: "Never seen anything like it in 30 years"
What does the Bible say about famine in the Bible?
https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-famine.html
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In many parts of the world today, food supply chains are an afterthought. But, throughout Scripture, famine was not an uncommon occurrence. While the physical causes of the famines varied, the Bible indicates that God is in control, even during times of scarcity. God’s desire in bringing famine upon Israel was to gain His people’s attention in a sure-fire way—through their stomachs.
Not all famines are a result of God’s direct judgment. We live in a world that has been cursed as a result of sin, and the ground does not produce like it did before the fall of man. Genesis 3:17–19 tells us that not only was mankind cursed, but also the entire creation. Through various times of famine, people have been faced with an opportunity to turn to the true God and Creator of everything. Joseph’s time in Egypt allowed him to administrate the country through a time of both incredible bounty and severe famine (Genesis 41:25–31). It’s clear that God had absolute power over this famine (verse 28), but it’s not described as a direct judgment since the famine became severe among many nations (verse 57).
There are many examples of famines that are similar to the one in Joseph’s time that are not given as any specific judgment. However, there are plenty of famines that were used as a judgment to display the severity of the people’s sin and to bring them to repentance. As Moses was giving the Israelites some final instructions from God, he spoke of the blessings and curses of either obeying or denying the Lord. If they chose to disobey God’s commands and follow idols, “then the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and he will shut up the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you” (Deuteronomy 11:17).
During the time of King Ahab, “the famine was severe in Samaria” (1 Kings 18:2). It’s no coincidence that Ahab had previously “set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria. Ahab also made an Asherah pole” (1 Kings 16:32–33). God had been crystal clear in the law: if Israel served false gods, then there would be famine in the land. Ahab bowed to false gods, and God stopped the rain. The famine during the reign of Ahab and Jezebel should have been no surprise to anyone.
Under the terms of the Old Covenant, people trying to live without God were often awakened to their true need by experiencing famine. Going without sufficient food has a way of getting our attention, as God well knows: “He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3).
Even worse than a famine of physical food is a famine of spiritual food. Because Israel rejected the prophets, God promised a severe judgment: “‘The days are coming,’ declares the Sovereign LORD, ‘when I will send a famine through the land—not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD’” (Amos 8:11). How tragic to turn a deaf ear to God and be given just what we want—silence from God!
In His goodness, God sent His Son to earth. Jesus is the Bread of Life “that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6:33). Jesus promised us that, through faith in Him, we will never experience spiritual famine again: “Whoever comes to me will never go hungry” (verse 35). So much better than the manna of the Old Testament, Jesus gives life forevermore: “I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever” (verses 48–51). In Christ, there is no spiritual famine; rather, we have a veritable feast of God’s goodness. Someday the curse upon the ground will be lifted as well, and the new earth will never see a famine of any kind (Revelation 22:3).
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Why famine - It is God's correction so you will return to Him!
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Ezekiel 5:5-17 – A Sword Against Jerusalem
Ez 5:5 “Thus says the Lord God: ‘This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations and the countries all around her. 6 She has rebelled against My judgments by doing wickedness more than the nations, and against My statutes more than the countries that are all around her; for they have refused My judgments, and they have not walked in My statutes.’ 7 Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have multiplied disobedience more than the nations that are all around you, have not walked in My statutes nor kept My judgments, nor even done according to the judgments of the nations that are all around you’— 8 therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Indeed I, even I, am against you and will execute judgments in your midst in the sight of the nations. 9 And I will do among you what I have never done, and the like of which I will never do again, because of all your abominations. 10 Therefore fathers shall eat their sons in your midst, and sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments among you, and all of you who remain I will scatter to all the winds.
11 ‘Therefore, as I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘surely, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will also diminish you; My eye will not spare, nor will I have any pity. 12 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 all around you; and I will scatter another third to all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.
13 ‘Thus shall My anger be spent, and I will cause My fury to rest upon them, and I will be avenged; and they shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it in My zeal, when I have spent My fury upon them. 14 Moreover I will make you a waste and a reproach among the nations that are all around you, in the sight of all who pass by.
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.’ ”
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Ezekiel 14:12-23 – Judgment on Persistent Unfaithfulness
Ez 14:12 The word of the Lord came again to me, saying: 13 “Son of man, when a land sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch out My hand against it; I will cut off its supply of bread, send famine on it, and cut off man and beast from it. 14 Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness,” says the Lord God.
15 “If I cause wild beasts to pass through the land, and they empty it, and make it so desolate that no man may pass through because of the beasts, 16 even though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters; only they would be delivered, and the land would be desolate.
17 “Or if I bring a sword on that land, and say, ‘Sword, go through the land,’ and I cut off man and beast from it, 18 even though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but only they themselves would be delivered.
19 “Or if I send a pestilence into that land and pour out My fury on it in blood, and cut off from it man and beast, 20 even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.”
21 For thus says the Lord God: “How much more it shall be when I send My four severe judgments on Jerusalem—the sword and famine and wild beasts and pestilence—to cut off man and beast from it? 22 Yet behold, there shall be left in it a remnant who will be brought out, both sons and daughters; surely they will come out to you, and you will see their ways and their doings. Then you will be comforted concerning the disaster that I have brought upon Jerusalem, all that I have brought upon it. 23 And they will comfort you, when you see their ways and their doings; and you shall know that I have done nothing without cause that I have done in it,” says the Lord God.
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Psalm 107:23-38 – Thanksgiving to the Lord for His Great Works of Deliverance
Ps 107:23 Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business on great waters,
24 They see the works of the Lord, And His wonders in the deep.
25 For He commands and raises the stormy wind, Which lifts up the waves of the sea.
26 They mount up to the heavens, They go down again to the depths; Their soul melts because of trouble.
27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits’ end.
28 Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses.
29 He calms the storm, So that its waves are still.
30 Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven.
31 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
32 Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, And praise Him in the company of the elders.
33 He turns rivers into a wilderness, And the watersprings into dry ground;
34 A fruitful land into barrenness, For the wickedness of those who dwell in it.
35 He turns a wilderness into pools of water, And dry land into watersprings.
36 There He makes the hungry dwell, That they may establish a city for a dwelling place,
37 And sow fields and plant vineyards, That they may yield a fruitful harvest.
38 He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly; And He does not let their cattle decrease.
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1 Chronicles 21:1- The Census of Israel and Judah
1Ch 21:1 Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. 2 So David said to Joab and to the leaders of the people, “Go, number Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and bring the number of them to me that I may know it.”
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7 And God was displeased with this thing; therefore He struck Israel. 8 So David said to God, “I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing; but now, I pray, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.” 9 Then the Lord spoke to Gad, David’s seer, saying, 10 “Go and tell David, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you.” ’ ” 11 So Gad came to David and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Choose for yourself, 12 either three years of famine, or three months to be defeated by your foes with the sword of your enemies overtaking you, or else for three days the sword of the Lord—the plague in the land, with the angel of the Lord destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.’ Now consider what answer I should take back to Him who sent me.”
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Isaiah 5:13-15 – Impending Judgment on Excesses
Is 5:13 Therefore my people have gone into captivity, Because they have no knowledge;
Their honorable men are famished, And their multitude dried up with thirst.
14 Therefore Sheol has enlarged itself And opened its mouth beyond measure;
Their glory and their multitude and their pomp, And he who is jubilant, shall descend into it.
15 People shall be brought down, Each man shall be humbled, And the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled.
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Amos 4:6-9 – Israel Did Not Accept Correction
Amos 4:6 “Also I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, And lack of bread in all your places;
Yet you have not returned to Me,” Says the Lord.
7 “I also withheld rain from you, When there were still three months to the harvest.
I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city.
One part was rained upon, And where it did not rain the part withered.
8 So two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water, But they were not satisfied;
Yet you have not returned to Me,” Says the Lord.
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Habakkuk 3:17-18 – A Hymn of Faith
Hab 3:17 Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls—
18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
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Job 5:17-27 – Eliphaz: Job Is Chastened by God
Job 5:17 “Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.
18 For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole.
19 He shall deliver you in six troubles, Yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.
20 In famine He shall redeem you from death, And in war from the power of the sword.
21 You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, And you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes.
22 You shall laugh at destruction and famine, And you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth.
23 For you shall have a covenant with the stones of the field, And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.
24 You shall know that your tent is in peace; You shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss.
25 You shall also know that your descendants shall be many, And your offspring like the grass of the earth.
26 You shall come to the grave at a full age, As a sheaf of grain ripens in its season.
27 Behold, this we have searched out; It is true. Hear it, and know for yourself.”
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Psalm 33:18-19 – The Sovereignty of the Lord in Creation and History
Ps 33:18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy,
19 To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine.
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Psalm 37:16-20 – The Heritage of the Righteous and the Calamity of the Wicked
Ps 37:16 A little that a righteous man has Is better than the riches of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, But the Lord upholds the righteous.
18 The Lord knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever.
19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20 But the wicked shall perish; And the enemies of the Lord,
Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away.
Famine
Cannibalism
Why famine?
Desired response
Famine
Cannibalism
Why famine?
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Famine
Cannibalism
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Famine in the End Times
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Matthew 24:7 – The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age
Mt 24:3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” … 7 And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
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Luke 21:11 – The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age
Lk 21:7 So they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?”…11 And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.
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Ezekiel 34:17-30 – Irresponsible Shepherds
Ez 34:17 ‘And as for you, O My flock, thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats. 18 Is it too little for you to have eaten up the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the residue of your pasture—and to have drunk of the clear waters, that you must foul the residue with your feet? 19 And as for My flock, they eat what you have trampled with your feet, and they drink what you have fouled with your feet.”
20 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord God to them: “Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat and the lean sheep. 21 Because you have pushed with side and shoulder, butted all the weak ones with your horns, and scattered them abroad, 22 therefore I will save My flock, and they shall no longer be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. 23 I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them—My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. 24 And I, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken.
25 “I will make a covenant of peace with them, and cause wild beasts to cease from the land; and they will dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. 26 I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing. 27 Then the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase. They shall be safe in their land; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands of their yoke and delivered them from the hand of those who enslaved them. 28 And they shall no longer be a prey for the nations, nor shall beasts of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and no one shall make them afraid. 29 I will raise up for them a garden of renown, and they shall no longer be consumed with hunger in the land, nor bear the shame of the Gentiles anymore. 30 Thus they shall know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and they, the house of Israel, are My people,” says the Lord God.’
Revelation 6:5-6 – Third Seal: Scarcity on Earth
Rev 6:5 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 6:7-8 – Fourth Seal: Widespread Death on Earth
Rev 6:7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” 8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.
Revelation 18:4-8 – The Fall of Babylon the Great
Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. 6 Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. 7 In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’ 8 Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.
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Destruction of Israel
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1 Kings 17:1-7 – Elijah Proclaims a Drought
1Ki 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.”
2 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 3 “Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. 4 And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”
5 So he went and did according to the word of the Lord, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook. 7 And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
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1 Kings 18:1-2 – Elijah’s Message to Ahab
1Ki 18:1 And it came to pass after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.” 2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab; and there was a severe famine in Samaria.
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2 Kings 4:38-41 – Elisha Purifies the Pot of Stew
2Ki 4:38 And Elisha returned to Gilgal, and there was a famine in the land. Now the sons of the prophets were sitting before him; and he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.” 39 So one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered from it a lapful of wild gourds, and came and sliced them into the pot of stew, though they did not know what they were. 40 Then they served it to the men to eat. Now it happened, as they were eating the stew, that they cried out and said, “Man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they could not eat it. 41 So he said, “Then bring some flour.” And he put it into the pot, and said, “Serve it to the people, that they may eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.
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2 Kings 4:42-44 – Elisha Feeds One Hundred Men
2Ki 4:42 Then a man came from Baal Shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley bread, and newly ripened grain in his knapsack. And he said, “Give it to the people, that they may eat.” 43 But his servant said, “What? Shall I set this before one hundred men?” He said again, “Give it to the people, that they may eat; for thus says the Lord: ‘They shall eat and have some left over.’ ” 44 So he set it before them; and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord.
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2 Kings 8:1-2 – The King Restores the Shunammite’s Land
2Ki 8:1 Then Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise and go, you and your household, and stay wherever you can; for the Lord has called for a famine, and furthermore, it will come upon the land for seven years.” 2 So the woman arose and did according to the saying of the man of God, and she went with her household and dwelt in the land of the Philistines seven years.
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Isaiah 9:17-21 – The Punishment of Samaria
Is 9:17 Therefore the Lord will have no joy in their young men, Nor have mercy on their fatherless and widows;
For everyone is a hypocrite and an evildoer, And every mouth speaks folly.
For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.
18 For wickedness burns as the fire; It shall devour the briers and thorns,
And kindle in the thickets of the forest; They shall mount up like rising smoke.
19 Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts The land is burned up,
And the people shall be as fuel for the fire; No man shall spare his brother.
20 And he shall snatch on the right hand And be hungry;
He shall devour on the left hand And not be satisfied; Every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm.
21 Manasseh shall devour Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; Together they shall be against Judah.
For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.
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Isaiah 17:10-11 – Proclamation Against Syria and Israel
Is 17:10 Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation,
And have not been mindful of the Rock of your stronghold,
Therefore you will plant pleasant plants And set out foreign seedlings;
11 In the day you will make your plant to grow, And in the morning you will make your seed to flourish;
But the harvest will be a heap of ruins In the day of grief and desperate sorrow.
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2 Kings 6:24-29 – Syria Besieges Samaria in Famine
2Ki 6:24 And it happened after this that Ben-Hadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria. 25 And there was a great famine in Samaria; and indeed they besieged it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and one-fourth of a kab of dove droppings for five shekels of silver. 26 Then, as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!” 27 And he said, “If the Lord does not help you, where can I find help for you? From the threshing floor or from the winepress?” 28 Then the king said to her, “What is troubling you?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’ 29 So we boiled my son, and ate him. And I said to her on the next day, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him’; but she has hidden her son.”
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Destruction of Judah and Jerusalem
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Jeremiah 34:12-17 – Treacherous Treatment of Slaves
Jer 34:12 Therefore the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 13 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying, 14 “At the end of seven years let every man set free his Hebrew brother, who has been sold to him; and when he has served you six years, you shall let him go free from you.” But your fathers did not obey Me nor incline their ear. 15 Then you recently turned and did what was right in My sight—every man proclaiming liberty to his neighbor; and you made a covenant before Me in the house which is called by My name. 16 Then you turned around and profaned My name, and every one of you brought back his male and female slaves, whom you had set at liberty, at their pleasure, and brought them back into subjection, to be your male and female slaves.’ 17 “Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘You have not obeyed Me in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and every one to his neighbor. Behold, I proclaim liberty to you,’ says the Lord—‘to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine! And I will deliver you to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth.
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Jeremiah 14:14-18 – Sword, Famine, and Pestilence
Jer 14:14 And the Lord said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart. 15 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, whom I did not send, and who say, ‘Sword and famine shall not be in this land’—‘By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed! 16 And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; they will have no one to bury them—them nor their wives, their sons nor their daughters—for I will pour their wickedness on them.’
17 “Therefore you shall say this word to them:
‘Let my eyes flow with tears night and day, And let them not cease;
For the virgin daughter of my people Has been broken with a mighty stroke, with a very severe blow.
18 If I go out to the field, Then behold, those slain with the sword!
And if I enter the city, Then behold, those sick from famine!
Yes, both prophet and priest go about in a land they do not know.’ ”
Jeremiah 5:12-18 – The Justice of God’s Judgment
Jer 5:12 They have lied about the Lord,
And said, “It is not He. Neither will evil come upon us, Nor shall we see sword or famine.
13 And the prophets become wind, For the word is not in them. Thus shall it be done to them.”
14 Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts:
“Because you speak this word, Behold, I will make My words in your mouth fire,
And this people wood, And it shall devour them.
15 Behold, I will bring a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel,” says the Lord.
“It is a mighty nation, It is an ancient nation,
A nation whose language you do not know, Nor can you understand what they say.
16 Their quiver is like an open tomb; They are all mighty men.
17 And they shall eat up your harvest and your bread, Which your sons and daughters should eat.
They shall eat up your flocks and your herds; They shall eat up your vines and your fig trees;
They shall destroy your fortified cities, In which you trust, with the sword.
18 “Nevertheless in those days,” says the Lord, “I will not make a complete end of you.
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Ezekiel 5:5-17 – A Sword Against Jerusalem
Ez 5:5 “Thus says the Lord God: ‘This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations and the countries all around her. 6 She has rebelled against My judgments by doing wickedness more than the nations, and against My statutes more than the countries that are all around her; for they have refused My judgments, and they have not walked in My statutes.’ 7 Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have multiplied disobedience more than the nations that are all around you, have not walked in My statutes nor kept My judgments, nor even done according to the judgments of the nations that are all around you’— 8 therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Indeed I, even I, am against you and will execute judgments in your midst in the sight of the nations. 9 And I will do among you what I have never done, and the like of which I will never do again, because of all your abominations. 10 Therefore fathers shall eat their sons in your midst, and sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments among you, and all of you who remain I will scatter to all the winds.
11 ‘Therefore, as I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘surely, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will also diminish you; My eye will not spare, nor will I have any pity. 12 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 all around you; and I will scatter another third to all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.
13 ‘Thus shall My anger be spent, and I will cause My fury to rest upon them, and I will be avenged; and they shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it in My zeal, when I have spent My fury upon them. 14 Moreover I will make you a waste and a reproach among the nations that are all around you, in the sight of all who pass by.
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.’ ”
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Jeremiah 18:18-21 – Jeremiah Persecuted
Jer 18:18 Then they said, “Come and let us devise plans against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come and let us attack him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.”
19 Give heed to me, O Lord, And listen to the voice of those who contend with me!
20 Shall evil be repaid for good? For they have dug a pit for my life.
Remember that I stood before You To speak good for them, To turn away Your wrath from them.
21 Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, And pour out their blood By the force of the sword;
Let their wives become widows And bereaved of their children.
Let their men be put to death, Their young men be slain By the sword in battle.
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Jeremiah 42:7-17 – The Flight to Egypt Forbidden
Jer 42:7 And it happened after ten days that the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah. 8 Then he called Johanan the son of Kareah, all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, 9 and said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your petition before Him: 10 ‘If you will still remain in this land, then I will build you and not pull you down, and I will plant you and not pluck you up. For I relent concerning the disaster that I have brought upon you. 11 Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid; do not be afraid of him,’ says the Lord, ‘for I am with you, to save you and deliver you from his hand. 12 And I will show you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and cause you to return to your own land.’ 13 “But if you say, ‘We will not dwell in this land,’ disobeying the voice of the Lord your God, 14 saying, ‘No, but we will go to the land of Egypt where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor be hungry for bread, and there we will dwell’— 15 Then hear now the word of the Lord, O remnant of Judah! Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘If you wholly set your faces to enter Egypt, and go to dwell there, 16 then it shall be that the sword which you feared shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt; the famine of which you were afraid shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there you shall die. 17 So shall it be with all the men who set their faces to go to Egypt to dwell there. They shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. And none of them shall remain or escape from the disaster that I will bring upon them.’
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Isaiah 3:1 – Judgment on Judah and Jerusalem
Is 3:1 For behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, Takes away from Jerusalem and from Judah
The stock and the store, The whole supply of bread and the whole supply of water;
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Lamentations 1:10-12 – Jerusalem in Affliction
Lam 1:10 The adversary has spread his hand Over all her pleasant things;
For she has seen the nations enter her sanctuary, Those whom You commanded Not to enter Your assembly.
11 All her people sigh, They seek bread; They have given their valuables for food to restore life.
“See, O Lord, and consider, For I am scorned.”
12 “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?
Behold and see If there is any sorrow like my sorrow, Which has been brought on me,
Which the Lord has inflicted In the day of His fierce anger.
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Ezekiel 4:7-17 – The Siege of Jerusalem Portrayed
Ez 4:16 Moreover He said to me, “Son of man, surely I will cut off the supply of bread in Jerusalem; they shall eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and shall drink water by measure and with dread, 17 that they may lack bread and water, and be dismayed with one another, and waste away because of their iniquity.
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Joel 1:2-12 – The Land Laid Waste
Joel 1:2 Hear this, you elders, And give ear, all you inhabitants of the land!
Has anything like this happened in your days, Or even in the days of your fathers?
3 Tell your children about it, Let your children tell their children, And their children another generation.
4 What the chewing locust left, the swarming locust has eaten;
What the swarming locust left, the crawling locust has eaten;
And what the crawling locust left, the consuming locust has eaten.
5 Awake, you drunkards, and weep; And wail, all you drinkers of wine,
Because of the new wine, For it has been cut off from your mouth.
6 For a nation has come up against My land, Strong, and without number;
His teeth are the teeth of a lion, And he has the fangs of a fierce lion.
7 He has laid waste My vine, And ruined My fig tree; He has stripped it bare and thrown it away; Its branches are made white.
8 Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth For the husband of her youth.
9 The grain offering and the drink offering Have been cut off from the house of the Lord;
The priests mourn, who minister to the Lord.
10 The field is wasted, The land mourns; For the grain is ruined, The new wine is dried up, The oil fails.
11 Be ashamed, you farmers, Wail, you vinedressers,
For the wheat and the barley; Because the harvest of the field has perished.
12 The vine has dried up, And the fig tree has withered; The pomegranate tree, The palm tree also,
And the apple tree—All the trees of the field are withered; Surely joy has withered away from the sons of men.
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Joel 1:15-20 – Mourning for the Land
Joel 1:15 Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is at hand; It shall come as destruction from the Almighty.
16 Is not the food cut off before our eyes, Joy and gladness from the house of our God?
17 The seed shrivels under the clods, Storehouses are in shambles;
Barns are broken down, For the grain has withered.
18 How the animals groan! The herds of cattle are restless, Because they have no pasture;
Even the flocks of sheep suffer punishment.
19 O Lord, to You I cry out; For fire has devoured the open pastures, And a flame has burned all the trees of the field.
20 The beasts of the field also cry out to You, For the water brooks are dried up, And fire has devoured the open pastures.
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Jeremiah 19:4-9 – The Sign of the Broken Flask
Jer 19:4 “Because they have forsaken Me and made this an alien place, because they have burned incense in it to other gods whom neither they, their fathers, nor the kings of Judah have known, and have filled this place with the blood of the innocents 5 (they have also built the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings to Baal, which I did not command or speak, nor did it come into My mind), 6 therefore behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “that this place shall no more be called Tophet or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter. 7 And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place, and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies and by the hands of those who seek their lives; their corpses I will give as meat for the birds of the heaven and for the beasts of the earth. 8 I will make this city desolate and a hissing; everyone who passes by it will be astonished and hiss because of all its plagues. 9 And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and everyone shall eat the flesh of his friend in the siege and in the desperation with which their enemies and those who seek their lives shall drive them to despair.” ’
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Isaiah 51:17-20 – God’s Fury Removed
Is 51:17 Awake, awake! Stand up, O Jerusalem,
You who have drunk at the hand of the Lord The cup of His fury;
You have drunk the dregs of the cup of trembling, And drained it out.
18 There is no one to guide her Among all the sons she has brought forth;
Nor is there any who takes her by the hand Among all the sons she has brought up.
19 These two things have come to you;
Who will be sorry for you?—Desolation and destruction, famine and sword—By whom will I comfort you?
20 Your sons have fainted, They lie at the head of all the streets, Like an antelope in a net;
They are full of the fury of the Lord, The rebuke of your God.
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Jeremiah 29:17-20 – Jeremiah’s Letter to the Captives
Jer 29:17 thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will send on them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like rotten figs that cannot be eaten, they are so bad. 18 And I will pursue them with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence; and I will deliver them to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth—to be a curse, an astonishment, a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where I have driven them, 19 because they have not heeded My words, says the Lord, which I sent to them by My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; neither would you heed, says the Lord. 20 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, all you of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon.
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Jeremiah 52:4-6 – The Fall of Jerusalem Reviewed
Jer 52:4 Now it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and encamped against it; and they built a siege wall against it all around. 5 So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 6 By the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the famine had become so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land.
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2 Kings 25:1-3 – The Fall and Captivity of Judah
2Ki 25:1 Now it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and encamped against it; and they built a siege wall against it all around. 2 So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 3 By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine had become so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land.
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Lamentations 5:7-10 – Prayer for Restoration
Lam 5:7 Our fathers sinned and are no more, But we bear their iniquities.
8 Servants rule over us; There is none to deliver us from their hand.
9 We get our bread at the risk of our lives, Because of the sword in the wilderness.
10 Our skin is hot as an oven, Because of the fever of famine.
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Lamentations 2:10-12 – God’s Anger with Jerusalem
Lam 2:10 The elders of the daughter of Zion Sit on the ground and keep silence;
They throw dust on their heads And gird themselves with sackcloth.
The virgins of Jerusalem Bow their heads to the ground.
11 My eyes fail with tears, My heart is troubled;
My bile is poured on the ground Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people,
Because the children and the infants Faint in the streets of the city.
12 They say to their mothers, “Where is grain and wine?”
As they swoon like the wounded In the streets of the city, As their life is poured out In their mothers’ bosom.
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Lamentations 4:3-11 – The Degradation of Zion
Lam 4:3 Even the jackals present their breasts To nurse their young;
But the daughter of my people is cruel, Like ostriches in the wilderness.
4 The tongue of the infant clings To the roof of its mouth for thirst;
The young children ask for bread, But no one breaks it for them.
5 Those who ate delicacies Are desolate in the streets;
Those who were brought up in scarlet Embrace ash heaps.
6 The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people Is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom,
Which was overthrown in a moment, With no hand to help her!
7 Her Nazirites were brighter than snow And whiter than milk;
They were more ruddy in body than rubies, Like sapphire in their appearance.
8 Now their appearance is blacker than soot; They go unrecognized in the streets;
Their skin clings to their bones, It has become as dry as wood.
9 Those slain by the sword are better off Than those who die of hunger;
For these pine away, Stricken for lack of the fruits of the field.
10 The hands of the compassionate women Have cooked their own children;
They became food for them In the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11 The Lord has fulfilled His fury, He has poured out His fierce anger.
He kindled a fire in Zion, And it has devoured its foundations.
Famine
Cannibalism
Why famine?
Desired response
Famine
Cannibalism
Why famine?
Desired response
Famine
Cannibalism
Why famine?
Desired response
Famine
Cannibalism
Why famine?
Desired response
Famine of the Word of God
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1 Samuel 3:1-4 – Samuel’s First Prophecy
1Sa 3:1 Now the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation. 2 And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see, 3 and before the lamp of God went out in the tabernacle of the Lord where the ark of God was, and while Samuel was lying down, 4 that the Lord called Samuel.
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Amos 8:9-14 – Vision of the Summer Fruit
Amos 8:9 “And it shall come to pass in that day,” says the Lord God,
“That I will make the sun go down at noon, And I will darken the earth in]broad daylight;
10 I will turn your feasts into mourning, And all your songs into lamentation;
I will bring sackcloth on every waist, And baldness on every head;
I will make it like mourning for an only son, And its end like a bitter day.
11 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God, “That I will send a famine on the land,
Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the Lord.
12 They shall wander from sea to sea, And from north to east;
They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord, But shall not find it.
13 “In that day the fair virgins And strong young men Shall faint from thirst.
14 Those who swear by the sin of Samaria, Who say,
‘As your god lives, O Dan!’ And, ‘As the way of Beersheba lives!’
They shall fall and never rise again.”
Other Examples of Famine in the Bible
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Genesis 12:10 – Abram in Egypt
Ge 12:10 Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land.
Genesis 26:1-2 – Isaac and Abimelech
Ge 26:1 There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar. 2 Then the Lord appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. 3 Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you;
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Genesis 41:17-36, 53-57 – Pharaoh’s Dreams
Ge 41:17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “Behold, in my dream I stood on the bank of the river. 18 Suddenly seven cows came up out of the river, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow. 19 Then behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt, such ugliness as I have never seen in all the land of Egypt. 20 And the gaunt and ugly cows ate up the first seven, the fat cows. 21 When they had eaten them up, no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were just as ugly as at the beginning. So I awoke. 22 Also I saw in my dream, and suddenly seven heads came up on one stalk, full and good. 23 Then behold, seven heads, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them. 24 And the thin heads devoured the seven good heads. So I told this to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do: 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads are seven years; the dreams are one. 27 And the seven thin and ugly cows which came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty heads blighted by the east wind are seven years of famine. 28 This is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. 29 Indeed seven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt; 30 but after them seven years of famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will deplete the land. 31 So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe. 32 And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
33 “Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years. 35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. 36 Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine.”
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53 Then the seven years of plenty which were in the land of Egypt ended, 54 and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. The famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do.” 56 The famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. And the famine became severe in the land of Egypt. 57 So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands.
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Psalm 105:7-22 – The Eternal Faithfulness of the Lord
Ps 105:7 He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth.
8 He remembers His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,
9 The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac,
10 And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel as an everlasting covenant,
11 Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan As the allotment of your inheritance,”
12 When they were few in number, Indeed very few, and strangers in it.
13 When they went from one nation to another, From one kingdom to another people,
14 He permitted no one to do them wrong; Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes,
15 Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.”
16 Moreover He called for a famine in the land; He destroyed all the provision of bread.
17 He sent a man before them—Joseph—who was sold as a slave.
18 They hurt his feet with fetters, He was laid in irons.
19 Until the time that his word came to pass, The word of the Lord tested him.
20 The king sent and released him, The ruler of the people let him go free.
21 He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all his possessions,
22 To bind his princes at his pleasure, And teach his elders wisdom.
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Ruth 1:1-2 – Elimelech’s Family Goes to Moab
Ruth 1:1 Now it came to pass, in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem, Judah, went to dwell in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. 2 The name of the man was Elimelech, the name of his wife was Naomi,
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2 Samuel 21:1 David Avenges the Gibeonites
2Sa 21:1 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, “It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites.”
Nehemiah 5:1-5 – Nehemiah Deals with Oppression
Neh 5:1 And there was a great outcry of the people and their wives against their Jewish brethren. 2 For there were those who said, “We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain, that we may eat and live.” 3 There were also some who said, “We have mortgaged our lands and vineyards and houses, that we might buy grain because of the famine.” 4 There were also those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our lands and vineyards. 5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children; and indeed we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been brought into slavery. It is not in our power to redeem them, for other men have our lands and vineyards.”
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Haggai 1:7-11 – The Command to Build God’s House
Hag 1:7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways! 8 Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says the Lord. 9 “You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says the Lord of hosts. “Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. 11 For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.”
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Isaiah 14:29-32 – Philistia Destroyed
Is 14:29 “Do not rejoice, all you of Philistia, Because the rod that struck you is broken;
For out of the serpent’s roots will come forth a viper, And its offspring will be a fiery flying serpent.
30 The firstborn of the poor will feed, And the needy will lie down in safety;
I will kill your roots with famine, And it will slay your remnant.
31 Wail, O gate! Cry, O city! All you of Philistia are dissolved;
For smoke will come from the north, And no one will be alone in his appointed times.”
32 What will they answer the messengers of the nation?
That the Lord has founded Zion, And the poor of His people shall take refuge in it.
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Jeremiah 48:29-34 – Judgment on Moab
Jer 48:29 “We have heard the pride of Moab (He is exceedingly proud),
Of his loftiness and arrogance and pride, And of the haughtiness of his heart.”
30 “I know his wrath,” says the Lord, “But it is not right; His lies have made nothing right.
31 Therefore I will wail for Moab, And I will cry out for all Moab; I will mourn for the men of Kir Heres.
32 O vine of Sibmah! I will weep for you with the weeping of Jazer.
Your plants have gone over the sea, They reach to the sea of Jazer.
The plunderer has fallen on your summer fruit and your vintage.
33 Joy and gladness are taken From the plentiful field And from the land of Moab;
I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses; No one will tread with joyous shouting—Not joyous shouting!
34 “From the cry of Heshbon to Elealeh and to Jahaz They have uttered their voice,
From Zoar to Horonaim, Like a three-year-old heifer; For the waters of Nimrim also shall be desolate.
Acts 11:27-30 – Relief to Judea
Act 11:27 And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. 29 Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. 30 This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
God Will Provide for the Faithful
What does it mean that God provides?
https://www.gotquestions.org/God-provides.html
There are at least 169 verses in the Bible that refer to the ways God provides for us. Philippians 4:19 puts it simply: “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” While prosperity seekers might always be looking for money or possessions to miraculously arrive, we should take a closer look at what God desires to provide for us.
Like any good parent, God would never give us what He knows would harm us. His intent is to help us develop Christlikeness so that we become salt and light in the world (Matthew 5:13–14). God does not want us to see Him as a heavenly source of mere material possessions. Acquiring things is not the fundamental goal of this life (Luke 12:15).
God differentiates between our needs and our wants because He knows that where our treasure is our heart is also (Matthew 6:21). He wants us to know that this world is not our home and that part of what we need is to shift our focus to the eternal life while still living this one.
God is concerned with every part of our being: spirit, soul, and body. As the facets of His character are infinite, so the ways God provides for us are beyond anything we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). We can trust His goodness, guidance, and shepherding care to do more for us than we could ever achieve on our own. God provides a way for us to develop an intimate, conversational, obedient relationship with Him so that we can lead ourselves and others into a “Psalm 23” quality of life. Those whose shepherd is the Lord can say, “I lack nothing” (Psalm 23:1).
In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches His disciples to ask for provision, and our dependence on God is affirmed each time we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). In Matthew 6:24–25, Jesus tells His disciples not to worry about food or clothing. The Father knows our needs. He desires covenant relationship with us, and that involves trusting Him to meet our daily requirements and seeking first His kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33).
Psalm 84:11 states, “No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” This verse carries a reminder that there is a part we play in God’s provision coming to fruition in our lives. We must walk uprightly.
James 4:3 is an answer to our questions about why prayers sometimes go unanswered: “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” God sees the heart, and our prayers’ motivations are important to Him.
Many passages about God’s provision relate to our need for food and clothing and the daily, physical needs of life. Others refer to the needs of our soul and spirit, our inner man. He provides us with peace (John 14:27), comfort (2 Corinthians 1:4), and “power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). In fact, He “has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). In whatever physical state we find ourselves, we can be content in the Lord (Philippians 4:12).
Passages such as Galatians 1:15 and Jeremiah 1:5 give us an assurance that God’s love and direction began even before conception. What a gift to know that God has been involved in our lives from the very start! His love for us is encompassed in His desire for our highest good. He is truly Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord-Who-Provides.
God’s provision extends to His ongoing relationship to all of His creation, which is deeply dependent on Him (Psalm 104:21). Often, we take for granted the rain that falls, the sun that comes up every morning, the refreshing winds that blow, and the tides that cleanse our shores and invigorate the life in our vast oceans. But all these things are watched over by our loving God in His provision for us.
Matthew 6:25-34 – Do Not Worry
Mt 6:25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
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28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
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31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
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Psalm 104:5-18 – Praise to the Sovereign Lord for His Creation and Providence
Ps 104:5 You who laid the foundations of the earth, So that it should not be moved forever,
6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; The waters stood above the mountains.
7 At Your rebuke they fled; At the voice of Your thunder they hastened away.
8 They went up over the mountains; They went down into the valleys, To the place which You founded for them.
9 You have set a boundary that they may not pass over, That they may not return to cover the earth.
10 He sends the springs into the valleys; They flow among the hills.
11 They give drink to every beast of the field; The wild donkeys quench their thirst.
12 By them the birds of the heavens have their home; They sing among the branches.
13 He waters the hills from His upper chambers; The earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works.
14 He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, And vegetation for the service of man, That he may bring forth food from the earth,
15 And wine that makes glad the heart of man, Oil to make his face shine, And bread which strengthens man’s heart.
16 The trees of the Lord are full of sap, The cedars of Lebanon which He planted,
17 Where the birds make their nests; The stork has her home in the fir trees.
18 The high hills are for the wild goats; The cliffs are a refuge for the rock badgers.
19 He appointed the moon for seasons; The sun knows its going down.
20 You make darkness, and it is night, In which all the beasts of the forest creep about.
21 The young lions roar after their prey, And seek their food from God.
22 When the sun rises, they gather together And lie down in their dens.
23 Man goes out to his work And to his labor until the evening.
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Deuteronomy 8:11-17 – Remember the Lord Your God
Dt 8:11 “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, 12 lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; 13 and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14 when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; 15 who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; 16 who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end— 17 then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’
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Exodus 16:1-3, 11-15 – Bread from Heaven
Ex 16:1 And they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they departed from the land of Egypt. 2 Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 And the children of Israel said to them, “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” …11 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ” 13 So it was that quail came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp. 14 And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15 So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat.
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Numbers 21:16 – From Mount Hor to Moab
Nu 21:16 From there they went to Beer, which is the well where the Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people together, and I will give them water.”
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Exodus 17:1-6 – Water from the Rock
Ex 17:1 Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, “Give us water, that we may drink.” So Moses said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the Lord?” 3 And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, “Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” 4 So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!” 5 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.”
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Numbers 20:2-11 – Moses’ Error at Kadesh
Nu 20:2 Now there was no water for the congregation; so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron. 3 And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying: “If only we had died when our brethren died before the Lord! 4 Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? 5 And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink.” 6 So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and they fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them. 7 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” 9 So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him. 10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.
Psalm 78:12-31 – God’s Kindness to Rebellious Israel
Ps 78:12 Marvelous things He did in the sight of their fathers, In the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
13 He divided the sea and caused them to pass through; And He made the waters stand up like a heap.
14 In the daytime also He led them with the cloud, And all the night with a light of fire.
15 He split the rocks in the wilderness, And gave them drink in abundance like the depths.
16 He also brought streams out of the rock, And caused waters to run down like rivers.
17 But they sinned even more against Him By rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness.
18 And they tested God in their heart By asking for the food of their fancy.
19 Yes, they spoke against God: They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?
20 Behold, He struck the rock, So that the waters gushed out,
And the streams overflowed. Can He give bread also? Can He provide meat for His people?”
21 Therefore the Lord heard this and was furious; So a fire was kindled against Jacob,
And anger also came up against Israel,22 Because they did not believe in God, And did not trust in His salvation.
23 Yet He had commanded the clouds above, And opened the doors of heaven,
24 Had rained down manna on them to eat, And given them of the bread of heaven.
25 Men ate angels’ food; He sent them food to the full.
26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heavens; And by His power He brought in the south wind.
27 He also rained meat on them like the dust, Feathered fowl like the sand of the seas;
28 And He let them fall in the midst of their camp, All around their dwellings.
29 So they ate and were well filled, For He gave them their own desire.
30 They were not deprived of their craving; But while their food was still in their mouths,
31 The wrath of God came against them, And slew the stoutest of them, And struck down the choice men of Israel.
Nehemiah 9:13-21 – The People Confess Their Sins
Neh 9:13 “You came down also on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven,
And gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments.
14 You made known to them Your holy Sabbath, And commanded them precepts, statutes and laws,
By the hand of Moses Your servant.
15 You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger, And brought them water out of the rock for their thirst,
And told them to go in to possess the land Which You had sworn to give them.
16 “But they and our fathers acted proudly, Hardened their necks, And did not heed Your commandments.
17 They refused to obey, And they were not mindful of Your wonders That You did among them.
But they hardened their necks, And in their rebellion They appointed a leader To return to their bondage.
But You are God, Ready to pardon, Gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, Abundant in kindness, And did not forsake them.
18 “Even when they made a molded calf for themselves,
And said, ‘This is your god That brought you up out of Egypt,’ And worked great provocations,
19 Yet in Your manifold mercies You did not forsake them in the wilderness.
The pillar of the cloud did not depart from them by day, To lead them on the road;
Nor the pillar of fire by night, To show them light, And the way they should go.
20 You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them,
And did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, And gave them water for their thirst.
21 Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness; They lacked nothing;
Their clothes did not wear out And their feet did not swell.
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Psalm 74:12-17 – A Plea for Relief from Oppressors
Ps 74:12 For God is my King from of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 You divided the sea by Your strength; You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters.
14 You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces, And gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
15 You broke open the fountain and the flood; You dried up mighty rivers.
16 The day is Yours, the night also is Yours; You have prepared the light and the sun.
17 You have set all the borders of the earth; You have made summer and winter.
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Psalm 105:38 – 45 – The Eternal Faithfulness of the Lord
Ps 105:38 Egypt was glad when they departed, For the fear of them had fallen upon them.
39 He spread a cloud for a covering, And fire to give light in the night.
40 The people asked, and He brought quail, And satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out; It ran in the dry places like a river.
42 For He remembered His holy promise, And Abraham His servant.
43 He brought out His people with joy, His chosen ones with gladness.
44 He gave them the lands of the Gentiles, And they inherited the labor of the nations,
45 That they might observe His statutes And keep His laws.
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Psalm 114:7-8 – The Power of God in His Deliverance of Israel
Ps 114:7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, At the presence of the God of Jacob,
8 Who turned the rock into a pool of water, The flint into a fountain of waters.
Psalm 107:28-38 – Thanksgiving to the Lord for His Great Works of Deliverance
Ps 107:28 Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses.
29 He calms the storm, So that its waves are still.
30 Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven.
31 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
32 Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, And praise Him in the company of the elders.
33 He turns rivers into a wilderness, And the watersprings into dry ground;
34 A fruitful land into barrenness, For the wickedness of those who dwell in it.
35 He turns a wilderness into pools of water, And dry land into watersprings.
36 There He makes the hungry dwell, That they may establish a city for a dwelling place,
37 And sow fields and plant vineyards, That they may yield a fruitful harvest.
38 He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly; And He does not let their cattle decrease.
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Isaiah 48:21 – God’s Ancient Plan to Redeem Israel
Is 48:21 And they did not thirst When He led them through the deserts;
He caused the waters to flow from the rock for them; He also split the rock, and the waters gushed out.
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Judges 15:14-20 – Samson Defeats the Philistines
Jdg15:14 When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting against him. Then the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him; and the ropes that were on his arms became like flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds broke loose from his hands. 15 He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached out his hand and took it, and killed a thousand men with it. 16 Then Samson said:
“With the jawbone of a donkey, Heaps upon heaps, With the jawbone of a donkey I have slain a thousand men!”
17 And so it was, when he had finished speaking, that he threw the jawbone from his hand, and called that place Ramath Lehi. 18 Then he became very thirsty; so he cried out to the Lord and said, “You have given this great deliverance by the hand of Your servant; and now shall I die of thirst and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?” 19 So God split the hollow place that is in Lehi, and water came out, and he drank; and his spirit returned, and he revived. Therefore he called its name En Hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day. 20 And he judged Israel twenty years in the days of the Philistines.
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1 Kings 17:1-6 – Elijah Proclaims a Drought
1Ki 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.” 2 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 3 “Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. 4 And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” 5 So he went and did according to the word of the Lord, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook.
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1 Kings 17:8-16 – Elijah and the Widow
1Ki 17:8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” 10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.” 11 And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand. 12 So she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” 13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’ ” 15 So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. 16 The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah.
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1 Kings 19:1-8 – Elijah Escapes from Jezebel
1Ki 19:1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” 3 And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” 5 Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” 8 So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.
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2 Kings 2:19-22 – Elisha Performs Miracles
2Ki 2:19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please notice, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren.” 20 And he said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went out to the source of the water, and cast in the salt there, and said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘I have healed this water; from it there shall be no more death or barrenness.’ ” 22 So the water remains healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.
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2 Kings 3:14-20 – Moab Rebels Against Israel
2Ki 3:14 And Elisha said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you, nor see you. 15 But now bring me a musician.” Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him. 16 And he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Make this valley full of ditches.’ 17 For thus says the Lord: ‘You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink.’ 18 And this is a simple matter in the sight of the Lord; He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. 19 Also you shall attack every fortified city and every choice city, and shall cut down every good tree, and stop up every spring of water, and ruin every good piece of land with stones.” 20 Now it happened in the morning, when the grain offering was offered, that suddenly water came by way of Edom, and the land was filled with water.
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2 Kings 4:1-7 – Elisha and the Widow’s Oil
2Ki 4:1 A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.” 2 So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.” 3 Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few. 4 And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.” 5 So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. 6 Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased. 7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”
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2 Kings 6-7 – Syria Besieges Samaria in Famine
2Ki 6:24 And it happened after this that Ben-Hadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria. 25 And there was a great famine in Samaria; and indeed they besieged it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and one-fourth of a kab of dove droppings for five shekels of silver.
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26 Then, as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!” 27 And he said, “If the Lord does not help you, where can I find help for you? From the threshing floor or from the winepress?” 28 Then the king said to her, “What is troubling you?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’ 29 So we boiled my son, and ate him. And I said to her on the next day, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him’; but she has hidden her son.” 30 Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he tore his clothes; and as he passed by on the wall, the people looked, and there underneath he had sackcloth on his body. … 33 and then the king said, “Surely this calamity is from the Lord; why should I wait for the Lord any longer?”
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2Ki 7:1 Then Elisha said, “Hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord: ‘Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.’ ” 2 So an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, “Look, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?” And he said, “In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it.”
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3 Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, “Why are we sitting here until we die? 4 If we say, ‘We will enter the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore, come, let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they keep us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall only die.” 5 And they rose at twilight to go to the camp of the Syrians; and when they had come to the outskirts of the Syrian camp, to their surprise no one was there. 6 For the Lord had caused the army of the Syrians to hear the noise of chariots and the noise of horses—the noise of a great army; so they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us!” 7 Therefore they arose and fled at twilight, and left the camp intact—their tents, their horses, and their donkeys—and they fled for their lives. 8 And when these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank, and carried from it silver and gold and clothing, and went and hid them; then they came back and entered another tent, and carried some from there also, and went and hid it.
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…15 So the messengers returned and told the king. 16 Then the people went out and plundered the tents of the Syrians. So a seah of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord.17 Now the king had appointed the officer on whose hand he leaned to have charge of the gate. But the people trampled him in the gate, and he died, just as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him. 18 So it happened just as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, “Two seahs of barley for a shekel, and a seah of fine flour for a shekel, shall be sold tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria.”
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Isaiah 43:18-21 – The Redeemer of Israel
Is 43:18 “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.
20 The beast of the field will honor Me, The jackals and the ostriches,
Because I give waters in the wilderness And rivers in the desert, To give drink to My people, My chosen.
21 This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise.
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Genesis 22:8-13 – Abraham’s Faith Confirmed
Ge 22:8 And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together. 9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
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11 But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” 12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
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13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.
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Matthew 14:15-21 – Feeding the Five Thousand
Mt 14:15 When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.” 16 But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 17 And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” 18 He said, “Bring them here to Me.” 19 Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. 20 So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. 21 Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
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Matthew 15:32-39 – Feeding the Four Thousand
Mt 15:32 Now Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” 33 Then His disciples said to Him, “Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?” 34 Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven, and a few little fish.” 35 So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. 36 And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude. 37 So they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments that were left. 38 Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 And He sent away the multitude, got into the boat, and came to the region of Magdala.