What will cause the famine and inflation at the beginning of the tribulation?
The famine and inflation at the tribulation's opening result from knocking out the great agricultural areas of Russia and the great food-production areas of the Middle West. With those areas off the scene, remaining billions face hunger, shortages drive runaway prices, and few can afford what little remains.
Les explains that if the great agricultural areas of Russia and the great food-production areas of our Middle West are knocked out, the world has not much left. With those great agricultural production areas off the scene, the remaining billions in the Orient, Europe, and Africa will become very hungry. Consequently, the world will come under terrible famine and terrible inflation. As Les illustrates, when there is a shortage of something, prices run away, and nobody can afford even the little that exists. He says this is the picture for the opening days of the tribulation. He also notes that Israel will enjoy the blessings of her temple worship but will have to endure a tremendous invasion and tremendous loss of life. Addressing the objection about Ezekiel's seven years of burying the dead, Les holds that in Scripture any part of a year is considered a full year.