In a number of western states, grasshoppers, cousins of locusts, are a serious plague. Hordes of the voracious "hoppers" are destroying crops and anything in their path. An eyewitness from Utah tells us that grasshoppers are even eating wooden fence posts. The "hoppers" are everywhere, in houses, office buildings, restaurants and grocery stores.

Man’s answer to this problem is to apply a heavy dosage of poisonous insecticide to kill young grasshoppers. This may alleviate the problem for a short while, but the lasting effects of poisoning the environment are a sin that must eventually reap a more devastating penalty. One sin plus another sin in a futile attempt to alleviate the penalties of the first sin, can never result in good. Sin always results in unhappiness, misery and ruin.

The Bible shows the solution to the grasshopper plague: obedience to ALL the Eternal’s laws. Obey His laws and He promises abundant crops. Disobey His laws and He promises drought, famine and plagues.

"If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely." Leviticus 26:3-5.

On the other hand, "But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant: I also will do this unto you . . . your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits" Leviticus 26:14-16, 20. "Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it . . . . All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume" Deuteronomy 28:38, 42.

"That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten: and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpillar eaten" Joel 1:4. For all the punishments from the Almighty, we have as a nation not returned unto Him, Amos 4:6-12. More punishments are certainly in store for those who have broken God’s laws, unless they repent.

One specific law, the law of tithing, relates directly to the current plague of grasshoppers. Malachi 3:8-12 gives the solemn promise of the Creator to rebuke the devourer if we faithfully tithe. The first tithe belongs to the Eternal for His work. The second tithe is for observing the Creator’s annual Holy Days and Feasts. And the third tithe every 3rd and 6th year of a 7-year cycle is for assisting the poor and needy.

By turning their backs on the Heavenly Father’s laws, including the laws of tithing, this nation is reaping the penalty of disobedience. Those who faithfully tithe will NOT have to suffer judgment.

Does obedience to the Almighty help get rid of insects better than the most powerful insecticide? YES! I remember a church widow who had a tiny city garden. She was faithful and prayed for protection against insects. I saw the positive results of her steadfastness. If God can keep insects away from a widow’s tiny garden, He can do it for a whole field. Are we willing to put Him to the test?

In so doing, we had better do our part. Recently we drove through South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri in late July. We saw mile after mile of "monoculture" (a wrong farming principle), crops of only corn or soybeans, much of which will go to fatten hogs which should not be raised or eaten. Do you think the corn belt has the Almighty’s protection against insects? NO! We must be fully obedient if we are to receive His blessings. A few token steps are no good at all.

Tons of insecticide may postpone the inevitable judgment day for a little while. If it did no good at all, perhaps some would turn to the Almighty for protection now. "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil" Ecclesiastes 8:11. The Father’s master plan is to allow sinful mankind to go their own way until He sends His Son to put down evil and rule the earth with a rod of iron.

Let’s quit kidding ourselves. We cannot "pour insecticide" over our personal sins and continue unpunished forever. Each one of us needs to repent of all our sins and turn totally to the Eternal. Grasshoppers are at our door, but the solution to this plague is also available. W

THOUGHT TO CONSIDER:

Many people say they are born again. Unfortunately, they often come back as themselves.

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