Far From Over
Far From Over
During the night of December 12-13, I dreamed that I was on a street in the business-section of a large American city. Companies were being auctioned in a "fire-sale"...virtually given away, at bargain-basement prices because they were worthless. I then witnessed first-hand one such sale, but afterwards felt very uneasy, as I realised I had observed an event that was supposed to be secret and hidden from "outsiders".
"When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, 'Come!' I looked and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, 'A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!" (Revelation 6.5-6)
In spite of the "best" efforts of politicians and commentators to downplay the seriousness of the current world Recession...it has not peaked and is not now waning. Nor is it behind us, as some in positions of power and influence are intimating, speaking in terms of "the Recovery" of 2010.
This Recession is going to continue and widen and deepen. The world's economy may from time-to-time "lift", but such "recoveries" will only lengthen (not halt) a long, slow and irreversible death-glide. This really ought to come as no surprise to anyone, because this world's economies are based on satisfying the greed and avariciousness of social elites, at the expense of honestly addressing the day-to-day realities of ordinary human need. This condition God has ever judged, with the singular ferocity of a good Father.
"Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land, saying, When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat? - skimping the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales, buying the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the sweepings with the wheat. The Lord has sworn by the Pride of Jacob: I will never forget anything they have done. Will not the land tremble for this, and all who live in it mourn?" (Amos 8.4-8)
The four coloured "horses" of Revelation are not an exclusively End Times' phenomenon. They existed and were active in the days of Zechariah (1.8). Throughout New Covenant history they have been the "ministers" of the consequences of life lived in hostility to, and independently of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. E.g. Tyrannical government, internecine warfare, economic corruption and ruin, fear of death and judgement to perdition.
As the close of this Age draws near, these consequences will inevitably intensify...most notably national economies will fail one after the other, and the international community will be incapable (in some instances unwilling!) of effecting any kind of "rescue". At this juncture individuals and societies will begin to earnestly look for a "saviour"! Some will turn to the Lord. Tragically, others will fall into the sinister embrace of "the beast"...as happened by way of dress-rehearsal in Nazi Germany.
"And I saw a beast coming out of the sea (the nations - Daniel 7.2-3). He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound (Germany?), but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. Men worshipped the dragon (satan) because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshipped the beast and asked, who is like the beast? Who can make war against him? All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast - all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world." (Revelation
13.1-4,8)
The Great Depression of 1929 plunged Weimar Germany into an insanely wild cycle of hyper-inflation. Hitler promised a people for whom paper-money had ceased to have any meaning or power, a scapegoat (Jewish bankers) and "salvation" if they made him their "lord". He came to power in 1933.
The appearance of the "black horse" in Revelation 6, teaches us three things in particular,
1) "Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand."
One of the great truth-themes of the Bible is that every action does in fact have a consequence...contrary to current, liberal social theory. "Do not be deceived; God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows." (Galatians 6.7)
In this instance, we are reminded that God has made it abundantly clear to Israel (and thus to humanity) that one repercussion of sin is famine and food-rationing...most especially of the absolute necessities. How can it be otherwise if we consistently treat the Creator as non-existent, and His Creation as something to be contemptuously plundered?
"If you will not listen to me...if you abhor my laws...When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will be able to bake your bread in one oven, and they will dole out the bread by weight." (Leviticus 26.26)
"Behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care (anxiety); and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment (despair)." (Ezekiel 4.16)
2) "A quart of wheat for a day's wages."
Hyper-inflation is a judgement of God, especially in the sense that it is a consequence of a society determinedly ignoring His law of "sowing and reaping", and living beyond its means. It is really a form of insanity to persevere in believing (as the West presently does) that our consumption can neverendingly exceed our production. Such an over-stretched system finally does have to "break" under the strain, and truth-reality reassert itself.
Here the Apostle John foresees a situation at the End in which "a man's working wage would have to be spent in buying enough corn for himself for a day...he would be left with absolutely nothing for his wife and family, if he was a married man." (The Daily Study Bible: William Barclay DD)
Historically at such times of chastening and judgement some men have turned to God for help...others have railed against Him and simultaneously embraced that one who has ever been the jealous hater and destroyer of humankind.
"Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, Go, and pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth...The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire. They were scared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him." (Revelation 16.1&8-9)
3) "Do not damage the oil and the wine."
Here lies a very great and wonderful promise of God, in the midst of apparent desolation and destitution. Oil and wine are products of the olive tree and the grapevine; both standout symbols of those People who belong to God, through their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
"You, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root." (Romans 11.17)
"I am the vine; you are the branches." (John 15.5)
But observe, the "voice" does not say, "Do not damage the olive tree and the grapevine"? It is the oil and the wine which are not to be "hurt", when everything else to do with the economies of men is going haywire and self-destructing.
Oil and wine come into existence after a (usually) lengthy and costly process, and the finished product is significantly richer than the raw material. I.e. Grape-juice, as compared to skillfully blended and carefully aged wine!
I do believe that lovers of Jesus, who are committed to a life-time, lifestyle of sacrificial discipleship, obedience and service will be provided with the tools and resources for miraculous survival during the End Times. Even though we may be shut-out of this world's financial and economic system, we will be enlightened and empowered to hook-into the economy of Heaven...immediately and via His earthly Body of Messiah.
"During the forty years that I led you through the desert, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet. You ate no bread and drank no wine or other fermented drink. I did this so that you might know that I am the Lord your God." (Deuteronomy 29.5-6)
"He guided them with the cloud by day and with light from the fire all night...Men ate the bread of angels; he sent them all the food they could eat." (Psalm 78.14&25)
"The ravens brought him (Elijah) bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening (during famine), and he drank from the brook (during drought)." (1 Kings 17.6)
"You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don't you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? (Twelve) Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? (Seven)" (Matthew 16.8-10)
"Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets! When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink." (Luke 5.5-7)
"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4.19)
