Is Oil Producing Countries a Blessing or a Curse?
In current times, people often think of oil producing countries as extremely blessed. They are wealthy, have modern technologies, live luxurious lifestyles, and many of them play influential roles in world politics.
According to the Bible, however, producing oil appears to be a curse rather than a blessing! Oil appears in a land not because fuel is needed, but it is because the water in their streams has turned into black pitch. In fact, petroleum has never been used as fuel in history until recent years.
In the following verse, Isaiah describes what happens when Edom is cursed:
And the streams of Edom shall be turned into pitch, and her soil into sulfur; her land shall become burning pitch. Isaiah 34:9
In the Bible, land blessed by God is often described as having sufficient water supplies, fertile soil, and is richly covered with vegetation. On the contrary, land cursed by God is described as dry and desolate.
If we examine the OPEC members more closely, it is not difficult to find that most of these countries have extensive dry and desolate desert landscapes.
OPEC Members
OPEC (The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) is an intergovernmental Organization created in 1960 by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. The following table shows that most of their early member countries have up to 80-90% of their lands covered by deserts.
Founding Members
Joining Year | ​Country | Religion | Desert Area | Corresponding Region in Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1960 | Saudi Arabia | Islam 93% | 95% | Ishmael |
1960 | Iraq | Islam 90-95% | 40% | Shinar |
1960 | Iran | Islam Official | 22% | Persia |
1960 | Kuwait | Mostly Islam | Mostly desert | Unknown |
1960 | Venezuela | Mostly Catholic | No desert | Unknown |
Other Members
Joining Year | Country | Religion | Desert Area | Corresponding Region in Bible |
1961 | Qatar | Islam Official | ​many sand deserts | Unknown |
1962 | Indonesia | 85% Muslim | Some deserts | Unknown |
1962 | Libya | 90-95% Muslim | 90% | part of Egypt? |
1967 | Arab Emirates | Islam Official | 80% | Uncertain |
1969 | Algeria | Strictly Islam | 80% | Unknown |
1971 | Nigeria | 54% Muslim, 46% Christian | no true desert regions | Unknown |
1973 | Ecuador | 69% Catholic | ​Palmira sand desert | Unknown |
1975 | Gabon | 53% Catholic | no major deserts | Unknown |
2007 | Angola | ​40% Catholic, 40% Protestant | ​some deserts | Unknown |
2017 | Equatorial Guinea | 88% Catholic | no major deserts | Unknown |
2018 | Congo | ​33% Catholic, 42% Christians | no true deserts | Unknown |
* Figures from Google searc
Why are These Countries Desolate?
I find a high correlation between the percentage of desert landscape in a country and the percentage of population opposing Christianity. Among all OPEC members, Islam and Muslim countries have the highest percentage of desert landscapes up to 80-90%. On the other hand, in countries where Christianity is preached, almost no deserts are found!
It should be noted here that even though many Catholic countries are also OPEC members, they do not have extensive desert areas in their lands. One explanation may be the fact that even though many people believe that Catholics are teaching some wrong doctrines, they do not oppose to preaching Jesus as the Messiah.
Is worshipping other gods the reason why they are cursed? We know that Jesus is our source of living water. By rejecting Jesus, are they also stopping water from flowing into their lands?
The destiny of all nations which oppose Christianity is prophesied in the following verse:
And on that day I (God) will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. Zechariah 12:9
The World or the Bible, Which One do we Choose?
The world tells us that producing oil is a blessing, but the Bible tells us that streams turning into black pitch is a curse. Which one do we believe?
It is prophesied in the Bible that in the Last Days, people will:
... call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. Isaiah 5:20