Genesis 47:13–26, The economic results of famine. Severe food shortages led to the people’s dependence on the government for food and survival. This is because the people had failed to prepare for such an event.
Because of famine resulting in people starving, the Egyptian government was able to step in and literally take control of the people’s lives, their land and material possessions. The government then collectivized them by moving them into cities where it could “take care of” or control the people. In the process, the government became the master and the people became its serfs, if not slaves.
This all happened in large part because during prosperous times the people failed to make preparations for hard times and thus became unwitting victims of natural circumstances and their own careless lifestyles.
The more a person prepares for hard times such as famine, natural disasters or economic collapse, and the closer they are to the land thus giving them the ability to raise their own food, the less dependent upon the state they will be, the more freedom they will have, and the less likely the government will be able to control their lives. Spiritual freedom is tied to physical independence as well.
In Revelation 13, the Bible prophesies a time coming when the end times Babylon the Great New World Order world ruling economic, political and religious system will exclude earth’s inhabitants from being able to buy and sell food and other life-sustaining essentials unless they take a subcutaneous “mark” on their bodies famously called “the mark of the beast.”
Most people will take this mark resulting in their eternal spiritual damnation, while a few people will refuse to take it.
Hunger and privation, whether man-caused or naturally occurring, can be means by which an evil governmental system can control its people simply because humans will do and accept virtually anything to feed their starving bodies.
The more Elohim’s saints do now to prepare, especially spiritually, but also physically, for the horrifically hard times the Bible prophesies will occur globally in the end times, the more likely they will be to not deny their faith and to survive to meet King Yeshua the Messiah in the air as his glorified, triumphant bride!
Just today, (before I saw your blog), we were talking about circumcising our hearts more now, in preparation for the hard times ahead. Getting closer to Yeshua, the main goal, as you said; to be steadfast when we are faced with the hard questions. Thank you!
So their god is their belly?!
Fasts to draw near to our Father teach us how to build up the spirit to overcome the flesh (not just food appetite) and aid substantially in understanding how the presence of our Father aids us in our physical trials when we trust Him he turns the impossible and improbable into yes and amen.
We need to practice the presence by humbling our stomachs at times to get in touch with the greater reality of God.
I am not saying we don’t or won’t need to eat but the discipline to draw near has rewards presently in enabling us to learn a practical trust just like the Sabbatical year was aimed to aid us in learning to lean into Elohim as our provider.
Is their a greater test of whom we will serve? It is a sacrifice of trust. Like Isaac was.
It is with our stomachs we vote on whom we will actually trust. That is our most basic need. ..Physically
Shavua Tov to all.
Blessings FJ