Rising Prices—What Does the Bible Say?

Rising prices for energy and food are a fact of life. They are often a result of political upheaval, international conflict, or war. Even those who are far away from a conflict are affected because the world is more interconnected than ever before.

The Bible helps us to understand why we are facing such challenging economic problems, how we can cope with them, and what hope there is for a permanent solution.

Rising prices during “the last days”

• The Bible calls the time that we are living in “the last days.”—2 Timothy 3:1.

• Jesus said that “fearful sights,” or frightening events, would mark this time period. (Luke 21:11) Soaring inflation causes fear. People worry about their future and whether they will be able to provide for their family.

• The book of Revelation foretold rising food prices during this period of time. “I heard something that sounded like a voice. . . . It said, ‘A quart of wheat or three quarts of barley will cost a full day’s pay.’”—Revelation 6:6, Easy-to-Read Version.

To learn more about “the last days” and the prophecy in the book of Revelation, watch the video The World Has Changed Since 1914 and read the article “The Four Horsemen—Who Are They?”

The solution to all economic problems

• “They will build houses and live in them, and they will plant vineyards and eat their fruitage. They will not build for someone else to inhabit, nor will they plant for others to eat.”—Isaiah 65:21, 22.

• “There will be an abundance of grain on the earth; on the top of the mountains it will overflow.”—Psalm 72:16.

• “‘Because the afflicted are oppressed, because of the sighing of the poor, I will rise up to act,’ says Jehovah.”—Psalm 12:5.a

God will soon bring an end to unfair economic conditions, not just in one country but around the world. To see how, read the article “Is a Fair Economic System Possible?”

But even today, the Bible can help you to deal with rising prices. In what way? It contains practical advice on how to use money wisely. (Proverbs 23:4, 5; Ecclesiastes 7:12) To learn more, read the articles “Protect Your Livelihood” and “How to Live on Less.”