By Rabbi Ken “Maccabees” MacNeil
Shalom mishpucha. No doubt many have already started preparing for the prophesied tough economic times ahead of us. We are told that these days will be like the days of Noah, and we know Noah prepared by building an ark. While building, he was mocked by the G-dless people of the world for an estimated 99-120 years. They didn’t understand what was coming.
“Back then, before the Flood, people went on eating and drinking, taking wives and becoming wives, right up till the day Noach entered the ark; and they didn’t know what was happening until the Flood came and swept them all away. It will be just like that when the Son of Man comes.” Matthew 24:38-39 CJB
“You will hear the noise of wars nearby and the news of wars far off; see to it that you don’t become frightened. Such things must happen, but the end is yet to come. For peoples will fight each other, nations will fight each other, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various parts of the world; all this is but the beginning of ‘birth-pains.’ … But whoever holds out till the end will be delivered.” Matthew 24:6-13 CJB
We know that birth pains are coming. The question is, how do we hold out to the end? We begin with G-d! ...
We find peace and guidance in Him.
“Adonai is a stronghold for the oppressed, a tower of strength in times of trouble. Those who know your name put their trust in you, for you have not abandoned those who seek you, Adonai.” Psalm 9:10-11 (9-10) CJB
“Stay alert, always praying that you will have the strength to escape all the things that will happen and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man.” Luke 21:36 CJB
We are told to pray and trust when we see these things happening and G-d will strengthen and deliver us! Scripture also teaches us that there will come “a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.” Ecclesiastes 3:8 CJB
As believers you might be asking, “Aren’t we supposed to turn the other cheek according to Yeshua?” That may have been true at the time of His visitation, but He warned his disciples that there would be a time when we would have to defend ourselves and our loved ones.
“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.” Matthew 10:16 “He said to them, ‘When I sent you out without wallet, pack or shoes, were you ever short of anything?’ ‘Not a thing,’ they answered. ‘But now,’ he said, if you have a wallet or a pack, take it; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your robe to buy one.’” Luke 22:35-36 CJB
PERSONAL PROTECTION
How do we protect ourselves? The best way to protect yourself is to have a deterrent. We can keep peace through strength. The intent isn’t to harm anyone but to prevent being harmed, both for you and your loved ones. What type of deterrent offers the most help?
Many people are somewhat knowledgeable about guns, but if not, you can go to a gun dealer to learn about licensing and options. Rifles are great for hunting, but not very effective for close range or in the home. There are many variations of small handguns appropriate for men and women to carry comfortably. I prefer the small but powerful Smith & Wesson 38 bodyguard, a revolver which is easy to load and doesn’t typically jam. It comes equipped with a laser beam for aiming, especially good in the dark. Another lightweight model, easy to carry and hide, is the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield series. They come in 9mm and a 45 caliber options and offer good protection. Whichever type you choose, get the ammunition to last in case supplies run low in hard times, or should the government limit sales.
GOLD & CURRENCY
Another thing to think about is the economy, already unstable and challenging. This brings us to gold. Why gold? Because it is a safety net against hard economic times. It has outperformed the markets and has always been a hedge against inflation. In summary, when the economy and markets drop or crash, gold and precious metals get more valuable.
This applies to gold coins for content, whereas collectors’ coins lose value in tough markets. Why do collectibles lose value? Because they are a luxury that depends on people having discretionary income. Extra income and lots of it. In difficult times, discretionary income and stock markets suffer or get wiped out.
We are focusing on coins for gold and silver content, not rare coins. To give you an idea of how gold appreciates over time, in 1999 the spot price (gold content value) was at $278.80 per ounce. As of the writing of the article on November 17, the spot price of gold is at $1,780.00 per ounce. Don’t let the high price discourage you from buying gold or silver for two reasons:
1. It holds its value. Every currency on earth has eventually become completely worthless. Even In biblical times, gold and silver have been the preferred method of protecting wealth.
2. Although gold may seem expensive now, experts expect it to soar as high as $10,000 per ounce during bad economic times.
Unfortunately, the Biden administration closed the Keystone Pipeline, putting us at the mercy of Arab oil suppliers who traditionally boost oil prices. In 1973, Arab oil exporters imposed an embargo on the United States and many of its allies in retaliation for American support of Israel during the Yom Kippur War. An aide to President Richard M. Nixon called it “an energy Pearl Harbor.” (Washington Post). Then again, after Iran ousted its shah in 1979, there were gas lines for blocks as gas station fuel tanks ran dry. Some drivers ventured out before sunrise to fill up. States instituted a rationing system based on car license plates — if you had an even number, you could only get gas on an even-numbered day.
What was the response in the gold and silver markets? Gold spiked 400% in the 70’s. Silver rose more than 35-fold in price – from $1.40/oz in 1971 to a high of nearly $50/oz in 1980.
Today the spot price of silver is at $21.18 per oz. The spot price is the price of an ounce of gold, silver, or any precious metal at a given time and is the trading price around the world. According to Kitco a respected seller of gold and silver, $675.00 per oz. for silver is realistic in the future. Gold and silver speculators are only taking the supply and demand factors into consideration. They are not factoring in the Biblical end times world difficulties into their analysis. If they did, I think it’s safe to say that their projected gold & silver values would rise.
We should diversify between large and small denominations of gold and silver. Revelations tells us that two pounds of wheat will cost us a day’s wages.
“Then I heard what sounded like a voice from among the four living beings say, ‘Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages! Six pounds of barley for the same price! But don’t damage the oil or the wine!’” Revelation 6:6 CJB
What does that mean for us? If we only have a gold brick (not recommended for common purposes), or an oz of gold worth thousands of dollars, how are we going to buy something of small value like a loaf of bread? We will need to use smaller denominations of 90% silver nickels, dime, quarters, half, and silver dollars. And 1/4, 1/2, and 1 oz gold coins for the larger purchases like vehicles, farm equipment, home repairs etc. The barter system will also be more prevalent, i.e. I will offer you service “X” if you do “Y” for me.
Common gold coins that you might want to purchase are the one-ounce South African Gold Krugerrand, the one-ounce Gold Canadian Maple leaf, and the US Gold Eagles and Liberty coins. There are also smaller denominations that are more affordable like the 1/4 oz. gold eagle, 1/10 oz. gold eagle etc. There are also many different types of gold and silver coins from many different countries and for the most part they are all good. Those listed above are very common to coin dealers.
Here are a few tips for purchasing from a coin dealer.
First, they all mainly check a common price index to determine the going price for gold. Then they will tack on a small dealer’s fee on top of the indexed gold price. Just as the stock market prices fluctuate throughout the day, so do the gold and silver prices. Most of the coin dealers that you come across should not differ in price to a great degree. Check a few online precious metal dealers’ prices, then call around to dealers checking prices for certain coins. For example, after checking the prices online I might ask the dealer, “What’s the going price for Gold Eagles and Krugerrand’s today?” Or maybe, “What’s the going price for 90% silver or junk silver?”
Many times, I found that online prices come in the same or slightly higher than the coin shop dealer’s prices. When the prices come in lower at the coin dealer shop, I head out to the physical coin shop. When you check online coin prices to compare with the physical dealer prices, look at the “buying” prices and not the “selling” prices listed on the site. Online dealers say you can buy and sell to them, and the prices differ. (I have never purchased any precious metals online so I cannot comment on this.) These are some sites you could check:
Be advised, if you purchase more than $10,000 or more of gold or silver at a coin dealer, they are required to notify the IRS. If you purchase $9,999.99 or less, your purchase is defined as “un-reportable income” by the IRS. The dealer cannot report your purchase to the IRS, nor are you required to. Why is that important? In 1965, the government learned that they needed more silver, so they confiscated all the silver coins in circulation. This could happen again. Collectibles did not have to be turned in.
If you go to a coin shop and make consecutive purchases in two or more days in a row that equal or rise above $10,000.00, the dealer is required to report your purchases to the IRS. Once the IRS knows that you have these gold and silver coins, they will know where to go to confiscate them if another recall is enacted. If you plan to make multiple purchases within a short period of time, even over weeks or months, you might want to visit various coin shops. Then there is no question. The Biden administration has reportedly hired 87,000 new IRS agents. It would be wise to avoid raising red flags.
These tips and suggestions we have visited do not directly address things like living off the grid and having food supplies. We won’t delve deeply into this now, but we will offer a few helpful suggestions. Having solar power is good and reduces your electric bill considerably. However, if the electric company shuts down due to a storm, solar flares, or an EMP (Electromagnetic pulse) attack, the solar panel system will also shut down.
POWER SOURCES
It is wise to have a separate gas-powered or solar-powered electric generator in case of such emergencies. There are battery supply units that will connect to your solar system in your house, but that is usually a very big investment. (Tesla requires you to purchase their solar panels before they will sell you a battery supply unit for an off-grid capability.) There are other options for permanent off grid solutions, but a good affordable short-term solution is to get a portable electric generator.
This immediately doubles your options to power your home. You can run electric cords from your appliances like a stove and refrigerator, or you can connect your generator directly to your home. An electrician can be hired to install a circuit panel with a transfer switch that will run to an outlet for your generator. Skipping this step and shutting down switches in the circuit breaker is not advisable. If done incorrectly, it can start a fire.
After a separate line is installed by an electrician, you can turn off the breaker switches to the parts of the home that are not essential, plug the generator in, and power your home. Make sure the generator specifications are appropriate for your needs. If a large generator is not in your budget, just run the electric lines that are most essential to power a refrigerator, heater, or stove.
For the conventional gasoline-powered generators go to your local hardware store, Home Depot, or Lowes. 4Patriots also sells portable solar panel units online and offers favorable payment programs with no interest. (See below.)
FOOD
It is also helpful to grow your own food. If you live in parts of the country where you experience cold snowy winters, consider storing food, getting a greenhouse, or both. Again, we can discuss the quickest ways to be ready. In addition to canning and freezing food, you can purchase prepackaged meals. Some even have a 25-year shelf life!
There are no kosher meals that I am aware of, but they do have a large selection so traif can be avoided. Please find a couple websites below for the above-mentioned companies.
May G-d bless you and guide and preserve you in all your ways and give you shalom in your home! :) "May the Lord bless you and watch over you. May the Lord cause His countenance to shine to you and favor you. May the Lord raise His countenance toward you and grant you peace." Deuteronomy 6:24-26
And remember, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you; don’t be distressed, for I am your God. I give you strength, I give you help, I support you with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 49:10 CJB
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