Only a few months ago, "war" was a very distant reality I only thought about when studying history books or reading Adventist experiences from long ago. Maybe I gave it some thought when Grandma would tell me stories of the Communist takeover in Romania and faith-building experiences under the oppressive regime.
In the past few weeks and months, however, war has taken on a closer meaning for many of us. It has moved us to sympathy for the suffering and made us wonder whether the end is near—at least temporarily. It is amazing how quickly the mind gets used to a new reality.
Nevertheless, life has continued as normal. For me, it has been helping to plan and looking forward to the third European Agriculture Conference that will take place right here in Romania. Gradually, however, I started to imagine what others might think of such an undertaking. Really? Agriculture? What relevance could agriculture have now in the context of war? Or in the end times for that matter? This was a question I tackled with as I thought about the people leaving their country, their homes, their lands and gardens. Organizing an Agriculture Conference at this time and so close to suffering humanity seemed a bit out of place. Even the theme picture of the conference, an oblivious tiny bee collecting honey from beautiful spring blossoms, mockingly defied the crude reality that was on everybody’s tongue.
Around that time, I was reading through the book of Genesis, and the story of Joseph caught my attention. Then other Bible stories and passages started speaking as well, and little by little, the Lord provided answers that satisfied every doubt. In this article, I would like to share why I fully believe there was no other time in history when agriculture, connected to the work of the Gospel, has had so much relevance for our world than in this generation. Let us embark together on this exciting agricultural journey through the Word.
The Story of Joseph

Image source: Moody Publishers / FreeBibleimages.org
The Bible gives us hints about the agrarian lifestyle of Joseph’s family. Jacob and his sons worked in the fields (Gen. 30:14,16). Surely Joseph learned how to cultivate the soil. When sold by his jealous brothers and ending up as a slave in Potiphar’s house, he applied his knowledge of agriculture. “The LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake, and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house and in the field.” (39:5)
Joseph had learned the lessons of patience and trust that come with growing plants and crops. These lessons sustained him when he was falsely accused and thrown into prison, not knowing if he would ever get out and enjoy the outdoor activity again that he so much relished.
But God had a purpose for Joseph. He saw the valuable skills that he had acquired and raised him up to the highest position of responsibility in the whole land of Egypt. He gave him insight into the future and wisdom to face the economic crisis that lay ahead. For seven years, he coordinated the agricultural activities of the country.
“And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls. And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities…And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.” (41:47-49)
When the seven years of famine started, “the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.” (v. 54). Joseph was able to bless many people through the provisions that he had stored. “All countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn.” God had a special care for the seed of Abraham, through which Messiah was to come; he used agriculture and a willing young agronomist to bring about salvation to Jacob and his family, and through them, to the whole world.
Although Jacob’s family were better off because of their connection with Joseph, the Egyptians had to sell everything they had, including their cattle and fields, in order to buy food and survive the crisis. They became Pharaoh’s servants and remained so for generations (47:14-26).
The story of Joseph has a special application for the end times. I probably don’t need to convince you that the world is heading towards an economic crisis, especially since the latest developments that have totally changed society and economy in our world. Through the story of Joseph, God is trying to teach us that those who have the real wealth are those who grow their own food. They will have true freedom amidst chaos and economic restrictions. And Adventists who spend their time cultivating the soil will be used by God to be a light in the world, just like Joseph.
“The time will come that all who live upon the earth will need to understand the cultivating of the land and the building of houses and varied kinds of businesses.” (Manuscript 126, 1908)
Lamech and Noah
The Bible says that Lamech, the ninth from Adam, cultivated the soil. He felt the curse of the ground keenly. In fact, when his son was born, he exclaimed, “This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed.” (Gen. 5:29) Accordingly, he called his son Noah, meaning “comfort” or “rest.”
I can imagine Noah and his siblings working in the fields and in the hill gardens with their father. God knew the perfect training Noah would need for his future work, one that would require moral strength, independent thinking and action. Agriculture taught him just that.
And while he built the ark and preached the end-time message of the destruction of the world through a flood, Noah also cultivated the soil. He raised and preserved food (6:21) and “preserved seed and took it with him in the ark” (3SG 76).
Jesus pointed out the close parallel between Noah’s time and the last days (Matthew 24:37-39). Just like Noah, God’s people are to preach an end-time message. And just like Noah, they are to “build an ark”—not a literal ark, but places of refuge.

Image source: Jan van 't Hoff/Gospelimages.com
In fact, Professor Magan stated in 1908: “When we told Sister White our objections to the size of the farm [at the Madison school], she said that the time would come when many that are now living in the cities would be forced to leave, in order to live the truth, and that we should make the farm a place of refuge, where some of these could stop for a while and be taught how to make a living from the soil. Then they would have courage to go out into the country where they could find land, make a home, and educate their children in harmony with God’s law.”1
Elder Frazee expounds on this so beautifully in his book Another Ark to Build:
That is the “ark,” friends. There it is! When the storm breaks, when the national Sunday law is passed; when the labor unions are carrying on their oppressive, coercive work; when the Loud Cry is being given and the saints are being hurried out of Sodom, they will need “a place of refuge.” O, let’s build an ark for these dear people!
Let me ask you, do you think this preliminary time of trouble is going to last for more than a few days or weeks? Why, you cannot even grow carrots and harvest them in just a few days and it takes several months to grow sweet potatoes. It takes longer than that to grow strawberries and other small fruits.
Noah’s message was practical. God help us to see that, and if we have a Bible in one hand, to have a hammer or a hoe in the other hand. And we had better know how to use them all—the Bible and the hoe and the hammer! That is the only way we can “make the farm a place of refuge, where some of these could stop for a while, and be taught how to make a living from the soil.”
“A place of refuge.” The Lord wouldn’t tell us to make a place of refuge if there were no refugees going to come to it. Friends, it seems to me that we need to do all our work with that view in our minds—the coming of the refugees. They’re coming. God knows, they’re coming whether we get ready for them or not.
It must have been a wonderful feeling for Shem and Ham and Japheth, as they saw those two elephants come walking up the gangplank. Can’t you hear Noah saying, “Boys, here come the elephants!” And they could answer, “Right this way. We’ll put them right down here!”
And what was there, waiting for them? Why, of course there was hay. The ark was stored with provisions, for they were expecting their guests.
When the refugees come, will you have a place for them? And will there be something in the garden and in the granary for them to eat? Or will you say, “Oh, I’m so sorry! I just don’t have any place to take anybody and we don’t have anything ready to feed them.” Oh, we had better be ready, because the One who knows says they are coming.
Now notice, it takes more than merely living in the country to meet this problem. These refugees are coming out of the cities, and they are coming out to these farms in the country because of a serious problem. They cannot buy anything. They cannot sell.
The time of trouble isn’t here yet. … It is not only making room to house the refugees; it is planting gardens and berry patches and corn and sweet potatoes, not only that we may have some food, but that we may have the “know how” to teach the folks who come.
Wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing if some morning the manager would say to you, “Brother, last night some refugees came in from Chicago, and we would like you to take Brother Smith out—he has been working in a factory—he doesn’t know anything about the land—we would like you to show him how to get a living from the soil.”
What would you say? “I don’t know anything about growing food. I just eat the stuff, that’s all!”
Oh, let’s build the ark, what do you say? Let’s remember that the refugees are coming. If we plant a garden or an orchard, remember the refugees, because the Lord has told us they are coming.2
Sounds familiar?
A Lesson from Adventist Experience in Europe
Around the time of the world wars, a renewed interest in country living appeared among Adventists in North America. In 1946, the trustees of the Ellen G. White Estate published Country Living at the request of the General Conference Committee. In 1947, the Commission on Rural Living was set up with E. A. Sutherland as secretary. One of the chief objectives was “to encourage our church members in cities to study the instruction in the Spirit of prophecy about country living and to develop plans whereby they can fulfill this instruction; to provide counsel and information to those who are considering moving to the country; to hold regional institutes for self-supporting missionary workers and individuals interested in country living.”3 In 1947, an interesting column appeared in the Review and Herald issue of December 18. Looking back to previous war years, it recorded experiences of Adventists in Europe during that time:
For many years the Spirit of prophecy messages had instructed our people to leave the large cities, and had warned against the danger of remaining in these centers of business, pleasure, and sin. Here and there our believers heeded this instruction, but the majority remained in the cities. Our work in Europe, however, was almost wholly confined to the factory towns and other centers. We had almost no churches in the country.
When the war began and one great city after another was bombed, our people found themselves in great perplexity. In some instances they tried to flee by night, and indeed many tried their best to get into the country, but nearly all of them had to return. They could find no houses in the country, the farmers would not sell them food, and because of other conditions most of them went back to the towns again. In one instance where some had ridiculed the divine instruction to leave the cities, fifty of our people perished in one dreadful bombing.
In those parts of Europe today where starvation and tuberculosis and other causes are mowing down people by the thousands, we find that those who are out in the country are better off by far. They can at least get a little to eat, and the lack of fuel, which is so terrible in the cities, can better be overcome in the country. Surely there is an object lesson in this experience that Adventists in America and other countries should take to heart.
The similarity between then and now is truly amazing. And the counsel is still relevant today. Praise God, He has kept our brothers, sisters, and institutions in Ukraine safe from harm. But why not begin to prepare for what may come next? And why should we wait to move out of fear, and not simply because God told us so?
The Story of Job
There is one last Bible story that I would like to share. The story of Job shows the kind of agriculture Adventists should be doing in the last days.4
You see, God is not only interested in getting us to do agriculture; He also has a preference as to how we are to do it.
When Job’s faith was tested, his friends insisted that Job must had committed some great sin that had brought God’s displeasure. Job couldn’t understand why all of this was happening to him, since he had done everything right. Even the way he practiced agriculture, he said, testified of his innocence.
“If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain; If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money [placing back nutrients in the soil], or have caused the owners thereof [microorganisms in the soil] to lose their life: Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley.” (Job 31:37-39)
Job practiced what we call today regenerative agriculture. And it is the way God wants His people to do agriculture, as well.
At this time, when every kind of disease is on the rise, God has a health message for the world. Agriculture is closely related to health; in fact, diseases such as cancer, obesity, and asthma are directly correlated to mineral deficiencies in the soil and conventional practices in agriculture that have minimized or destroyed biological activity. God wants to reverse this tide of disease. He wants to “heal the land” (2 Chronicles 7:14), heal the body, and thus make a demonstration to the world that He is able to heal the soul from sin.

Source: Dr. Mercola
At the end of time, God’s people will be accused in much the same way as Job was. They will be accused of bringing disaster upon the world. But the way they have treated the land will prove their innocence. They have not depleted the soil for their own profit, but have sought for the health and well-being of their neighbors and customers. They have revealed God’s character of love and care even in their managing of the land.
Conclusion
The Gospel that we are to give to the world is a practical Gospel. The story of Joseph shows that agriculture will play an important role in facing the coming global crisis. Noah’s story reminds us of the need to preach the Gospel and prepare for those who will need our practical help. The Adventists’ experience in Europe during World War II also warns against the danger of neglecting God’s instructions to move to the country. Finally, Job’s story tells us how God’s end-time people are to practice agriculture. If we heed what God has told us, His promise will be fulfilled. “And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing” (Ezekiel 34:26).
I know God will send "showers of blessing" to this year's conference and you won't want to miss out. See you there!
1 Another Ark to Build, p. 165.
2 Ibid. p. 165 - 167.
3 "SDA Commission on Rural Living," Minutes of Meetings of the General Conference Committee, (August 19-25, 1946), Minutes of August 22, 1946.
4 I am indebted to Darren Greenfield for many of the thoughts in this section.
Raquel Vasilache has grown up in different parts of Europe until her family moved back to Romania in 2016. Since they first moved to the country, they always had a home garden wherever they landed. That is where her passion for agriculture and country living started to grow. She is currently teaching English at Liceul International Integritas near Targu Mures, Romania.
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