Famine, spiritual

A state of spiritual hunger arising from a failure to experience the presence and joy of God. Scripture describes such experiences, indicates one ultimate cause to be unbelief and points to ways in which this famine can be relieved.

The experience of spiritual famine

God's word is withheld

Amos 8:11–12 See also 1 Samuel 3:1; Psalm 74:9; Lamentations 2:9; Ezekiel 7:26; Luke 23:8–9

Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord GOD, when I will send a famine on the land — not a famine of bread or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD. People will stagger from sea to sea and roam from north to east, seeking the word of the LORD, but they will not find it.

God's Spirit is withheld

Psalm 51:11 See also Psalm 107:33–34

Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me.

Causes of spiritual famine

Sin

Isaiah 59:2

But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.

Unbelief

Acts 13:46 See also Acts 28:25–28

Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.

Worldliness

Isaiah 55:2

False beliefs

Isaiah 8:19–22

Self-satisfaction

Revelation 3:17 It is possible to be well-fed physically but famished spiritually.

You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.

Testing God

God testing his servants

Job 23:3, Job 23:8–10

Consequences of spiritual famine

Spiritual weakness

Psalm 119:81 See also Psalm 84:2

My soul faints for Your salvation; I wait for Your word.

Loss of hope and joy

Joel 1:16 See also Psalm 51:12

Has not the food been cut off before our very eyes — joy and gladness from the house of our God?

Relief of spiritual famine

Relief is promised to God's people

Psalm 107:9 See also Psalm 85:8–13; Isaiah 58:11, Isaiah 65:21; Amos 9:13–15

For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

Relief comes through Jesus Christ

John 6:35 See also Isaiah 9:1–3; Luke 1:53; John 6:32–33, John 6:48, John 6:50, John 6:58; 1 Corinthians 10:3–4

Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst.

Relief comes by the word

Isaiah 55:10–11 See also Matthew 4:4 parallel Luke 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3

For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.

Relief comes by the Spirit

Acts 2:17 See also Joel 2:28; Psalm 107:35–38; Isaiah 35:1–10, Isaiah 44:3

‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.

Final relief is found in heaven

Revelation 7:16 See also Isaiah 49:9–10; Psalm 16:11; Revelation 21:6

‘Never again will they hunger, and never will they thirst; nor will the sun beat down upon them, nor any scorching heat.’

Conditions of relief from spiritual famine

It is offered freely

Isaiah 55:1 See also John 7:37; Revelation 22:17

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!

It is for those who desire it

Matthew 5:6 See also Luke 6:21

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil — how patient he is for the fall and spring rains.