One of the Greatest Famines of History, Matching the Savior's Prophecy

   Why not this as one of the biblical signs of our day that we are living in the end of times? Has there ever been a famine like the Great Chinese Famine of 1958-62? I am not student enough to know, but I doubt there have been many.

   Guess how many died? Would you believe an estimated 20 to 43 million? That makes the 11 million deaths from the holocaust almost seem small. How did I ever grow up and get to this age without hearing about this? I'm thinking, it is partially because it was decades later before it became known that anywhere near that many people had died.

   Anyway, after learning about the great famine in China, I turned to the scriptures, reading in Luke 21 of how the Savior prophesied that there would be ". . . famines and pestilences and fearful sights . . ." I thought of Africa, where the famines have been so large that they have long held the world's attention, and been a hallmark of our time. I think both of the large charity events, such as Live Aid 50 years ago, and of the lyrics in songs such as Toto's Down in Africa, where it says, "I bless the rains down in Africa."

   There have been other famines throughout history, but I do wonder but what we are living in a day when they are worse than at many other times. 

   And, yes, I do believe they are a fulfillment of prophecy. One of the greatest famines of all time, this Great Chinese Famine, and it is in the last days, even the days that the Savior said would be marked by famine.