Hunger for God

Revelation 6:5-6 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. 6 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!”
 
IN succession, each of the four living creatures known as the seraphim call out a horse and its rider to initiate judgment’s violence upon the earth. God’s vision to John becomes more grim as it moves from conquest, to war’s bloodshed and now to famine. The food cost mentioned here would be 10-15 times above normal to John’s first-century readers. A day’s wages would buy food for one person, but there would be no food for any family member.
   Here is the price of mankind’s sin. Sin has brought God’s judgment on the world since the beginning. God would tolerate disobedience for several generations, then he would destroy nations for their gross sins. Wars caused food shortages and physical hardships. Rejecting God’s laws will cause physical starvation.
   This hunger and deprivation is not God’s will – his desire – for his people. He spoke very plainly long ago that obedience to his law is a key to peaceful and prosperous living. Listen to the Lord God’s promise in Deuteronomy 11:13 “So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today – to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul – then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil. 15 I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.”
   Then hear his warning: Deuteronomy 11:16 “Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. 17 Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and he will shut 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.”
   God’s Word became reality in Israel’s history several times. Disobedience in Israel led to drought, starvation, wars, conquest and enslavement. Ultimately Israel’s disobedience caused God to exile the Jews to Babylon. They lost heir land because they lost their love for God. Only in his grace did God restore them to the land, so they could begin again.
   In many places today we can see the church has “lost its land” – lost its influence and strength in the culture – because it has lost its love for God. A spiritual drought affects Jesus’ church. God has closed Heaven’s grace on those who reject him for worldly gain.   
   Are you hungry for God’s bounty in your life – his love, mercy, kindness, joy, peace and wisdom, for example? Might there be some sin keeping your spirit dry? Know Jesus will nourish you: John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”
 
Prayer: Lord God, I pray I obey your commands and help others to see the joy of living in your true Word. You are the Bread of Life. Amen.