The Israeli government is planning to re-introduce a fixed price for bread this Wednesday, with a price rise of around 12.5%. The decision was taken in response to a global increase in the price of wheat. But the government is still under pressure from bakeries to end the price fixing altogether, due to increasing wheat costs which are driving up the price of bread. The cabinet has voted to end the price supervision of bread by January 1st, 2008.

Quote: "Bakeries said yesterday that would only resume production of price-controlled bread when they had actually received an Industry and Trade Ministry order permitting the rise in the price of bread. The ministry official who is to sign the order, Zvia Dori, was told to prepare it yesterday by the ministry's director general, but renewed bread production won't start until Tuesday night, the end of the Tisha B'Av fast. The breads still under price supervision include plain white and dark bread - sliced and unsliced - as well as challah baked for the Sabbath.

The increase in the price of wheat is coming on the heels of torrential rains which have decimated crops worldwide. The United Kingdom has experienced the worst flooding in sixty years, with many dead, thousands still without water and electricity, and meteorologists say we have not seen the end of it yet. China has seen the worst flooding since records began, with over 400 dead. Flash flooding has hit other countries such as Australia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sudan, Colombia. Global weather patterns are wreaking havoc with food production, sending the price of basic necessities such as bread sky-high.

Quote: "European grain prices have risen to their highest level for around 10 years on fears that bad weather will hit this summer's crops, stoking food price inflation. Initially, a spring drought caused damage to wheat crops across Europe and in key grower Ukraine. Since June, heavy rain in western Europe has increased concerns over quality, which may leave bread-makers short of high-grade grain later this year.

News that Israel is ending its price fixing of bread, and the global increase in the cost of bread worldwide, reminds me of that prophecy in the Scriptures concerning the tribulation period. The Bible states that this situation will get much worse, until the price of a loaf of bread will be the equivalent of a day's wages. The judgements mentioned in the book of Revelation, great heat (Revelation 16:8-9), massive hail storms (Revelation 16:21), meteor impacts and the destruction of much vegetation and animal life (Revelation 8:7-9), will bring mankind in its wickedness to its knees before Christ returns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Revelation 6:5-6
And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and [see] thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

Source Haaretz , Reuters, Reuters