Well, y2k came and went. Though there were minor glitches, the dire predictions were wrong. And in spite of all the hurricanes, tornados, and tropical storms in 2005, except for some parts of the Gulf Coast, things have gotten basically back to normal for most in the US. Even those affected by the 12/2004 tsunami are trying to lead their version of normal lives.
Does this mean that Christians should not be prepared?
Remember the Ant
Here are some scriptures that might provide some possible answers:
"Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep--So shall poverty come to you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man" (Proverbs 6:6-11).
"Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, And an idle person will suffer hunger" (Proverbs 19:15).
But won't God provide? "The LORD will not allow the righteous soul to famish" (Proverbs 10:3). But look at the next verses, "He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich. He who gathers in the summer is a wise son; He who sleeps in harvest is a son of shame" (Proverbs 10:4-5).
What should be done? "A prudent man forsees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished" (Proverbs 22:3).
"But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing" (Matthew 24:43-46). "gather His wheat into the barn" (Matthew 3:12). In the parable of the virgins, the wise are prepared and rewarded, but the foolish are unprepared and turned away (Matthew 25:1-13); while is is true that this parable (and the other scriptures quoted) have spiritual meanings, it does suggest that Christians should also be prepared physically.
Some do not think there will be a problem because things seem to be the same. Is that the acceptable biblical criteria? "For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be" (Matthew 24:38-39). But what about all the official assurances we are receiving? "For when they say, 'Peace and safety!', then sudden destruction comes upon them" (I Thes 5:3). "Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city and buy and sell, and make a profit'; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow...But now you boast in arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you" (James 4:13,16,17; 5:1). Are not the peoples in the first world countries rich?
Does the Bible teach that we are to ignore problems? "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that will he reap...Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart" (Gal 6:7,10). "The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly" (Proverbs 26:16). "But be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror, for he observes himself, goes away and immediately forgets what kind of man he was" (James 1:22-24).
A Few Comments from Roderick C. Meredith
Roderick C. Meredith, the presiding evangelist of the Living Church of God wrote the following:
Events prophesied in your Bible are now beginning to occur with increasing frequency. In this Work of the living God, we are able to warn you about what is going to happen soon. We are not talking about decades in the future. We are talking about Bible prophecies that will intensify within the next five to 15 years of your life!
Please understand. We are not "scaremongers." We love our fellow man. So it is our responsibility to warn our peoples—ahead of time—to prepare for the future. Most of our advice is spiritual in nature. However, in this editorial I want to give you some common sense advice involving your physical survival and your financial well-being...
We must always remember the "Big Picture" prophecy of Matthew 24:6–11. Christ explains that there will be smaller wars within "nations" and major conflicts between "kingdoms." He indicates in Luke 21:11 that "fearful sights"—or, as a number of translations have it, "terrors"—will come upon us, as well as truly "great" earthquakes at the time of the end. Concurrently, there will be famine and disease epidemics. If we are truly Bible-believing Christians, we need to prepare for these situations...
God warned Joseph, back in the land of Egypt, to set aside extra food for a prophesied famine (Genesis 41:25–57). Obviously, God could have said: "Don’t worry or take any evasive action, I will simply deliver you—no matter what happens!" However, the Bible—which reveals the mind of God—indicates that God wanted Joseph and his people to go through the experience of setting aside extra foodstuffs and learning to do their part in preparing for a future calamity. As the Apostle James wrote, "faith without works is dead" (James 2:20).
It is better for human beings to learn the lessons through these situations, and experience exercising caution, wisdom and perseverance, rather than having God "deliver" us from every possible catastrophe. For God is training us to be His full sons in His Kingdom and family forever...
Our Father tells us in Proverbs 22:3 that a "prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished." Obviously, God does not want us to be cowards. But it is also obvious that a wise man or woman should sometimes "hide himself"—take evasive action—or be secretly let down over the city wall and "flee"—as the Apostle Paul did in a dangerous situation (Acts 9:23–25)!
So we must each examine our own situation to determine what action we should take. Are we living in a low-lying coastal area where we may be in danger at a time of increasing hurricanes, tsunamis or similar natural disasters? Do we have at least a week’s supply of emergency food and water, flashlight batteries, a first-aid kit, a battery-powered radio, prescription medications and other essential items? Have we read the instructions from our nation or region about how to prepare for such emergencies as hurricanes, earthquakes or terrorists attacks?
I also want to strongly encourage our subscribers—especially the Americans—to prepare for a financial emergency that may strike our nation within a very few years. Although I am certainly not a financial expert, I do have access to many very reliable news sources. Right now, more and more news reports are warning of an impending financial collapse that may devastate the United States within the next several years!
A first priority would be to pay off all credit card debts—and all other debts we possibly can. We should also have at least the equivalent of 60 days’ living expenses in case of a sudden breakdown in the banking system or a similar emergency. Also, we should gradually work out a family budget that allows us, over time, to set aside financial resources to carry us through a year or more in case of job loss, catastrophic health situation, etc.
Finally, we should not leave God out of the picture. Although the natural reaction would be to take care of the financial side and forget about God, the truly wise approach is to honor our Creator in this matter and know, in faith, that He will then bless and guide all our other efforts. The Bible tells us, "Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine" (Proverbs 3:9–10).
Jesus Christ Himself instructed: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19–21).
If you truly believe in the living God and in His inspired word, you will do your part to support His Work even in trying times. Then the Creator will certainly "be there" when you desperately need Him. But even if you do not yet understand this spiritual matter, be sure to be aware of what is going to happen physically, and take immediate steps to begin putting your own financial house in order. You owe it to your family and yourself!
The complete version of the above article is available at http://www.tomorrowsworld.org/cgi-bin/tw/tw-mag.cgi?category=Magazine34&item=1104274596
Game Theory
As one familiar with statistics, there is a concept known essentially as game theory which in essence states, look at the end result and not always at the probability for occurrence. Regarding a food shortage, let us assume that there is a 99% probability that nothing significant will happen this year.
Let us assume you do nothing. If nothing happens, you will feel vindicated. If something does happen, you may be impoverished or worse--you will also contribute to the panic that would ensue for those who also did not prepare.
Let us assume that tomorrow you store some water and go and buy a few hundred dollars worth of storable food (canned goods, dried foods, sacks of grain). If nothing happens, you will have food you can consume eventually that you bought prematurely. You may also eat more whole grains instead of refined ones, which while a little more difficult to prepare, will be healthier for you than the more processed foods. On the other hand, let us assume there are food shortages. You will not be as likely to panic and contribute to the problem. The fact that you bought early, will mean that you can even help your neighbor as Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than receive" (Acts 20:35). Remember, if you do not prepare early enough, you will hope that others will help you.
What does any of this have to do with game theory? Simply this, that even if the probability of an occurrence is low, the consequences of each probability needs to be weighed. Or in the vernacular, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Concluding Comments
I should state that I do not believe we will need to flee or suffer food shortages this year (though my own views on that are irrelevant per Matthew 24:43). As I wrote earlier about y2k, I suspected that the y2k rollover would not be the actual test, but a pretest to see who would prepare.
I suspect that because y2k (and most storms) did not lead to major problems, some Christians will not flee when it's time (for a related article, please check out Laodicean Warning for God's People and There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra). The Bible seems to make it clear that it is prudent for Christians to take a few essentially no-risk preparations. After all, if as Jesus said, "you are of far more value than many sparrows" (Matthew 10:31), shouldn't we prepare at least as much as ants?
Thiel B. Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians. www.cogwriter.com (c) 2000/2005/2006