The Sixth Secret
What: The Great Famine, which is the third horseman and the third Seal of the Book of Revelation.
When: Nearly seven years, from mid 2013 to mid 2020 A.D., being most severe in the middle of that time.
Where: Most severely affected will be the nations of Europe, then somewhat less so the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, South Korea, and the other wealthy nations. Developing nations will be affected to a lesser extent.
Who: Nearly everyone on earth will be affected to one extent or another.
Why: Wealthy nations will be affected much more than poor nations, because the poor nations tend to grow their own food locally, whereas the wealthy nations have long complex food processing and distribution systems. The famine results in part from the fear and desperation which grips the whole world during this time, and from disruptions in food production, processing, and distribution caused by World War 3 (the fourth secret) and severe civil disorder (the fifth secret).
Introduction
At many times, in many places, throughout human history, there have been famines.
But this famine is very different, for several reasons:
1. It will affect nearly the whole world, to varying degrees in various places.
2. It will be more severe in wealthy developed nations, and less severe in poor developing nations.
3. It coincides with the repentance and conversion of all the Christian Churches, resulting in unity with the Catholic Church.
4. It was foreshadowed by famines in the Old Testament.
5. It was predicted by Jesus Himself in the parable of the Prodigal Son.
6. It occurs during the first part of the tribulation.
7. It is unlike any famine that the world has yet seen.
8. Another kind of a famine, in which many of the faithful are mostly denied the Eucharist, begins during this famine and continues after it; this denial of the Eucharist occurs in the occupied territories during and after World War 3.
9. This great famine foreshadows an even greater famine in the distant future, during the second part of the tribulation.
10. This great famine foreshadows the nearly seven year reign of the Antichrist in the distant future, during the second part of the tribulation.
Do not underestimate the severity of this famine.
The Sixth Secret in Sacred Scripture
It was a seven year famine that brought the family of Joseph to Egypt.
[Genesis]
{41:27} Likewise, the seven thin and emaciated cows, which ascended after them, and the seven thin ears of grain, which were struck with the burning wind, are seven approaching years of famine.
…
{41:54} the seven years of destitution, which Joseph had predicted, began to arrive. And the famine prevailed throughout the whole world, but there was bread in all the land of Egypt.
{41:55} And being hungry, the people cried out to Pharaoh, asking for provisions. And he said to them: “Go to Joseph. And do whatever he will tell you.”
Now certainly there was such a famine during the time of the Patriarchs. But the famine then was also a foreshadowing of this future famine: “And the famine prevailed throughout the whole world, but there was bread in all the land of Egypt.” And so this famine of the sixth secret will be nearly worldwide in extent (with varying degrees of severity), but the land of Egypt will have food. In this passage, Egypt is a figure of the Arab/Muslim nations (of the Middle East and northern Africa) who battle during World War 3. They will have food, because they will take food by force, away from the nations that they conquer during the war.
In verse 55, the people are hungry, not only for food, but for spiritual food. So they cry out to Pharaoh, a figure of the secular governments of this time. But even the governments are at a loss to explain these recent events, from the Warning through to the famine. So when Pharaoh sends the people to Joseph for help, it is a figure of even secular leaders and governments turning to the Catholic Church for help and guidance, and to give spiritual food to the people. The end result of people turning to the Catholic Church for answers will be the eventual repentance and conversion of the Protestant and Orthodox Churches, and their return to unity with the Catholic Church.
This same famine is mentioned in the Psalms.
[Psalms]
{104:16} And he called a famine upon the land, and he crushed every foundation of the bread.
The Psalmist tells us that the famine during the time of Joseph was brought by God, not by nature, not by human events. So it is also with the famine of the sixth secret; the great famine is brought upon the world by the Providence of God. But if there were no serious sin in the world, there would be no famine.
Now Jesus Himself predicted this famine, in His parable of the Prodigal Son. The relationship between unification and the famine is also presented by Jesus in this parable.
[Luke]
{15:12} And the younger of them said to the father, 'Father, give me the portion of your estate which would go to me.' And he divided the estate between them.
{15:13} And after not many days, the younger son, gathering it all together, set out on a long journey to a distant region. And there, he dissipated his substance, living in luxury.
{15:14} And after he had consumed it all, a great famine occurred in that region, and he began to be in need.
{15:15} And he went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that region. And he sent him to his farm, in order to feed the swine.
{15:16} And he wanted to fill his belly with the scraps that the swine ate. But no one would give it to him.
{15:17} And returning to his senses, he said: 'How many hired hands in my father's house have abundant bread, while I perish here in famine!
{15:18} I shall rise up and go to my father, and I will say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.
{15:19} I am not worthy to be called your son. Make me one of your hired hands.'
{15:20} And rising up, he went to his father. But while he was still at a distance, his father saw him, and he was moved with compassion, and running to him, he fell upon his neck and kissed him.
{15:21} And the son said to him: 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. Now I am not worthy to be called your son.'
{15:22} But the father said to his servants: 'Quickly! Bring out the best robe, and clothe him with it. And put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet.
{15:23} And bring the fatted calf here, and kill it. And let us eat and hold a feast.
Just as the Prodigal Son comes to his senses during a great famine, so also will the non-Catholic Christian Churches come to their senses during the Great Famine. Just as the Prodigal Son returned to unity with his family, because of the abundant bread in his father's house, so also will the Protestant Churches return to unity with the Catholic Church, because of the abundant graces offered by the holy Eucharist. From 2017 to 2019, the Protestant Churches will repent and convert, and as they do, the famine will decrease in severity. Then, from 2020 to 2023, the Catholic Church will be restructured to include all the formerly-Protestant Churches and all the Eastern Churches, as well as the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church. When the restructuring begins, the famine ends. And as the restructuring continues, food resources increase so much so that, by 2023, there is even feasting. So it is only by the repentance and conversion of the Protestant and Orthodox Churches, and their unification with the Catholic Church, that the famine ends and is replaced, first by sufficient food, then by feasting.
In addition to the relationship between the great famine and the unification of all Christian Churches in one Catholic Church, there is also a relationship between the great famine, unification, and the persecution of Christians.
[Luke]
{21:9} And when you will have heard of battles and seditions, do not be terrified. These things must happen first. But the end is not so soon.”
{21:10} Then he said to them: “People will rise up against people, and kingdom against kingdom.
{21:11} And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and pestilences, and famines, and terrors from heaven; and there will be great signs.
{21:12} But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, handing you over to synagogues and into custody, dragging you before kings and governors, because of my name.
{21:13} And this will be an opportunity for you to give testimony.
The persecution and testimony of verses 12 and 13 refer to the world's reaction to the first three secrets of Medjugorje (the Warning/Day of Repentance; the Day of Consolation; the Miracle/Day of Healing). The world will be in great fear during that time. And so, finding themselves unable to explain these things with reason alone, they will turn, but with a querulous and contemptuous attitude, to the faithful for an explanation. Some will even attempt to persecute Catholics during that time, but this attempt will fail, at that time. Catholics will be called before secular leaders in order to explain these events.
Concurrently, there will be war and civil disorder and famine and death from a variety of causes. As the war unfolds, and the extremists begin to conquer and occupy territory, they will oppress and persecute Christians. The famine begins after the war begins, and the famine ends soon after the war ends, but the persecution of Christians continues beyond the war. Now the famine, as well as the events of the first three secrets, are what spur the Protestants and the Orthodox to return to unity with the Catholic Church. But their return to unity scares the Muslim extremists (but not the devout Muslims who are faithful in prayer to God); they fear a unified Catholic Christian Church might take followers away from them and might undermine their worldly power. They fear the Catholic Church because of the events of the first three secrets, which they can neither explain nor refute. So they subjugate and oppress and persecute Christians in the territories that they conquered during World War 3, and they do this to an ever-increasing extent, especially after the war and after unification.
But at the time of the great Ecumenical Council of 2028 to 2032, (which will confirm unification and address the problems caused by it, and which will teach many doctrines infallibly), the Muslim extremists will have become firmly convinced that they must destroy Christianity. The Warning and the Miracle terrified them; their success in winning World War 3 inflated them; their dread at unification and at the success of this Council finally convinces them: they decide to destroy the Christian faith, first within the vast territory occupied by them (northern Africa, the Middle East, Europe, parts of Eastern Europe, and Scandinavia), and next in the whole world. Beginning in the late 2020's, and continuing into the mid 2030's, they will massacre Christians who refuse to convert to Islam, within the territory that they control. This is the eighth secret (i.e. the Fifth Seal of the Book of Revelation); see the article on that subject. Next, for much the same reasons, they decide that they must destroy or conquer the other non-Muslim nations (the Christian nations). The threat of nuclear war is imminent, because by then, the mid 2030's, they will have obtained control over numerous nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles. The Allies strike first, out of absolute necessity, and then World War 4 unfolds, which is an all-out nuclear war and the ninth secret; see the article on that subject.
My point here is that the great famine (the sixth secret) is one of the causes of unification, and unification is one of the causes of the great martyrdom (the eighth secret) and even of the fourth world war. So the great famine is not just a widespread famine; it is influenced by and has an influence on, the other secrets. Also, all the secrets are related closely to one another, with the first three secrets having an influence that extends throughout all the other secrets.
The Acts of the Apostles also predicted this great famine.
[Acts]
{11:27} Now in these days, prophets from Jerusalem went over to Antioch.
{11:28} And one of them, named Agabus, rising up, signified through the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine over the entire world, which did happen under Claudius.
Certainly, as Sacred Scripture says, there was a famine during that time, in the first century, under Claudius. However, that prediction written in Scripture has a greater meaning: predicting the great famine of the 21st century. So the famine under Claudius was a foreshadowing of the great famine of our time period. For the famine under Claudius was widespread, but the great famine will affect nearly the whole world, and so it represents a more complete fulfillment of that prediction.
[Revelation 6]
{6:5} And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying: “Draw near and see.” And behold, a black horse. And he who was sitting upon it was holding a balance in his hand.
{6:6} And I heard something like a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A double measure of wheat for a denarius, and three double measures of barley for a denarius, but do no harm to wine and oil.”
The sixth secret is the great famine, which is the third horseman and the Third Seal. This event is largely a result of the war and the civil unrest, as well as of the fear caused by the first three secrets. This famine is unlike other famines in human history, because it affects wealthy developed nations much more severely than poor nations. The symbol of a balance (or scale) means that food will be rationed. A denarius was a day's pay in the time period in which the Book of Revelation was written. In that time period, wheat was the food of the wealthy, and barley was the food of the poor. So, the saying that a denarius provides a double measure of wheat, but three double measures of barley, means that the famine will be much more severe in the wealthy developed nations than in the poorer nations. Oil and wine were luxury items in ancient times. The saying 'do no harm to wine and oil' means that luxury items will be available, but food will be scarce.
There are a number of reasons why the great famine affects wealthy nations more than poorer nations. First, it is mainly the wealthy nations which are involved in the war: the United States and the European nations, as well as some of the wealthy allies of the U.S. So the war affects them more severely. In fact, the famine will be most severe in Europe because of the war taking place there.
Second, the wealthier nations have long and complex supply chains for food, whereas the poorer nations tend to grow their food locally. The wealthier nations have many of their foods heavily processed before delivery, whereas the poorer nations tend to eat simpler foods. For example, a potato might be grown in one state, then it is shipped to a company in another state for processing into a food product. And when it is processed, several ingredients might be added which come from other states or even other nations. Next it is shipped to another wholesale company in yet another state, and then it is shipped to a supermarket food chain's warehouses in several states, and finally it is distributed to various supermarkets throughout the nation. That one poor little potato has to travel thousands of miles in total to arrive at the kitchen table. But in a poor nation, they grow the potato locally, then it is sold, cooked, and eaten. Or, they grow the potato on their own land, and it goes from their backyard to their kitchen. The food distribution system of wealthy nations has become absurdly long and complex, and as a result, it is easily disrupted by the war and the civil unrest.
Third, the whole world will be in a state of fear and consternation during this time (except for the more faithful members of the Church). Some will say, incorrectly, that it is the end of the world. Numerous false and sensational claims will be made. There will be wars and rumors of wars. There will be severe changes in the Church, the family, society, and politics. There will be economic ruin. Many persons will die and many will fall into severe poverty. Many persons will be displaced from their homes; the large number of displaced persons will contribute significantly to the famine. As a result these various problems, the civil unrest will become worse. And so, growing and distributing food will become difficult.
Fourth, the current system for food distribution in wealth nations is that the food is sold and bought. Money exchanges hands many times from the growing of the food, to its final consumption. But with the economy in ruin because of the war and the civil unrest, many companies will go out of business and many citizens will have very little money for good. Also, there will be rampant inflation, especially for the price of food items. The more times a food item is bought and sold before reaching the consumer, the higher the price of the item. If you buy potatoes directly from the farmer, it is cheaper than if you buy potatoes from a company that bought them from another company that bought them from another company that bought them from the farmer. But in poorer nations, when people grow food themselves (and save the seed to grow the next crop), they do not even need money to have food.
The great famine will last seven years, from mid-2013 to mid-2020. Prior to mid-2013, there will be some disruptions in the food supply, and some inflation of food prices, and some difficulty obtaining food in the quantity, quality, and diversity to which wealthy nations were formerly accustomed, but not outright famine. The famine begins in earnest in July of 2013, when the Arab/Muslim extremist forces during World War 3 strike Rome and Vatican City with a nuclear missile. Previously, in 2010, they had exploded a nuclear bomb (not a missile) in New York City. Then, in July of 2013, when it becomes clear that they have nuclear missiles and are willing to use them on a major population center, the world is thrown into a greater level of fear and disorder. The food problems then become an outright famine, especially in Europe and in wealthy nations.
The great famine reaches its height in the year 2015. From 2017 to 2019, it continually lessens, until it ends in mid-2020. Then from mid 2020 to the year 2023, food resources will increase further, until there is plenty of food in 2023.
The event which ends the famine is not a result of politics or laws or agriculture or economics. The famine cannot end except by the repentance and conversion of the Protestant Churches, and the unification of all Christians in one holy Catholic Church. This repentance and conversion occurs from 2017 to 2019, resulting in formal unification, which takes about 3.5 years, from mid 2020 to late 2023. At that time, all Christians will become Catholic Christians (except for a few stragglers and fringe groups). This repentance and conversion and unification is what ends the war and the civil unrest and the famine. God is so pleased by this repentance and conversion and unification, that by His Grace and Providence, the war and the civil unrest and the famine end.
Nothing else can end the famine.
by Ronald L. Conte Jr.
published April 9th, 2007
May God give you grace and peace during the difficult years ahead.
