What role do "famine" and "plague" play in God's warnings to Israel? Key Verse: Ezekiel 14:21 “For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem My four dreadful judgments—sword and famine and wild beasts and plague—to cut off man and beast from it!’ ” Famine and Plague in the Covenant Warnings • Both calamities appear repeatedly in the covenant “curse lists” (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28). • They are not random disasters; they are divinely–directed alarms signaling that Israel has broken covenant. • Famine strikes the land (Leviticus 26:19-20; Deuteronomy 28:23-24) and plague strikes the body (Deuteronomy 28:21-22). Together they assault every sphere of life—provision and health. God’s Goals in Using These Judgments • Call to Repentance – Amos 4:6-10 records a series of famines and plagues, each ending with, “yet you did not return to Me.” • Covenant Enforcement – Famine and plague enforce the terms Israel agreed to at Sinai (Exodus 24:7-8; Leviticus 26:14-16). • Preservation of a Remnant – Ezekiel 14:22-23 shows a spared remnant who will “bring consolation,” proving God’s justice and mercy side-by-side. Historical Snapshots • Numbers 16:46-50 – A plague stops only when Aaron makes atonement. • 2 Samuel 24:13-25 – David’s census triggers plague; repentance halts it at Jerusalem’s future temple site. • 1 Kings 17–18 – Drought-famine under Ahab highlights Baal’s impotence and drives Israel to decision at Carmel. • Jeremiah 24:10; 29:17 – As exile nears, God promises “sword, famine, and plague” against the unrepentant. Expected Response from Israel • Confession of sin (1 Kings 8:37-40). • Turning from idols to wholehearted obedience (Leviticus 26:40-42). • Humble prayer, seeking God’s face (2 Chronicles 7:13-14). Why Two Different Judgments? • Famine targets the land, reminding Israel that the earth is the LORD’s (Psalm 24:1) and that bread alone cannot sustain them (Deuteronomy 8:3). • Plague targets the body, exposing human frailty and the need for atonement (Numbers 16:48). • Together they paint a full-color picture: only God can supply daily bread and daily breath. Lessons Carried into the Prophets • Joel 1–2 links drought and pestilence to the “Day of the LORD,” urging fasting and assembly. • Haggai 1:9-11 explains crop failure as divine discipline meant to reorder misplaced priorities. • Zechariah 14:12 shows plague as an eschatological judgment on nations that oppose God. Takeaways for Today • God’s warnings are merciful; He speaks before He strikes. • National sin invites national consequences; personal repentance matters. • Even severe judgments aim at restoration, not annihilation—God always preserves a remnant. |
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