FAMINE AND HARVEST
Famine is a season of time that most of us would dread and fear because of lack of understanding and revelation of God’s Word.
Famine in our context here refers to financial difficulties or economic recession that affects our financial prosperity. Financial lack has the potential to inconvenience and disrupt almost every area of our well-being. Sometimes it could mean fighting for survival or at worst, losing your children used as collateral to borrow money from the unscrupulous money lenders like the incident in 2 Kings 4:1-7. In Malaysia we called them “loan sharks”.
Money is not everything. Yet money does answer most questions and meets most needs. When a number of instalments are not paid to the bank for the car loan, sleepless nights are not uncommon. Not knowing when the bank is going to repossess your only vehicle can cause undue stress. In reality, the vehicle is legally owned by the financial institution, loaned to you as long as you faithfully pay your due.
We know very well that there are economic cycles of boom and recession. The Share market becoming bullish or bearish may affect not only our moods but also our employment or business.
As I write this, the United States is going through an economic recession, with non-performing loans escalating to an alarming figure. Malaysia and Asia too have gone through 2 cycles of financial woes in the mid-eighties and late nineties.
Economic recession is one that is unavoidable but as believers of the Bible and Jesus Christ, we can be like the sons of Issachar who knew the seasons and thus know how to respond correctly and accurately.
Famine in Abraham’s time
Let us read Genesis 12: 10-15
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. 11 And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance. 12 “Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 “Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you.” 14 So it was, when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians
saw the woman, that she was very beautiful. 15 The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s house.
We can learn from Abram’s mistake on how NOT to react during famine.
Firstly, Abram made a wrong move by going to Egypt for help. Egypt here refers to the world’s economic system. The world’s economic system is based on BORROWING. Instead of seeking
God for wisdom and assistance, Abram sojourned to Egypt in the peak of the famine.
One wrong move usually leads to another. Now Abram was in a tricky situation as he entered Egypt because of his beautiful wife, Sarai. Obviously, Abram feared that he would be killed and his wife be taken by the Egyptians.
Like most reasoning folks, Abram compromised and committed the sin of lying. There is no such thing as white lies or grey lies. The Bible calls all lies as SIN, no matter what colour the lie is.
In fact the language used in Proverbs 6:16-19 is pretty strong. Lying is an abomination to God and God hates the sin of lying. Lying may seem to get a person out of trouble but lying actually and finally gets you into more trouble. It was in fact God’s mercy and intervention that prevented Sarai from ending in Pharaoh’s harem.
Famine in time of Isaac
Genesis 26:1-2,
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.
Genesis 26:12-14
12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him. 13 The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous;
14 for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him.
Genesis 26: 20-22
20 But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they quarreled with him. 21 Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that one also. So he called its name Sitnah. 22 And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, because he said, “For now the LORD has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”
During famine in the land, Isaac almost made a similar mistake like his father, Abraham by planning to go to Egypt. God appeared to Isaac and instructed him to remain in Gerar.
How to respond during famine or economic recession?
1. Seek God for help – not Egypt.
2. Hear and obey God’s instructions carefully.
Before, we could connect and tap into God’s wisdom and instruction, we must seek Him diligently. We need to seek God daily and continually. But during difficult times, we are required to seek Him more diligently. God promises that as we seek Him, He will be found. Isaac obeyed and dwelt in Gerar. Obedience is vitally important after receiving words of wisdom from Him.
3. Realise that you need NOT participate in the famine.
In other words, famine shall not affect you in any way. Isaac operated the principle of God’s kingdom by practicing the principle of sowing and reaping.
The world economic system is based on borrowing but God’s economic system is based on sowing and reaping. God’s system and principle of sowing and reaping is not governed or controlled by whatever economic cycles that the world is going through. The good news is God’s economy has no recession. Famine should not touch you or harm you at all! Hallelujah!
As long as you sow even during recession, God promises that you will certainly reap. Isaac’s sowing during famine superseded the negative effects of famine.
4. You must be convinced that God can still bless and prosper you in times of recession.
God prospered Isaac and made him very prosperous during famine, not during economic boom. God prospered Isaac regardless whether the share market was bullish or bearish. It was just before a great famine in Joseph’s time that Joseph received his greatest promotion in one day from prison to palace. In the midst of severe famine, there was a tremendous wealth transfer. Joseph bought a lot of lands and livestock at ridiculously low prices. Please refer to Genesis 47. We will look into more
details on the topic of wealth transfer when we write about the favour of God.
5. Besides sowing, keep your hands productive during famine.
Isaac did not rest on his laurels even though God prospered him. He searched for wells to dig during these dry seasons and kept himself productive. Cease complaining about lack of rain. Instead start to look for wells and solutions. Anyone can curse darkness but the world is searching for someone to light a candle.
Avoid strife at all costs. Isaac could have fought with the Philistines over the wells. But he decided to move on until God made room for him and he experienced Rehoboth which means God has made provision and fruitfulness on his behalf. Do not sit around and sing “Que sera sera, whatever will be, will be…” Remember: God ONLY prospers the works of our hands.
Deut 28:12
12 “The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.”
Ruth
In the wonderful book of Ruth, we find 2 seasons mentioned in Ruth 1:1 and Ruth1:22. In between the 2 seasons of famine and harvest, much water had flowed under the bridge. In time of famine, like Abram, Elimelech made a wrong and costly move to Moab. In the process of time, Elimelech and his two sons died without any reason stated leaving behind 3 widows.
Ruth the daughter-in-law, purposed in her heart to follow Naomi back to Bethlehem in the beginning of Barley harvest. If only, Elimelech had a little bit more patience and stayed put at Bethlehem waiting for God to move him to the harvest season.
Grief, adversity and famine can make a person either bitter or better. Naomi was bitter after she lost her husband and 2 sons and called herself Mara, which means bitter. She testified that she left Bethlehem full and returned home empty.
Naomi probably did not realize that the unseen Hand of God was about to put all the pieces of the puzzle together. Naomi’s and Ruth’s greatest loss would become their greatest gain in God’s economy and God’s timing.
Be Generous
In Israel, during harvest time, the owners of the harvest fields would purposely leave 10% of the produce for the poor, the orphans and the widows to glean.
What a great provision and a type of tithes. In times of plenty, besides storing the grains, be generous and share with the needy. “He who gives to the poor lends to the Lord”.
We must distinguish between seeds for sowing and the seeds for bread. If all the harvest is consumed and none was left for sowing, there will not be any supply for the next season.
2 Corinthians 9:10 declares that “God provides seeds for sowing and bread for eating…”
Be wise to set aside seeds for planting so that your harvest is assured in the next season.
Famine and Loss
You may have incurred losses during famine and difficult times but God is going to restore to you the years the locusts have eaten.
GOD IS GOING TO BIRTH MORE IN THE FUTURE THAN THE LOSSES IN THE PAST.
The Lord God is going to birth more in the next season of your life than the losses in your previous season. Expect great harvest and supernatural restoration as you transit and enter into a new phase and new level of your life and walk with Jesus.
A breakthrough is coming. Do not be deceived by the Devil and the circumstances around you. Flow in the river of God’s abundance and restoration. God restored Job with a double portion in Job 42:10 and God can do it again!
But this time it is your turn. Believe it, receive it and declare it. Surely, you shall see the manifestation of God’s goodness and God’s faithfulness in your life. Cheer up and smile at your famine and loss.
God will make a way
In 2 Kings 7 the famine was so severe and there seemed no way out. When we focus on our natural circumstances and natural resources, the enemy of our souls will use that to create fear and anxiety. Begin to tune your spiritual ears to hear what God is saying prophetically. We may not know the way out of seemingly impossible problems or circumstances but God Almighty does. Believe and receive God’s prophetic word for the situation. Expect things to change in your favour. God used the 4 lepers
to bring deliverance to the city. God may use unlikely persons to deliver and help you in times of great need.
Remember God is still on the throne. Your boat will never sink as long as Jesus is in the same boat with you. Let Jesus still your storm. Be still and know that God is not only more than able to deliver you but He is also willing!