What the Bible Says about Weather

Transcription

1 What the Bible Says about Weather 1A Scripture does indeed depict angels under the authority of God controlling the weather and other elements of the material universe. 1B Angel of fire, Revelation 14:18, "18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe. 2B Angel of the waters, Revelation 16:5, "5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying: You are righteous, O Lord, The One who is and who was and who is to be, Because You have judged these things. 2A However God Himself remains in ultimate control of the weather: 1B Job 37:10 15, "10 By the breath of God ice is given, And the broad waters are frozen. 11 Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds; He scatters His bright clouds. 12 And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance, That they may do whatever He commands them On the face of the whole earth. 13 He causes it to come, Whether for correction, Or for His land, Or for mercy. 14 Listen to this, O Job; Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God. 15 Do you know when God dispatches them, And causes the light of His cloud to shine? 2B Psalm 42:7, "7 Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me. 3B Psalm 135:6 7, "6 Whatever the LORD pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places. 7 He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain; He brings the wind out of His treasuries. 4B Psalm 148:7 8, "7 Praise the LORD from the earth, You great sea creatures and all the depths; 8 Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, fulfilling His word; 5B Jonah 1:4, "4 But the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up. 3A There are a good many miraculous weather events in the Bible: 1B The great flood of Noah: 1C Genesis 6:5 7, "5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them. 2C Genesis 6:12 13, "12 So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, The end of all

2 flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 3C Genesis 6:17, "17 And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. 2B Exodus 9:23 29, "23 And Moses stretched out his rod toward heaven; and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire darted to the ground. And the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt. 24 So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, so very heavy that there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. 25 And the hail struck throughout the whole land of Egypt, all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail struck every herb of the field and broke every tree of the field. 26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail. 27 And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, I have sinned this time. The LORD is righteous, and my people and I are wicked. 28 Entreat the LORD, that there may be no more mighty thundering and hail, for it is enough. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer. 29 So Moses said to him, As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands to the LORD; the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, that you may know that the earth is the LORD s. 3B Drought as discipline for Israel, Leviticus 26:19 20, "19 I will break the pride of your power; I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. 20 And your strength shall be spent in vain; for your land shall not yield its produce, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruit. 4B Weather in season for obedience, and out of season for disobedience, Deuteronomy 11:13 21, "13 And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. 15 And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled. 16 Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them, 17 lest the LORD s anger be aroused against you, and He shut up the heavens so that there be no rain, and the land yield no produce, and you perish quickly from the good land which the LORD is giving you. 18 Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 19 You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 20 And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, 21 that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in

3 the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, like the days of the heavens above the earth. 5B Drought as punishment, Deuteronomy 28:24, "24 The LORD will change the rain of your land to powder and dust; from the heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed. 6B Hailstones in battle during the conquest of the land: Joshua 10:11, "11 And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the LORD cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword. 7B Thunder bringing confusion on the enemies of the Lord and Israel, 1 Samuel 7:10 13, "10 Now as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a loud thunder upon the Philistines that day, and so confused them that they were overcome before Israel. 11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and drove them back as far as below Beth Car. 12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, Thus far the LORD has helped us. 13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they did not come anymore into the territory of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 8B Thunder to get the attention of God s people, 1 Samuel 12:18 20, "18 So Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. 19 And all the people said to Samuel, Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins the evil of asking a king for ourselves. 20 Then Samuel said to the people, Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. 9B Drought because of the wickedness of the king, 2 Samuel 21:1, "1 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites. 10B Drought as discipline, 1 Kings 8:35 40, "35 When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, when they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them, 36 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people as an inheritance. 37 When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers; when their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is; 38 whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows the

4 plague of his own heart, and spreads out his hands toward this temple: 39 then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men), 40 that they may fear You all the days that they live in the land which You gave to our fathers. 11B Drought for the wickedness of Ahab and Jezebel, 1 Kings 16:30 17:1, "30 Now Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him. 31 And it came to pass, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians; and he went and served Baal and worshiped him. 32 Then he set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. 33 And Ahab made a wooden image. Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him. 34 In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation with Abiram his firstborn, and with his youngest son Segub he set up its gates, according to the word of the LORD, which He had spoken through Joshua the son of Nun. 1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word. 12B Drought and storms as divine discipline, Nahum 1:3 8, "3 The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked. The LORD has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet. 4 He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, And dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither, And the flower of Lebanon wilts. 5 The mountains quake before Him, The hills melt, And the earth heaves at His presence, Yes, the world and all who dwell in it. 6 Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, And the rocks are thrown down by Him. 7 The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. 8 But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, And darkness will pursue His enemies. 13B Discipline against the tribe of Ephraim, Hosea 13:12 15, "12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; His sin is stored up. 13 The sorrows of a woman in childbirth shall come upon him. He is an unwise son, For he should not stay long where children are born. 14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes. 15 Though he is fruitful among his brethren, An east wind shall come; The wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness. Then his spring shall become dry, And his fountain shall be dried up. He shall plunder the treasury of every desirable prize. 14B Discipline against those who oppress the poor, Amos 4:1 7, "1 Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, Who oppress the poor, Who crush the needy, Who say to your husbands, Bring wine, let us drink! 2 The Lord GOD has sworn

5 by His holiness: Behold, the days shall come upon you When He will take you away with fishhooks, And your posterity with fishhooks. 3 You will go out through broken walls, Each one straight ahead of her, And you will be cast into Harmon, Says the LORD. 4 Come to Bethel and transgress, At Gilgal multiply transgression; Bring your sacrifices every morning, Your tithes every three days. 5 Offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, Proclaim and announce the freewill offerings; For this you love, You children of Israel! Says the Lord GOD. 6 Also I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities. And lack of bread in all your places; Yet you have not returned to Me, Says the LORD. 7 I also withheld rain from you, When there were still three months to the harvest. I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city. One part was rained upon, And where it did not rain the part withered. 15B Drought discipline in the future Messianic Kingdom, Zechariah 14:16 19, "16 And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 17 And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain. 18 If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 4A God allows Satan to bring weather as undeserved suffering for testimony: 1B Job 1:16, "16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you! 2B Job 1:7 12, "7 And the LORD said to Satan, From where do you come? So Satan answered the LORD and said, From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it. 8 Then the LORD said to Satan, Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil? 9 So Satan answered the LORD and said, Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face! 12 And the LORD said to Satan, Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person. So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. 3B Job 1:18 21, "18 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother s house, 19 and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house,

6 and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you! 20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said: Naked I came from my mother s womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD. 5A Jesus continues this principle as a universal during the present age: Matthew 5:44 48, "44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. 6A Conclusions: 1B In every dispensation, God controls the weather. 2B He employs it for both discipline and blessing. 3B Angels are the intermediaries, bringing about the will of God. 4B God allows local control of the weather to demons, for undeserved suffering for testimony. 5B He is in control, and if we love Him, all things are working together for good, Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.