Paul the Poke

Joel 1:4 What the gnawing locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten;
and what the swarming locust has left, the creeping locust has eaten;
and what the creeping locust has left, the stripping locust has eaten.

Granted the context of Joel 1 is the land of Israel. The prophet does offer a glimpse into the future. There are an estimated 80-90 species of locusts in the Middle East per Wycliffe Bible Commentary. The insect is hungry at every stage of development from larvae to worm to locust. Locust plagues can devour everything in sight to the point where the land is laid bare.

June 2017: To add insult to injury in Syria, a plague of locusts has emerged and is spreading.

“Locusts killed about 60% of the agricultural crops in Idlib province, mostly in the Shahshbo Mountain. We noticed the spread of this scourge in 2016, but we were unable to contain it because of the directorate’s lack of the necessary tools, equipment and pesticides, and this caused the spread of more locusts this year. Even al-Rouj plain, al-Jabal al-Wastani and the Harim Mountains have been affected in Idlib.” Khaled al-Hassan, Director of the Idlib Agricultural Directorate

“The spread of this pest is the result of what happened in 2016, when our agricultural harvest in Idlib was significantly affected, and locusts also spread, with a large portion of wheat, barley and olive crops being destroyed. The problem was not addressed by the Idlib Agricultural Directorate until late in the year, after locusts had laid their eggs, causing a wider spread of the insect this year.”  Mohammad Salam, Farmer

“The town of Kfar Derian suffered from swarms of locusts that in February started to eat the agricultural crops for which the town is known. Wheat, barley, vegetables and fruit trees, such as olives and figs, were among the damaged crops, which barely yielded 30% of what they usually produce.” Hossam Mahalli, Director of the Agriculture Office, Kfar Derian Council

http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/06/syria-war-idlib-agriculture-grasshopper-scourge.html#ixzz4kDakkC2e

Locusts can be eaten. The heads, legs, and wings are removed. Locusts can be boiled, stewed, roasted, or dressed with butter. They can be eaten fresh, dried, or salted. Leviticus 11:22 tells us locusts are kosher.

Leviticus 11:22 These of them you may eat: the locust in its kinds, and the devastating locust in its kinds, and the cricket in its kinds, and the grasshopper in its kinds.

The prophet Joel promises a time when there will be no food in Israel. The land will be stripped of its resources by locusts. The only thing left to eat will be locusts. Consider the implications and benefits of locusts.

Locusts: 1) high in protein; 2) protect the human body against the harmful effects of radiation; 3) suppress the growth of cancer cells; 4) prevents the development of heart attack and stroke by boosting the effect of blood-thinning drugs; 5) increases immunity levels; 6) helps control cholesterol levels; 7) combat inflammatory processes; 8) enhances regeneration of tissues.

Is there a hint of the prophetic future with benefits of a locust diet? Fights the effects of radiation? Suppresses cancer? Enhances tissue regeneration? Increases immunity?

Sounds like an antidote to nuclear exposure and disease to me.