"Their visage is blacker than a coal - their skin cleaveth to their bones"
"Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick. They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field." (Lam. 4: 8-9)
Such famines as described in the above words of Jeremiah have existed in communities and states since the beginning of civilization. Some famines have affected many nations at once, being caused often by drought, insects, disease in plants and animals, wars, etc. What is unique, however, about the famine under the coming of the black horse rider is that it is global in scale. It is also a famine that follows upon the heels of global violence and manslaughter.
It is highly ironic that obesity is a common problem around the world today, in the days that immediately precede the coming famine under the black horse rider. In the days preceding the black horse rider the world experiences prosperity on a scale never before experienced. People will have "waxed fat," to use a scriptural expression.
"Fat" or "fatness" are words used many times in scripture for obesity, but also to denote a people that are well fed, who are far off from famine. Thus, when the famine under the black horse rider comes people will go from fatness and obesity to skin and bones! All because they have sinned grievously against the Lord and have rejected his Son and our only Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, and his calls to repentance.
Waxed Fat & Kicking
"Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain." (Prov. 30: 8-9)
The general population of the world today lives better than at any time in the history of the world. Men credit this fact to man's ability to evolve, to his power to reason, to his natural abilities, and will not give credit to God. They are rich in comparison to all preceding generations. According to the words of Solomon, however, the danger in "having riches" and being "full" is that men will be likely to "deny" the Lord, and to mock at any possibility of having knowledge of him. Thus it has been in the case of the chosen people Israel, as well as many other nations who have been blessed by God with freedom from want.
Notice these words of Moses:
"So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him. He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape. But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation." (Duet. 32: 12-15)
"They are said to "wax fat", enjoy great outward prosperity, to abound in temporal good things...thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; which is repeated and expressed by different words, both for the certainty of it, and to denote their great affluence of good things, and so the more to aggravate their impiety and ingratitude, next observed." (Gill's Commentary)
The world at the time when the red and black horses ride will have become fat, enjoying prosperity on a scale never seen before. In describing "fat" or well fed people, we note these scriptures:
"Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish." (Psa. 73: 7)
How different is the picture of the famished! Look at the picture at the top of this chapter. Look at the description of the bodies of the famished by Jeremiah! Then, compare it with this description of those who have plenty to eat. Their "eyes stand out with fatness" and "they have more than heart could wish." The Psalmist speaks of being "fat and flourishing." (Psa. 92: 14) He also spoke, on the other hand, of his being physically "weak through fasting," saying "my flesh faileth of fatness." (Psa. 109: 24) Isaiah prophesied saying:
"And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean." (Isa. 17: 4)
These words are comparable to those of Jeremiah given at the head of this chapter where he said"their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick." Here starvation is described as being "made thin," and a case where "the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean."
It is not sinful to be rich. Many godly men and women in scripture have been rich. In all cases, however, the godly rich were always helping the poor and sharing their abundance. Further, the Lord promises prosperity, or fatness, to those who follow his teachings and heed his wisdom. Notice these verses on that point.
"The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself." (Prov. 11: 25)
"The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat." (Prov. 13: 4)
Here we see how working hard and being liberal brings fatness and good nourishment, freedom from want of food and general deprivation. It is not being rich that is sinful and immoral, but it is simply that riches, like power, corrupts. Very few who have become rich in this world escape degeneration and as Solomon said, keep themselves from denying the Lord and manifesting gross ignorance of him. It is also what Moses described when he said "Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked." On this John Calvin wrote:
"Moses here severely censures the ingratitude of the people, because when filled with delicacies, they began to wax wanton against God; for, according to the vulgar proverb, satiety breeds violence; but this arises from men’s detestable depravity, who ought rather to be inclined to humility and gentleness by the loving-kindness of God, since the more abundantly He supplies us with food, the more does He invite us to show forth the affection that becomes children, inasmuch as He thus more closely and familiarly declares Himself to be our Father. Intolerable, then, is the impiety of profane persons, who increase in insolence against Him, when they have gorged themselves with an abundance of all good things. They are here compared to restive horses, which, if they are well fed, without exercise, kick under their rider, and are rendered almost intractable." (Commentary)
Though it is not true in every case, yet it is so in most; prosperity can be dangerous for your spiritual well being. Not all prosperity is the result of righteous and wise living, though it is one of the fruits of it. Many wicked people prosper and are "fat." In fact, if we are to believe the record of scripture in many places, being rich in this world and having plenty to eat, makes it less likely that one is of the elect, or of the saved. Said the apostle:
"Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?" (James 2: 5)
Jesus also taught that most rich people will fail of entering into the kingdom of God.
"And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." (Matt. 19: 24)
Paul also testified:
"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called." (I Cor. 1: 26)
He did not write "not any," thank God, but "not many." Few of the rich in this world are friends of God but are generally in league with Babylon and with "the god of this age."
One good commentary gives a lengthy commentary upon the words of Moses in Duet. 32 and the words "Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked" under the sub heading "Worldly prosperity." It says:
I. A community realising worldly prosperity. Worldly prosperity sometimes comes to a man--
1. Irrespective of his efforts.
2. By his honest efforts.
3. By his dishonest efforts.
II. A community abusing worldly prosperity.
1. In sympathy they withdrew from God.
2. In life they disregarded God.
On the dangers of prosperity
Two main themes run through this song, strongly contrasted, like a cord of bright gold and a black cord twined together. The one which takes the lead is the gracious kindness of the Lord to Israel in the wonderful works wrought for their deliverance and exaltation, and the benefits of all kinds bestowed upon them. Then over against this stands Israel’s gross misimprovement of these blessings, Israel’s ingratitude and apostasy, with the judgments which naturally followed their unfaithfulness. The text is the turning point of this wonderful composition. Up to this verse the strain has been (in the main) exultant and cheering, celebrating the lofty distinction to which Israel had been raised; now it becomes sad, threatening, and bewailing an unparalleled declension. How did this come about? It is all contained in these few words, which have a solemn warning for ourselves: “Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked.” Jeshurun, “the upright one,” the people who had been called and set apart to be a holy nation, aiming at righteousness, and who hitherto had been distinguished by a measure of integrity, became corrupted through prosperity.
I. Let us regard men in their social capacity, and with respect to their general worldly interests, and observe how they are commonly affected by abundant prosperity. History is full of instances to show how national character has deteriorated as the wealth and power of a nation have increased. A people, while struggling for existence and contending for liberty, have displayed all the virtues of industry and frugality, of energy and courage, of public spirit and self-denying regard for the common good. Thus they establish their commonwealth and grow strong and powerful. Then riches flow in; luxury follows in their train; the sons soon forget the virtues of their fathers, or despise them; then parties are formed; each class, each individual, is ambitious to cope with or outshine the other. All the petty passions of our nature soon spring up into rank activity. Selfishness reigns, the general good is forgotten, and principles which once were held in honour are derided and spurned." (The Biblical Illustrator)
The last generation, the Omega generation, which shall live to see the coming of the Apocalypse and all its varied judgments, will have "waxed fat" through the blessing of God and yet, have "kicked" or stubbornly rebelled against him. They do not ascribe to him, as they should, the reason for their prosperity and their being well fed and nourished. Mankind's "fruitful seasons" are undeserved gifts of God and if men forget this fact, they are sure to suffer for it. Testified Paul:
"Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." (Acts 14: 17)
How dreadful is the sin of man in the very last days! A time when men will have been so highly blessed with "fruitful seasons" and being "filled with food," and "filled with gladness in heart"! Do they thank God for it and render until him the praise he is due?
The Bible says much about gratitude as well as the lack of it. Ingratitude is a sin with severe repercussions. The record of such fat ingrates is this:
“Although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him.” (Rom. 1: 21)
Oh the vile ingratitude of man in the last days! What height of arrogance! The characteristics of these arrogant and ungrateful souls is that they will be "lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy." (II Tim. 3: 2)
The "goodness of God" in giving man his food and his enjoyments was in order to draw men to God via repentance.
"Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" (Rom. 2: 4)
Not only are men ingrates in regard to giving God his thanks, but they have gone even further in their kicking and rebellion by their actual "despising" what are "the riches of his goodness," and "the riches of his forbearance," and the "riches of his longsuffering." And, not only despising God and his gifts, there is no turning to him (repentance), but a further turning away from him.
In some respects, the wicked men who shall experience the judgments of the seven seals are to be pitied, for the judgments are severe and terrible. But, when one considers the great depravity of the people of that final wicked generation, then tendency to pity is removed. They get what they deserve for "true and righteous (just) are his judgments" (Rev. 19: 2). When the Lord comes in Apocalyptic judgment, he will then deal with "the fat ones" who have kicked at his word and sovereignty. But, more on that in the next chapter.
Such famines as described in the above words of Jeremiah have existed in communities and states since the beginning of civilization. Some famines have affected many nations at once, being caused often by drought, insects, disease in plants and animals, wars, etc. What is unique, however, about the famine under the coming of the black horse rider is that it is global in scale. It is also a famine that follows upon the heels of global violence and manslaughter.
It is highly ironic that obesity is a common problem around the world today, in the days that immediately precede the coming famine under the black horse rider. In the days preceding the black horse rider the world experiences prosperity on a scale never before experienced. People will have "waxed fat," to use a scriptural expression.
"Fat" or "fatness" are words used many times in scripture for obesity, but also to denote a people that are well fed, who are far off from famine. Thus, when the famine under the black horse rider comes people will go from fatness and obesity to skin and bones! All because they have sinned grievously against the Lord and have rejected his Son and our only Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, and his calls to repentance.
Waxed Fat & Kicking
"Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain." (Prov. 30: 8-9)
The general population of the world today lives better than at any time in the history of the world. Men credit this fact to man's ability to evolve, to his power to reason, to his natural abilities, and will not give credit to God. They are rich in comparison to all preceding generations. According to the words of Solomon, however, the danger in "having riches" and being "full" is that men will be likely to "deny" the Lord, and to mock at any possibility of having knowledge of him. Thus it has been in the case of the chosen people Israel, as well as many other nations who have been blessed by God with freedom from want.
Notice these words of Moses:
"So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him. He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape. But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation." (Duet. 32: 12-15)
"They are said to "wax fat", enjoy great outward prosperity, to abound in temporal good things...thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; which is repeated and expressed by different words, both for the certainty of it, and to denote their great affluence of good things, and so the more to aggravate their impiety and ingratitude, next observed." (Gill's Commentary)
The world at the time when the red and black horses ride will have become fat, enjoying prosperity on a scale never seen before. In describing "fat" or well fed people, we note these scriptures:
"Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish." (Psa. 73: 7)
How different is the picture of the famished! Look at the picture at the top of this chapter. Look at the description of the bodies of the famished by Jeremiah! Then, compare it with this description of those who have plenty to eat. Their "eyes stand out with fatness" and "they have more than heart could wish." The Psalmist speaks of being "fat and flourishing." (Psa. 92: 14) He also spoke, on the other hand, of his being physically "weak through fasting," saying "my flesh faileth of fatness." (Psa. 109: 24) Isaiah prophesied saying:
"And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean." (Isa. 17: 4)
These words are comparable to those of Jeremiah given at the head of this chapter where he said"their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick." Here starvation is described as being "made thin," and a case where "the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean."
It is not sinful to be rich. Many godly men and women in scripture have been rich. In all cases, however, the godly rich were always helping the poor and sharing their abundance. Further, the Lord promises prosperity, or fatness, to those who follow his teachings and heed his wisdom. Notice these verses on that point.
"The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself." (Prov. 11: 25)
"The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat." (Prov. 13: 4)
Here we see how working hard and being liberal brings fatness and good nourishment, freedom from want of food and general deprivation. It is not being rich that is sinful and immoral, but it is simply that riches, like power, corrupts. Very few who have become rich in this world escape degeneration and as Solomon said, keep themselves from denying the Lord and manifesting gross ignorance of him. It is also what Moses described when he said "Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked." On this John Calvin wrote:
"Moses here severely censures the ingratitude of the people, because when filled with delicacies, they began to wax wanton against God; for, according to the vulgar proverb, satiety breeds violence; but this arises from men’s detestable depravity, who ought rather to be inclined to humility and gentleness by the loving-kindness of God, since the more abundantly He supplies us with food, the more does He invite us to show forth the affection that becomes children, inasmuch as He thus more closely and familiarly declares Himself to be our Father. Intolerable, then, is the impiety of profane persons, who increase in insolence against Him, when they have gorged themselves with an abundance of all good things. They are here compared to restive horses, which, if they are well fed, without exercise, kick under their rider, and are rendered almost intractable." (Commentary)
Though it is not true in every case, yet it is so in most; prosperity can be dangerous for your spiritual well being. Not all prosperity is the result of righteous and wise living, though it is one of the fruits of it. Many wicked people prosper and are "fat." In fact, if we are to believe the record of scripture in many places, being rich in this world and having plenty to eat, makes it less likely that one is of the elect, or of the saved. Said the apostle:
"Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?" (James 2: 5)
Jesus also taught that most rich people will fail of entering into the kingdom of God.
"And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." (Matt. 19: 24)
Paul also testified:
"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called." (I Cor. 1: 26)
He did not write "not any," thank God, but "not many." Few of the rich in this world are friends of God but are generally in league with Babylon and with "the god of this age."
One good commentary gives a lengthy commentary upon the words of Moses in Duet. 32 and the words "Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked" under the sub heading "Worldly prosperity." It says:
I. A community realising worldly prosperity. Worldly prosperity sometimes comes to a man--
1. Irrespective of his efforts.
2. By his honest efforts.
3. By his dishonest efforts.
II. A community abusing worldly prosperity.
1. In sympathy they withdrew from God.
2. In life they disregarded God.
On the dangers of prosperity
Two main themes run through this song, strongly contrasted, like a cord of bright gold and a black cord twined together. The one which takes the lead is the gracious kindness of the Lord to Israel in the wonderful works wrought for their deliverance and exaltation, and the benefits of all kinds bestowed upon them. Then over against this stands Israel’s gross misimprovement of these blessings, Israel’s ingratitude and apostasy, with the judgments which naturally followed their unfaithfulness. The text is the turning point of this wonderful composition. Up to this verse the strain has been (in the main) exultant and cheering, celebrating the lofty distinction to which Israel had been raised; now it becomes sad, threatening, and bewailing an unparalleled declension. How did this come about? It is all contained in these few words, which have a solemn warning for ourselves: “Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked.” Jeshurun, “the upright one,” the people who had been called and set apart to be a holy nation, aiming at righteousness, and who hitherto had been distinguished by a measure of integrity, became corrupted through prosperity.
I. Let us regard men in their social capacity, and with respect to their general worldly interests, and observe how they are commonly affected by abundant prosperity. History is full of instances to show how national character has deteriorated as the wealth and power of a nation have increased. A people, while struggling for existence and contending for liberty, have displayed all the virtues of industry and frugality, of energy and courage, of public spirit and self-denying regard for the common good. Thus they establish their commonwealth and grow strong and powerful. Then riches flow in; luxury follows in their train; the sons soon forget the virtues of their fathers, or despise them; then parties are formed; each class, each individual, is ambitious to cope with or outshine the other. All the petty passions of our nature soon spring up into rank activity. Selfishness reigns, the general good is forgotten, and principles which once were held in honour are derided and spurned." (The Biblical Illustrator)
The last generation, the Omega generation, which shall live to see the coming of the Apocalypse and all its varied judgments, will have "waxed fat" through the blessing of God and yet, have "kicked" or stubbornly rebelled against him. They do not ascribe to him, as they should, the reason for their prosperity and their being well fed and nourished. Mankind's "fruitful seasons" are undeserved gifts of God and if men forget this fact, they are sure to suffer for it. Testified Paul:
"Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." (Acts 14: 17)
How dreadful is the sin of man in the very last days! A time when men will have been so highly blessed with "fruitful seasons" and being "filled with food," and "filled with gladness in heart"! Do they thank God for it and render until him the praise he is due?
The Bible says much about gratitude as well as the lack of it. Ingratitude is a sin with severe repercussions. The record of such fat ingrates is this:
“Although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him.” (Rom. 1: 21)
Oh the vile ingratitude of man in the last days! What height of arrogance! The characteristics of these arrogant and ungrateful souls is that they will be "lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy." (II Tim. 3: 2)
The "goodness of God" in giving man his food and his enjoyments was in order to draw men to God via repentance.
"Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" (Rom. 2: 4)
Not only are men ingrates in regard to giving God his thanks, but they have gone even further in their kicking and rebellion by their actual "despising" what are "the riches of his goodness," and "the riches of his forbearance," and the "riches of his longsuffering." And, not only despising God and his gifts, there is no turning to him (repentance), but a further turning away from him.
In some respects, the wicked men who shall experience the judgments of the seven seals are to be pitied, for the judgments are severe and terrible. But, when one considers the great depravity of the people of that final wicked generation, then tendency to pity is removed. They get what they deserve for "true and righteous (just) are his judgments" (Rev. 19: 2). When the Lord comes in Apocalyptic judgment, he will then deal with "the fat ones" who have kicked at his word and sovereignty. But, more on that in the next chapter.
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