Thursday: When No One Can Buy or Sell
The Bible paints a painful picture of the world before the second coming of Jesus. Daniel talks about “a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time” (Daniel 12:1, NKJV). Considering some of the troublous times in the past, what he is referring to here must be pretty bad.
The book of Revelation also points to troubling times before the return of Christ.
Read Revelation 13:11-17. How do financial matters fit in with the end-time persecution?
Image © Phil McKay
You can’t buy or sell? How much of our lives today revolves around buying and selling? Our work is, in a sense, our selling of our time and skills and goods to those who want to buy them. Not being able to buy or sell all but means not being able to function in society. The pressure on those who remain faithful will then be enormous. Plus, the more money that you have, the more stake you will have in this world, at least in terms of material possessions, and so, surely, the pressure to conform will be even stronger.
How then do we prepare? We prepare now, by making sure through God’s grace that we are not slaves to our money, to the things of the world. If we are not bound to them now, we won’t be when we will, in order to be faithful, have to give them up.
Read Deuteronomy 14:22-23 and the last part of verse 23. What were God’s people to do with their increase or production each year? Why did God ask them to do this?
God explained through Moses that one of the reasons He established the tithing system was “that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always” (Deuteronomy 14:23, NKJV). In the poetic parallelism of Psalm 31:19, we see that fear is synonymous with trust.
“Oh, how great is Your goodness,
Which You have laid up for those who fear You,
Which You have prepared for those who trust in You” (NKJV).
These parallel lines show us that to fear the Lord is to trust Him. Therefore, we understand that God established the tithing system to protect us from selfishness and to encourage us to trust Him to provide for us. While being faithful in tithe is certainly not a guarantee that people will stay faithful in the end, those who are not faithful in tithe are surely setting themselves up for trouble.
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Last week we had a little glimpse of how quickly we can find that "No one can buy or sell" when the doors of the Silicon Valley Bank slammed shut for the last time. It wasn't just that a bank suddenly and somewhat unexpectedly closed for business, but the domino effect is going to be felt for some time to come. I quickly scanned the headlines this morning and read:
"Europe markets close sharply lower as bank shares plunge";
"Switzerland's central bank says it will backstop Credit Suisse if necessary", and so on.
And while some of us dismiss that as an issue for high-risk business operations, even here at the bottom end of the world we have our own "buy and sell" crises. Just this week a major refrigerated transport company collapsed in mid-transport affecting the delivery of fresh food to the major grocery stores. Only yesterday I went grocery shopping and could not buy broccoli. (Some of you may consider that a blessing). Millions of dollars worth of fresh food had to be thrown out as a result and the supermarkets are struggling to fill their shelves.
Out troubles are minor compared to those countries like Russia and Ukraine that are at war and the supply chain for food and other necessities is totally unreliable.
I want to make two points:
1) We often paint the picture of the "no buying or selling" issue as a religious one affecting those who worship God, but the financial crisis affects everyone.
2) We can find ourselves in the midst of a cash flow crisis with very little warning. It is not just the instability of financial institutions, but war and natural disasters can change our situation to the extent that suddenly we are operating in survival mode.
And in those circumstances, we are going to have to live our Christianity. It won't be much use running around and saying "I told you so!"
I remember as a young student of economics, we learned about what is called „the Barter Economy“.
This means exchanging goods and services, mainly depending on reciprocity even in a capitalistic system-when nations during war were exchanging butter for guns.
For example a farmer can provide potatoes and meat to someone, who in exchange can repair his machines.
This has been effectually applied in Greece not long ago, when the Greek economy collapsed and people were without the availability of cash on hand.
So we could use our talents and be creative without panicking, and at least be mentally prepared for such events.
At worst, the Bible says in Isaiah 33:16
Depending on Barter trade, Yes it is the option we have, not a bad idea.
But it will not be possible as we think! Why?! Because the money will not be a problem to all the people but only to the faithfull one!!! How far then can we go with Barter trade?!
Only depending on GOD is what we need to learn now I think.
Why should I be afraid of those who kill the body, when I'm basically the only one responsible for my own choices? My self is the one to be afraid of, because my choices can lead me to eternal death! Why should I be afraid of something external when the real enemy is inside? May the Lord, Who is my Creator, continue to have mercy, and because of His love I pray, save me from myself! Nothing else matters! God needs to come first, always, and absolutely everything will come as a blessing! There is nothing to be afraid of in love!
Frequently I hear fellow Adventists talking of the coming crisis, financial and in other areas of life in a manner that scares. Should we not be promoting individual preparation to be ready to meet our Saviour with joy rather be worried about being unable to buy or sell? If God used ravens to feed Elijah and extended the widow‘s food until the famine ended, He certainly can provide for me when none will buy from nor sell to me. Let us have no fear for the future, but trust in our Saviour’s care. During the tough times in World War II, God provided for my family; we never starved, though we had very little, some days. My parents. when things looked bad, would tell us God would provide. He never failed us.
Hi, Horace. I'm curious to know what it is about some people's manner of speaking that scares others. That Revelation 13:16-17 states that all will be compelled to receive a mark of disloyalty to God, or be unable to buy or sell, is a simple matter of fact. Apparently, the Holy Spirit wanted us to know about this in advance, presumably in order to enable us to be mentally prepared for that time. So, sharing this knowledge among ourselves would seemingly only aid in the Holy Spirit's efforts.
Does God want us to be afraid? Of course not! So then, how and why could the truth scare us? I can think of two possibilities. Firstly, we may be sharing this truth out of context -- leaving Jesus out of the picture, with His promise to be with us always. Secondly, the person hearing this truth, though professedly a believer, may not actually have much faith in God. In that case, yes, the future could be scary indeed!
We must rely on God's promises. He will never fail us.
Amen
Trust God
He is Our Provider.
No selling, stand up for "no bussiness allowed for the people of GOD and no working at all at any institutions (both private and government). No buying, stand up for "not getting service (food, education, water, eletricity, health service and all the service that require money) even if you have or accumulated money (in your pocket, in your bank account). They are useless actually at that time.
So can you see how hard is that time?!
How then do we prepare to face that time? Just like the writer said "We prepare now, by making sure through God’s grace that we are not slaves to our money, to the things of the world and depend only on GOD. If we are not bound to them now, we won’t be when we will, in order to be faithful, have to give them up". Also by depending on GOD only for our needs, GOD is teaching us how to stand up in those hard moments.
In the time of trouble God will provide for his own people just like he fed Elijah by ravens. The restrictions of buying and selling are not literal commerce persay but rather they represent religious intolerance. By the two horned beast who makes an image of the First beast which was wounded by the sword and lived. This concept of buying and selling is an old testament expression.its means that the truth of God,s word come with a price to pay for anything that is worthwhile. Solomon says truth is expensive, buy it and don't sell it. The apostle Paul and apostle John refusual to deny the gospel cost it them their life. Sell it not. Means if Jesus had sold the truth by submitting to the Demand of the Sanhedrin he could have escaped the cross but then the question would have been at what cost for lost human who had transgressed. This is the similar expression in revelation chapter 13verse 11 no man will buy or sell except those who have the mark of the beast and his image. We know that the mark of the beast is or will be the enforcement of the national Sunday law. And then the image of the beast is apostate prostestantism this is the fallen churches which were once pure but are fallen they will stretch their hands across the gulf and clasp hands with the Roman church then they will have formed the image to the PAPACY. Today prostestantism argues that the resurrection of Christ on the first day of the week;{ Sunday changed the Seventh day Sabbath by substitution of the Sabbath day.
After all, the Lord we have has all the power. He can choose who to give and who not to give! He can send a bird to give us food and needs just like how it was to Elijah. If we have that in mind, that hard time will not be a problem!!!
But that faith, doesnt come easily if we are not going to give GOD a chance now to teach us through depending on him. This quarter lesson, is one of the way GOD is using to teach us how to stand on the time of "No buying and No selling"
Recently in my country Nigeria, we just witnessed a scenario where you have your savings trapped in the bank. A changeover to redesigned currency has plunged Nigeria's economy into crisis: There aren’t enough new banknotes in a country reliant on cash transactions. We were told to drop the old currency (notes) in the bank and that new one was coming. But the new currency is not available and no old currency. Everything is just tough for us. we can't buy and we can't sell.
Customers wait all day at the banks to get cash. The ATMs are not dispensing. A lot issues have risen from this singular policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
1. Fights have broken out in bank halls
2. Angry customers have attacked workers
3. Protesters have set financial institutions on fire.
4. Businesses are unable to carry out transactions and have been forced to close
5. Bankers are illegally selling new currency notes at higher rates.
We are really not finding things easy at all. Many sick people can't access medical services for lack of cash. This is indeed a cash flow crises with no warning. Honestly, we have to live our Christianity and admonish one another with the word of God, and these wonderful lessons are coming to us at this time.
I'm sharing your statement with friends. The world is going to a total crash, but God is able to save anyone who truly looks for Him! May God bless you!
Thank you for sharing your situation. We are so sorry to hear that you and your country are already going through such a difficult time.
It is apparent that, among the world's economic leaders, digital currency is seen as a solution to many of the world's economic problems. This currency is, of course, traceable, and every transaction is recorded as to who purchased what and where. We knew this was coming, but most of us didn't give it much thought.
I understand that a very large part of Nigerian trading is done with hard currency, and 85% of money in circulation is in the hands of citizens, rather than the banks. This money is not traceable by the government. The new currency is a step towards the changeover to digital currency which has been available in Nigeria for a year now. Apparently very few citizens have taken advantage of it. The current government action will force citizens to use the banking system, rather than hard currency.
Your comment just reminded of what I read in December 2022, in an international news source known for investigative reporting, about this plan of a new currency as a step in forcing the adoption of digital currency. And now you tell us that this is happening ...
I don't know whether your government will follow through on "the month and a half" before the old notes will cease to be legal tender and will *not* be exchanged for new ones - causing millions to lose what little money they have.
While yours may seem like a local issue, all our readers should be aware that what is happening in Nigeria is a test run for other countries in the world. The rulers of the world are watching to see what is happening in Nigeria to learn from your situation.
It's fairly easy to see that a digital currency allows the government to have total control over all buying and selling. It's a small step to blacklist a certain portion of the population so that they can neither "buy nor sell." We knew this was coming, but it's coming faster than most of us probably think. Some have thought that keeping and using hard cash would be a safe-guard against not being able to buy or sell, but your situation demonstrates how foolish this thinking is.
In light of this, it's clear that we cannot depend on money for security. Neither can we depend other possessions. When the law prevents God's people from buying or selling, God Himself is our only hope and refuge. We need to learn now to depend less on money and material goods and more on God.
Your story is a sobering reminder of what can and will happen to other countries in the near future.
We pray that God will have His hand over His people in Nigeria and give you wisdom and resourcefulness to survive in these difficult times. May these trials be a way to allow more people to see their need of full dependence of God.
Hi, Uzoma. I can certainly sympathize with any inconveniences or hardships that you or your countrymen are experiencing. Lest Seventh-day Adventists or other upstanding citizens should feel targeted or threatened by these developments, I would point out that government leaders may have any number of good reasons for trading out their old currency for a new one, or even for going cashless. One obvious motive would be to hamper the activities of criminal enterprises by making worthless any cash held by their criminal leaders, who might not be able to turn in their old currency for new without being apprehended. And it often happens with human projects and endeavours -- such as rolling out a new currency -- that they meet with unexpected difficulties and delays.
The leaders of other governments, around the world, might also have good reasons to promote a cashless society. Printing currency and minting coins isn't cheap, and taxes would obviously be easier to collect.
Would a cashless society incidentally make it easier, in the future, for a world in rebellion against God's law to prevent the faithful few buying and selling? Yes, it might probably make some difference. The Holy Spirit has seen fit to warn us of what we'll be facing, during Earth's final crisis, in order to give us some idea as to what kind of relationship we'll need to have with Jesus, in order to get through it successfully. But Jesus also advised us not to worry about tomorrow.
Through our evangelistic push, during the final crisis, many will come to the point of sincerely giving themselves to Christ. I believe that some of these will be government leaders. So, let’s be careful not to assume the worst, when it comes to their motives. We might hinder their salvation by giving them needless offence now, by our words.
Let's not get so worried about our own future that we forget the need to be Christ-like and gracious today.
Are you fearful of the End Times? Are you concerned by claims of prophetic date-setting for the Time of Trouble?
Dear Christians, instead of fear, please follow Jesus! He is the antidote to all fear.
Do not be distracted by conspiracy cult leaders and their landscape of scare-mongering and speculation. They do not deserve your money or your time, yet so many Christians view speculative foolishness day and night, and make it the topic of conversation in the church foyer.
If your TV preacher is “just asking questions”, filling programs with politics and speculation, but the Good News of Jesus Christ is seldom mentioned, then why are you watching?
There is no place for Christians to be in league with TV preachers who claim secret scary information is kept from you by governments, business, organisations, or secret cabals. Even if Freemasons, Jesuits, or the WEF did control the world, they are of no account, when God has promised that He is in charge. Using fear as a way to control Christians is no less satanic today than it was in the time of Johann Tetzel.
Paul said there is only one matter of worth to Christians, and that is Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. If you are serious about knowing Jesus, turn off your TV, put away your DVDs, and spend time reading your Bible. Do not waste your God-given time on those who attempt to mold current political events to fit their deliberately vague conspiracies.
You are on point. Those who traffic in these “conspiracies” are displaying the mark of the beast, which is based on manipulation through fear. Fear is the object of worship instead of the Lord Jesus. God does not give us the warnings in scripture so that we may set them up as idols controlling our lives. Instead, they are to drive us to Jesus, who is our peace in the midst of humanity’s storms.
The coming storms will reveal whose we are and who we are: Do we belong to the Lamb? Or to the Beast and his Image?