Many have speculated about a prophecy God gave to Amos
about a coming famine of the word of God, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord
GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst
for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:
“And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the
north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD,
and shall not find it.” (Amos 8:11-12). Does this not run contrast to
what Jesus said that, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all
the world for a witness unto all nations; and thenshall the end come.”
(Matthew 24:14)? How can there be a famine in the end time when Jesus said the
Gospel shall be preached to the entire world? Does the Bible contradict?
Not the first time
Many do not realize that there was a famine of the word
during the days of the Judges when Samuel the last judge of Israel was a small
boy. Notice what the scriptures say, “And the child Samuel ministered unto the
LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious
in those days; there was no open vision.” (1 Sam 3:1). The word
was “precious” or “rather rare;it came but seldom,” (Pulpit
Commentary, emphasis theirs). Yet Israel had the 5 books of the law and the book
of Joshua; the word was extant in the land of Israel during that time but there
was “no open vision.” This means, “…no publicly recognized prophet
whom the people could consult, and from whom they might learn the will of God.”
(Jamieson, Fausset and Brown commentary, emphasis added). Yes prophecies and
visions were revealed to the prophets, and sometimes even the prophets did
not understand them. God wanted many of these visions and prophecies
understood in the end time (Dan 12:8-9); but the most important part of these
visions was the will of God being revealed to people by the prophets so
the people could understand what God wanted from them-repentance and
obedience! So there was at that time no true servant of God-a Prophet
whom God had revealed the truth of his word and will to, and make it known to
them –i.e. no “open vision.”
Now “some render it, ‘no broken up vision’; it lay
hid, concealed out of sight, as if it was immured and shut up within walls;
” (Gill’s Commentary, emphasis added). So during the days of Samuel, they had
the word of God, but his truth was hid from them because at this
time Israel was most rebellious and “Jehovah had promised His people, that He
would send prophets, who should make known His will and purpose … [but]
the unbelief and disobedience of the people might restrain the
fulfilment of this and all similar promises, and God might even withdraw His
word to punish the idolatrous nation.” (K&D Commentary, emphasis added).
Israel was rebellious and though they had the Bible-the word of God, they did
not understand it due to their hard hearts and minds (see Isaiah 6:9-10;
Matthew 13:15). They rebelled against him-he hid the truth from them (see
Ezekiel 7:8-9).
The Heavenly Signs & Day of the Lord
The book of Amos reveals that the world will be in the
same situation. Amos shows us the time setting of this prophecy, “And it
shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun
to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day:” (8:9).
This is time of heavenly signs just before the “day of the Lord.” Jesus
said, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be
darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from
heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:” (Matthew 24:29).
Joel 2:31 says, “The sun shall be turned into darkness,
and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of
the LORD come.” Here is the time sequence of events: Tribulation-Heavenly
Signs-Day of the Lord. It is during this time of the heavenly signs just
before the day of the Lord that the whole earth mourns “the mourning of an
only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.” (Amos 8:10); this is
when God will send this famine-before the “day of the Lord” the time of
his wrath!
What kind of “famine”? Amos says, “hearing the words of
the LORD:” Now some say the church is “raptured” to heaven or taken to a “place
of safety” so there will be no preaching of the word of God. Nowhere
does the Bible say the church is going to heaven or taken to a place of safety
during the tribulation period. (Read our booklet on the Rapture and Where is
your place of Safety? for more details). During the tribulation period there is
the work of God taking place (see Rev 6:9, 11; 14:13)
Others say that the Bible will taken away and people
will not be able to read it. But when looking at it from the context of
the book of Revelation, Amos and Samuel one can see that in history and prophecy
the bible was available for people to read (see Rev 12:17).
“Silence in Heaven”
In the book of Revelation 7 seals are presented
to John. Each seal represents an event that was to happen on earth
during the end time. The 6th seal is the time of the heavenly
signs, “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there
was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair,
and the moon became as blood;” (Rev 6:12). It is at this time
that Amos says there will be a “famine” of hearing the word.
Revelation 7 reveals that just before the
7th seal is broken all believers in Christ that have
repented of all nations and the 144,000 are sealed. This seal
protects them from the coming wrath of God when the 7 trumpets sound
and vial plagues are poured upon the earth (see also Ezekiel chapter 9
for the sealing of God people).
Then Revelation 8:1 says, “And when he had
opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space
of half an hour.” There is “silence” in heaven. This 7th
seal is broken and everything comes to a halt just before the
time called the “day of the Lord” the wrath of God that will be
unleashed on sinning mankind. The heavenly signs are still
occurring.
What is this “silence?” In the book of Revelation we are
seeing this heavenly scene in the “temple” in heaven (Re 11:19) which the
earthly temple was a copy (Hebrews 8:5). The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown
commentary states, “The half-hour silence is the brief
pause GIVEN TO JOHN…In the Jewish temple, musical instruments and singing
resounded during the whole time of the offering of the sacrifices, which formed
the first part of the service. But at the offering of incense [see Rev 8:3-4],
solemn silence was kept(‘My soul waiteth upon God,’ Psalm 62:1; ‘is
silent,’ Margin; Psalm 65:1, Margin), the people praying secretly all the
time….A short space is implied; for even an hour is so used (Rev 17:12;
Rev 18:10, Rev 18:19).” (Emphasis theirs and mine). During the time of silence,
David wrote he “waited” for God. What was he waiting for?
David says, “Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from
him cometh my salvation.
“He only is my rock and
my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.” He was
waiting for God’s words of salvation and truth and hope. The earth in the end
time is greatly troubled; the great tribulation happened, now the heavenly
signs. People however, instead of looking for salvation like David they
are saying the opposite, “…to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and
hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath
of the Lamb:” (Rev 6:16).
Notice during the “day of the Lord” we see the
people of the earth, “…repented not to give him glory…. And blasphemed
the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not
of their deeds.” (Rev 16:9, 11).
So why at this time is there “silence in heaven?”
Just like the time of Samuel, God will hide the truth of salvation-Why
does God do this?
Ezekiel writes how God judges, “…and I will judge thee
according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations.
“I will recompense thee according to thy ways and
thine abominations that are in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I
am the LORD that smiteth.” (Ezekiel 7:8, 9). During the tribulation the two
witnesses are prophesying and raining plagues down on sinning mankind. Then the
heavenly signs, and instead of repenting the people of the world “hid” from God.
At this time it’s too late, God’s wrath is going to hit
the earth and those that do not repent will be subject to it and God shall
not be found (see Isa 55:6). So there will be no place on earth where
God’s truth and will is revealed, no “open vision” as in the days of Samuel.
At this time the 7th trumpet is blown the church of God and the two
witnesses are resurrected and in the clouds with Christ (2 Thess
4:15-17). It is a time of judgment not mercy, “He that despised Moses’
law died without mercy…” (Heb 10:28). This is the time of the wrath of
God for those who refuse to repent!
Amos 8:12-13 says, “And they
shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall
run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.
“In that day shall the fair virgins and young men
faint for thirst.” God will deliberately hide salvation from them
even though the Bible is on earth, no one will understand it, “But if our
gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:” (2 Cor 4:3); because of
their rebellion-they “hid” from God so God hides the truth from them for
a “short time” which is what the “space of half an hour” means.
The word will be “rare” like in the days of
Samuel, “The bitterness of the time of punishment is increased by the fact
that the Lord will then withdraw His word from them, i.e., the light of His
revelation. They who will not now hear His word, as proclaimed by the
prophets, will then cherish the greatest longing for it.” (K&D
Commentary). They will “thirst” for it, but their thirst at this time
will not be quenched-it is the time of wrath not mercy!
Also at this time the church of God who are doing
the work of the Watchman, like Ezekiel in his day God will, “…make thy
tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not
be to them a reprover: for they are a rebellious house.” (Ezekiel 3:26).
The world will be at this time “…so rebellious, it is useless to give them farther
warning.” (Clarke’s Commentary).
The Gospel Preached in All the World?
What of the true Gospel being preached? Even though the
Bible has gone virtually everywhere has the true Gospel been heard?
The Gospel is the “good news” about the coming
Kingdom of God and salvation through Christ. How many have actually heard
the true Gospel? You hear about Christ, but you don’t hear his
message that he brought from the Father.
Added to this, the church of God has but “little
strength” and is a “little flock.” (Luke 12:32; Rev 3:8). Jesus also said “For
many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14) The church is a
tiny minority in this world. How can it go to the entire world with little
strength? How can the church complete this task?
Jesus said, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be
preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end
come.” (Matthew 24:14). Is there a contradiction? Absolutely Not! He says “this
gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world” but he does not say who executes this task? Is it the church? The Two Witnesses?
Is it on the shoulders of the church to preach the
Gospel to the entire world? Here is a large misconception many have about the
church. Jesus said to “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” (Matthew
28:19). To “teach all nations” really means, “These are unfortunate
renderings of the verb μαθητευìσατε, which means, ‘make disciples.’’’ (Pulpit
Commentary). Anyone Jew or gentile that comes to Christ is accepted into the
church of God is what it is implied here. “But in [not all nations
but “in”] everynation he that feareth him, and worketh
righteousness, is accepted with him.” (Acts 10:35). Gentiles came to
Christ, and the Apostle Peter made them disciples of Jesus.
In Mark it says, “Go ye into all the world, and
preach the gospel to every creature.” (16:15). Here it is implied to preach
where ever they went. “Go ye into all the world; not into Judaea
only, but everywhere.” (Pulpit Commentary, emphasis added).
“Not to the
Jews only, nor in Judea only, but to all men and everywhere: and so must
all the apostles do.” (Geneva Bible Translation notes). (see also Acts 1:8).
Here it’s implied that the disciples were to preach the Gospel everywhere
they went-but the entire world? How can anyone complete this task?
Jesus did NOT
expect this from his church, notice what he told them, “Ye shall
not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.”
(Matthew 10:23). So yes the apostles were to go and preach the Gospel
wherever they went-then and now-yet the Gospel will not go over the
“cities” of Israel “till the Son of man be come” The church does not
shoulder the burden to make sure the gospel goes all over the earth-God
does! This is an impossible task for anyone to take up-China alone has
400 different dialects! How can the true Gospel be preached to them?
The tongues miracles in Acts the second chapter occurred only at that time
to establish the church as being from God and its origins and foundation
were rooted in God’s miracles. Jesus did not expect his church to fulfill
this task, then or now. The goal is to preach everywhere that is possible-but
let’s not think that it’s on the church’s shoulders to preach to the entire
world-only God can do that! The reason for this? So only God is
glorified not men! (See below)
So how is this scripture to be fulfilled? “And that
repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all
nations, beginning at Jerusalem… And this gospel of the kingdom shall be
preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then
shall the end come” (Luke 24:47; Matthew 24:14).
Nearing the END of the wrath of God when “Babylon
is Fallen” (Rev 14:8), during the 7th vial of God’s wrath being
poured on the earth, (Rev 16:17-19) it says that, “And I saw another angel fly
in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them
that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and
people,
“Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give
glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that
made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” (Rev 14:6-7).
What amazing drama! From “Silence in heaven” to a powerful angel
revealing the truth of Salvation supernaturally to the world. Hard
hearts are finally broken and people are finally willing to receiving the
message of the Gospel and repenting giving glory only to God!
So yes, famine of the word is coming only due to the
fact that man has rejected the truth of God and wants it hid-so
that is exactly what God is going to give them-but only for a short while due to
his grace. His servants today should have the same urgent mindset that
Jesus Christ had in His human ministry. He told His disciples, “I must work the
works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can
work” (John 9:4). Let us diligently work and preach the Gospel everywhere we
can, because God will silence it soon.
If you wish to donate to the BICOG Please click
here
