THE FOUR HORSEMEN -HOW THEIR RIDE AFFECTS YOU - THE RIDER OF THE BLACK HORSE

"I saw, and look! a black horse, and the one seated on it had a pair of scales in his hand. I heard what sounded like a voice in the midst of the four living creatures say: "a quart of wheat for a denarius and three  quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the olive oil and the wine." - REVELATION 6:5, 6.

This rider represents famine. We find here a picture of food rationing in the first century! (Matthew 20:2)  The same coin  could purchase three quarts (3.24 L) of barley, a grain viewed as inferior to wheat.  How far would that go to feed a whole family?  People are then warned to be frugal even with daily foodstuffs, aptly pictured  by such basic staples of that time and culture as olive oil and wine.

Since 1914, have we seen evidence that this rider of the black horse has been on the move?  Yes! About 70 million people died in famines during the 20th century.  One authority estimated that "805 million  people-about one in nine of the world's population-were chronically undernourished in 2012-2014."  Another report states:  "Hunger kills more people every year than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined."  In spite of many earnest efforts to feed the hungry the rider of the black horse continues to ride.

Next time: THE FOUR HORSEMEN -HOW THEIR RIDE AFFECTS YOU - THE RIDER OF THE PALE HORSE

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