A Time of Famine by Fortune Nwaiwu

LESSON 1

A TIME OF FAMINE

Memory Verse: “He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in

times of famine.”– Psalm 33:19 NLT

Bible Reading: Ruth 1:1–2

From some biblical passages, we see that famine is a curse God said he would bring unto a land that fails to obey his commandments (Lev. 26:18–20, Deut. 28:23–24), and those who keep his commandments will be spared from it (Psalm 33:19). Though the cause of the famine is not stated in the Bible, it seems to be a direct consequence of Israel’s sin. Since the book was written at the time Judges ruled Israel, the time Gideon ruled Israel in Judges Chapter 6 reveals that the famine was caused by the Midianites oppressing the Israelites, because whenever Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian and Amalek and people of the east would attack Israel. These Midianites continued destroying Israelite’s crops until the Israelites were reduced to starvation (Judges 6:6).

In the story of Ruth, a severe famine heated the land of Israel. Famine is like a disease, which no one likes to be affected with. In the land of Bethlehem, a man named Elimelech saw the famine unbearable. It is ironic that Bethlehem was under a severe attack of famine, for the name Bethlehem means “a house of bread.” This unbearable circumstance forced Elimelech to move away from his country to sojourn in Moab for food. He did not want any of his family members to be affected by the famine, so he migrated with his wife, Naomi, and their two sons, Mahlon and Kilion, to live in a heathen land for survival. Elimelech’s attitude toward surviving the famine is in direct contrast with what King David did when famine struck Israel because of Saul’s bloodthirst for killing the Gibeonites (II Samuel 21:1).

A. Compare and contrast the attitudes of Elimelech and David for solving the problem of famine.

Bible Reading: Ruth 1:1–2 and II Samuel 21:1.

Both Elimelech and King David were affected by famine. Both of them wanted a way to come out from such a condition, but their attitudes for dealing with it differed. Elimelech ran away from his country to settle in a land that did not worship God. He thought he had run away from the afflictions of famine; however, where he sojourned with his family, he died. No account was given about the cause of his death, whether it was sickness or something else. Because of the need for food, Elimelech had departed from the Promised Land and headed to a land populated by unbelievers. David, however, saw no need to leave his nation because of the sorrows of famine. The problem made him ask God about the cause of the famine, and God showed him a way out. David believed in God for solving human problems. He knew that a time of problem is a time of prayer, whereas Elimelech did not know about this. Elimelech left his country while David stayed and asked God. Every problem is easy to solve when the cause is discovered. When David discovered the cause of the famine, it was easy for him to discuss with the Gibeonites in order to settle the problem for God to bless his people again. The inquiry David made about the cause of the famine established him as a patriotic leader who was willing to defend his nation from the oppression of famine.

B. What are the lessons we learn from David and Elimelech during a time of famine?

Bible Reading: Ruth 1:1–2 and II Samuel 21

We should seek the Lord in prayers. David asked God about the dreadful famine that lasted for three years. If he had kept silent or run away from his country, as did Elimelech, many souls would have perished. So, when we ask God about whatever may be a famine in our lives, God will bring a solution.

When needing food, we should never leave our Christian home to stay in a land that does not know God. This is what Elimelech did. A time of famine ought to be a time of reconciliation with God.

An Application for Lesson 1: A Time of Famine

An unproductive Christian is said to be compared to a land that suffers from famine. Famine when strikes forces every fruit and crop to die, which both animals and human beings are prone to suffering and death. A man called Joe married Clara with four issues. This man Joe had learnt different kinds of trade with no success. He was told by a priest that he would be a man of God but to everyone’s surprise, Joe rejected God’s calling. At the course of rejecting God to learn trade, all his struggles became unproductive. Joe became financially handicapped and was facing some challenges of life. There was no money to train his four children, and feed them. A day came, Joe dreamt a dream. In his dream, a man whispered to him: “Joe, you are suffering from famine, until you learn to fear God and take up your cross, if not the famine will force you and your family to another phase of life.’ Since then, Joe realized that failure to obey God attracts God’s punishment which may come through famine (Lev. 26:18-20). As Joe obeyed God, the famine in his family stopped.