Famine: Caused: Burning and Fever
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Topical Encyclopedia
In the biblical context, famine is often depicted as a severe trial or judgment from God, serving as a means to bring His people back to righteousness or to fulfill His divine purposes. Among the various causes of famine mentioned in the Scriptures, burning and fever are highlighted as specific divine judgments that lead to scarcity and suffering.

Biblical References:

1. Deuteronomy 28:22 : "The LORD will strike you with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight and mildew, which will plague you until you perish." This verse is part of the curses pronounced upon Israel for disobedience to God's commandments. Here, fever and burning heat are directly linked to the onset of famine, as they contribute to the destruction of crops and the land's productivity.

2. Leviticus 26:16 : "then I will do this to you: I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting disease, and fever that will destroy your sight and drain your life. You will sow your seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it." This passage underscores the connection between fever and the resulting famine, as the physical afflictions lead to an inability to harvest crops, leaving the land vulnerable to enemy plunder.

Theological Implications:

In these passages, burning and fever are not merely natural phenomena but are portrayed as instruments of divine judgment. They serve as a reminder of the covenant relationship between God and His people, where blessings are contingent upon obedience, and curses follow disobedience. The use of fever and burning as causes of famine emphasizes the seriousness of turning away from God's statutes and the comprehensive nature of His judgments, affecting both health and sustenance.

Historical and Cultural Context:

In the ancient Near East, where agriculture was the backbone of society, any disruption to the growing season could lead to catastrophic famine. The biblical authors, inspired by the Holy Spirit, used familiar elements such as disease and extreme weather to communicate the consequences of sin and the need for repentance. The imagery of burning and fever would have resonated deeply with an agrarian society that understood the fragility of their food supply.

Spiritual Lessons:

The mention of burning and fever as causes of famine serves as a call to spiritual vigilance. It reminds believers of the importance of faithfulness to God's commands and the need for communal and individual repentance. These passages encourage a reliance on God's mercy and a recognition of His sovereignty over all aspects of life, including health and provision.

In summary, the biblical portrayal of famine caused by burning and fever is a multifaceted concept that encompasses divine judgment, covenantal faithfulness, and the call to repentance. It serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the enduring need for a right relationship with God.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Deuteronomy 32:24
They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts on them, with the poison of serpents of the dust.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Programme of the Society
... the cold, the cruelty, the fever, the famine, the ugliness ... to note that there is
not one burning interest of ... His spirit of heaviness is caused, like any other ...
/.../the programme of the society.htm

The City of Gold
... and crouched shivering over the ill-burning movable hearth ... residents!" Acute attacks
of xenophobia often caused riots in ... Famine was an endemic disease there. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bertrand/saint augustin/i the city of gold.htm

India as Carey Found It
... The debts of Thomas caused him and Carey to be ... is paid; and to mitigate if not prevent
famine by allowing ... of feeling towards women than the burning them alive. ...
/.../smith/the life of william carey/chapter iii india as carey.htm

An Exhortation to Theodore after his Fall. Letter I.
... which are really noble He has caused us to ... the hunger, the cold, the nakedness, the
burning, the despondency ... besought him to succour them against the famine. ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/an exhortation to theodore after.htm

The Transformation of Rome from a Pagan into a Christian City.
... 10): "He caused several senators and ex-consuls to be ... 110 ex-votos; 1,067 lamps were
kept burning day and ... to meet emergencies of scarcity or famine, and the ...
/.../lanciani/pagan and christian rome/chapter i the transformation of.htm

the Legendary History of Egypt
... origin of the legends concerning them"The famine stela"The ... fire, it was strong as
the burning of flame ... has slaughtered men.' Ra, the king, caused dawn to ...
/.../chapter iii -the legendary history of.htm

Funeral Oration on the Great S. Basil, Bishop of C??sarea in ...
... For it is not contempt which has caused me to fall ... in rich abundance to the relief
not of a famine of bread ... of piety presented to us, by the fever which brought ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/oration xliii funeral oration on.htm

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
... in the sight of gods and men: he repaired the brickwork in the temple of Nannar
at Uru; he embellished the temple of Shamash at Larsa, and caused two statues ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

Letter xxii. To Eustochium.
... chilled with fasting; yet my mind was burning with desire ... not used to very sumptuous
fare), but caused meal to ... the middle of Lent a deep-seated fever fell upon ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter xxii to eustochium.htm

Book ii. Jerome Answers the Second, Third, and Fourth Propositions ...
... to handle other men's persons, and the burning lust for ... which a small quantity of
food caused, and especially ... of Greece, when he was overtaken by fever and lay ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/book ii jerome answers the.htm

Resources
What are some biblical examples of dream interpretation? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Joseph in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Was the killing of Saul's descendants a just response to Saul's killing of the Gibeonites? | GotQuestions.org

Famine: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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Subtopics

Famine

Famine in Canaan

Famine in Egypt

Famine in Jerusalem, from Siege

Famine: A Dearth of the Means of Grace

Famine: Cannibalism In

Famine: Caused by Blasting and Mildew

Famine: Caused by Devastation by Enemies

Famine: Caused by God's Blessing Withheld

Famine: Caused by Rotting of the Seed in the Ground

Famine: Caused by Swarms of Insects

Famine: Caused by Want of Seasonable Rain

Famine: Caused: Blackness of the Skin

Famine: Caused: Burning and Fever

Famine: Caused: Death

Famine: Caused: Faintness

Famine: Caused: Grief and Mourning

Famine: Caused: Wasting of the Body

Famine: Described

Famine: Destruction of Idols

Famine: Expressed by Cleanness of Teeth

Famine: Expressed by Taking Away the Stay of Bread

Famine: Expressed by The Arrows of Famine

Famine: Figurative

Famine: God Provided for his People During

Famine: Instances of, in Scripture in the Day of the Judges

Famine: Instances of, in Scripture in the Days of Abraham

Famine: Instances of, in Scripture in the Days of Isaac

Famine: Instances of, in Scripture in the Days of Joseph

Famine: Instances of, in Scripture in the Reign of Ahab

Famine: Instances of, in Scripture in the Reign of Claudius Caesar

Famine: Instances of, in Scripture in the Reign of David

Famine: Instances of, in Scripture in the Time of Elisha

Famine: Instances of, in Scripture in the Time of Jeremiah

Famine: Instances of, in Scripture of Seven Years Foretold by Elisha

Famine: Instances of, in Scripture: After the Captivity

Famine: Instances of, in Scripture: Before Destruction of Jerusalem

Famine: Instances of, in Scripture: During the Siege of Jerusalem

Famine: Instances of, in Scripture: During the Siege of Samaria

Famine: Often Accompanied by War

Famine: Often Followed by Pestilence

Famine: Often Long Continued

Famine: Often on Account of Sin

Famine: Often Severe

Famine: One of God's Four Sore Judgments

Famine: Pharaoh Forewarned of, in Dreams

Famine: Provisions Sold by Weight During

Famine: Righteous Delivered From

Famine: Sent As a Judgment

Famine: Sent by God

Famine: Suffering of Brute Creation From

Famine: The Jews in Their Restored State not to be Afflicted By

Famine: Things Eaten During: Donkey's Flesh

Famine: Things Eaten During: Dung

Famine: Things Eaten During: Human Flesh

Famine: Things Eaten During: Wild Herbs

Famine: Universal

Related Terms

Severe (53 Occurrences)

Pestilence (57 Occurrences)

Reside (17 Occurrences)

Agabus (2 Occurrences)

Sojourn (51 Occurrences)

Grievous (73 Occurrences)

Dearth (11 Occurrences)

Plenty (43 Occurrences)

Occurred (23 Occurrences)

Lands (226 Occurrences)

Rizpah (4 Occurrences)

Exhausted (26 Occurrences)

Execration (9 Occurrences)

Egyptians (108 Occurrences)

Distressing (8 Occurrences)

Besiege (17 Occurrences)

Abundance (194 Occurrences)

Store (134 Occurrences)

Horror (51 Occurrences)

Deadly (31 Occurrences)

Throughout (291 Occurrences)

Babylonians (48 Occurrences)

Sore (156 Occurrences)

Astonishment (51 Occurrences)

Abimelech (63 Occurrences)

Prevailed (46 Occurrences)

Prophesying (58 Occurrences)

Chalde'ans (74 Occurrences)

Prophesy (96 Occurrences)

Victims (12 Occurrences)

Openeth (48 Occurrences)

Occur (13 Occurrences)

Languished (10 Occurrences)

Grasshopper (12 Occurrences)

Gerar (10 Occurrences)

Grasshoppers (11 Occurrences)

Waxed (57 Occurrences)

Imprecation (2 Occurrences)

Intensify (1 Occurrence)

Impoverished (4 Occurrences)

Famish (2 Occurrences)

Forgotten (69 Occurrences)

Fainted (12 Occurrences)

Foreigner (99 Occurrences)

Tossed (19 Occurrences)

Ravage (9 Occurrences)

Reserve (15 Occurrences)

Ruth (19 Occurrences)

Ruined (65 Occurrences)

Earlier (48 Occurrences)

Destructive (14 Occurrences)

Dove's (1 Occurrence)

Previous (5 Occurrences)

Provision (50 Occurrences)

Befall (25 Occurrences)

Bereaved (20 Occurrences)

Blight (5 Occurrences)

Caterpillar (6 Occurrences)

Abhorrent (9 Occurrences)

Abim'elech (58 Occurrences)

Advise (10 Occurrences)

Arisen (24 Occurrences)

Abram (48 Occurrences)

Starving (5 Occurrences)

Store-houses (32 Occurrences)

Selleth (17 Occurrences)

Starve (3 Occurrences)

Survive (20 Occurrences)

Starvation (1 Occurrence)

Storehouses (23 Occurrences)

Childless (25 Occurrences)

Adding (20 Occurrences)

Grievously (17 Occurrences)

Stays (21 Occurrences)

Destined (25 Occurrences)

Months (65 Occurrences)

Thirst (40 Occurrences)

Consuming (26 Occurrences)

Famine: Caused: Blackness of the Skin
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