Plenty and Famine

Summary

In Genesis chapter 41 we read about two dreams that Pharaoh had and we learn that these dreams foretold the coming seven years of plenty that would be followed by the seven years of famine in Egypt. We will discover that the seven years of plenty foreshadowed the period from the beginning of Jesus’ ministry to the end of the Early Rain. The seven years of famine foreshadowed the entire Great Tribulation and the final five months of God’s wrath. Therefore, the combined fourteen years foreshadowed the entire New Testament era.

Jesus’ Ministry = 3.5

Jesus’ ministry began on the day He was announced as the Lamb of God:
“The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29)
This took place on September 26 in 29 AD (see Study on Christ).

Christ rode in on a donkey as the Lamb for the slaughter on March 27 in 33 AD (see Study on Christ). The timeframe from September 26 in 29 AD to March 27 in 33 AD is 1,278 days. There are 365.2422 days in a year. Using this data, we have the following equation:

1,278 days ÷ 365.2422 days per year = 3.5 years.

In other words, Jesus’ ministry was exactly 3.5 years in length to the very day.

The Early Rain = 3.5

God uses the number 3.5 in connection with the Early Rain, the period from 33 AD to the beginning of the Great Tribulation.

The woman of Revelation chapter 12 signifies the earthly representation of God’s people. In the Old Testament that was the nation of Israel and in the New Testament it is the church (see Study on The Woman). God speaks of the woman being fed in the wilderness for 1,260 days:
“And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.” (Revelation 12:6)
On a calendar with 30-day months, 1,260 days is exactly 3.5 years.

God brings the number 3.5 in view again later in Revelation chapter 12 when, while speaking of the same period of time, He says the woman will be nourished for “a time, times, and half a time”:
“And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.” (Revelation 12:14)
That is language to illustrate 3.5.

In Revelation chapter 11 we read about the two witnesses. The time from when they begin their testimony to when they are killed represents the Early Rain (see Study on The Two Witnesses). We read that they will prophesy for 1,260 days:
“And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.” (Revelation 11:3)
That is the same timeframe we read about in Revelation chapter 12 and again uses the number 3.5 to spiritually represent the Early Rain.

Period of Silence = 3.5

The entire Great Tribulation is symbolically referred to as being an hour in length:
“And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.” (Revelation 17:12)

The beginning of the Great Tribulation is spoken of as being a half hour of silence:
“And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.”
(Revelation 8:1)

This period of silence in Heaven is indicative of very few people becoming saved:
“Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” (Luke 15:10)

The period of silence is the spiritual famine that precedes the Latter Rain and was foreshadowed by a 3.5-year famine:
“Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.” (James 5:17-18)

The period of silence is the same period in which the sanctuary is being trodden under foot:
“Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” (Daniel 8:13-14)

The sanctuary being trodden under foot is spoken of in Revelation as being 42 months in length:
“But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.” (Revelation 11:2)
This is the same 42 months in which the first beast in Revelation 13 has power:
“And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.” (Revelation 13:5)
A period of 42 months is exactly 3.5 years so God is once again using the number 3.5 to symbolically represent the first part of the Great Tribulation.

The Latter Rain = 3.0

The crossing of the Jordan River just before the Israelites entered Canaan was a picture of the Latter Rain (see Study on Egypt To Canaan). We read that it took three days to cross the river:
“Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it.” (Joshua 1:11)
So here we find God using the number 3 in relation to the Latter Rain.

One of the ten plagues in Egypt was darkness over the land. However, the Israelites still had light in their dwellings. This period lasted three days:
“And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.” (Exodus 10:22-23)
This foreshadowed the Latter Rain when there is spiritual darkness in the world like never before, particularly within the churches where. However, the true believers are spared from the darkness as the true Gospel is bringing salvation to a great multitude.

Above we read about the sanctuary being trodden under foot for 2,300 days and that referred to the period of silence that preceded the Latter Rain. In Leviticus 25:21, we read about God commanding His blessing in the sixth year and bringing forth fruit for three years:
“Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years.”
If the Great Tribulation began at the beginning of the 2,300 days, then the Latter Rain would have began in the sixth year when the 2,300 days came to an end. The bringing forth of fruit is a picture that clearly identifies with the Latter Rain (see Study on The Latter Rain) so here we see God using the number 3 in relation to the Latter Rain.

The tithe of all the increase was to be brought within the gates at the end of three years:
"At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates" (Deuteronomy 14:28)
This foreshadowed the Latter Rain (the increase), after which the believers are raptured into the gates of Heaven.

God declared that, when there were three months left until the harvest, that the rain would fall on one city and be withheld from another:
"And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered." (Amos 4:6-7)
This foreshadowed the Latter Rain during which the Gospel is bringing salvation to a great multitude around the world but it has been withheld inside the churches so that there is no salvation taking place there. The harvest points to the Rapture at the end of the Latter Rain so again we find the number 3 used in reference to the Latter Rain.

The Dreams

In the first dream there were seven fat cows that came out of a river and fed in a meadow, but then seven skinny cows came and devoured them (Genesis 41:1-4). In the second dream there were seven good ears of corn on a stalk, but then seven withered ears came up and devoured them (Genesis 41:5-7).

Through Joseph, God explained to Pharaoh that the seven fat cows and seven good ears represent seven years of plenty. The seven skinny cows and seven withered ears of corn represent seven years of famine that will follow the seven years of plenty (Genesis 41:29-31).

Putting The Numbers Together

The seven years of plenty represent the period from the beginning of Jesus’ ministry to the beginning of the Great Tribulation when the Early Rain ended. Remember, Jesus’ ministry is identified with the number 3.5 because it was literally exactly 3.5 years in length. The Early Rain, which followed His ministry, is spoken of in the Bible as being a figurative 3.5 years in length. Together, the two are spiritually represented by seven years.

The seven years of famine represent the period from the beginning of the Great Tribulation to the end of the world. Remember, the first part of the Great Tribulation is spoken of in the Bible as being a figurative 3.5 years in length. The Latter Rain is spiritually identified with the number 3 and the final five months can be signified by 0.5. Together, these numbers add up to seven.

With this data, we arrive at the following diagram:

A Lesson To Us Today

Take note of the language used regarding the famine. It says the famine will be so grievous that it will consume the land and the seven years of plenty will be forgotten in the land:
“Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.” (Genesis 41:29-31)

At the beginning of the Great Tribulation God removed the Holy Spirit from the churches (see Study on The Antichrist). He allowed Satan to come in and rule within the churches and make them spiritually desolate. The spiritual destruction within them is so bad that they no longer resemble what they once were in the good years when God was present in them. In that sense, within the churches it looks like the years of plenty never existed.

A Few Final Details

We can also note a few spiritually significant details in these dreams.

We read that the seven fat cows came out of the river and fed in the meadow:
“And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow” (Genesis 41:18)
The river identifies with Christ and the Gospel:
“He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:38)
“I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.” (Isaiah 41:18)
It was the Gospel that birthed the spiritual success of the Early Rain. And the fact that the cows fed in the meadow is a reminder that God provided the church with Christ Who is the Bread of Life.

We also read that the seven withered ears were blasted with the east wind:
“And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them” (Genesis 41:23)
The east is the direction from which the sun rises and the sun represents Christ:
“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
God’s judgment is sometimes referred to in light of an east wind:
“And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.” (Exodus 10:13)
“Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.” (Psalm 48:7)
“I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.” (Jeremiah 18:17)
The spiritual famine that is taking place within the churches is not something that just happened. It is because God is specifically focused on bringing judgment upon the church (see Study on Judgment On The Church).