Rain

Living in Houston, the topic of rain seems to be something worthy of consideration this Sabbath.

God is the one who sends or holds back the rain. Like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, there can be too much, too little, or it can be just right.

We can make note of the relationship between God, His people Israel, and rain in Deuteronomy 11. In that chapter Moses was inspired to describe the land God was giving to Israel and to contrast the land of promise with Egypt. Deuteronomy 11:10-12, “ For the land which you go to possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot, as a vegetable garden; but the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven, a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year.”

The land of Israel was not like the land of Egypt which could depend on the River Nile to flood its banks each year to replenish the soil, and to provide irrigation for its crops. The Egyptians saw the Nile as a “god” because it provided the water necessary for food production.

However, the land of Israel was a land with no great river flowing through it. Israel had to depend upon God to provide rain for the growing of crops. Deuteronomy 11 again tells us the criteria by which God would provide rainfall, “ '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, 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. And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled.' Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them, 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” (Deuteronomy 11:13-17).

Rain is a blessing from God when it falls at the right time and in the right amounts. Rain falling “on your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain” insures the initial growth of crops and the latter rain insures that plants will mature and bear abundantly.

In Deuteronomy 11 it speaks of God shutting off the rain if Israel turned aside to idolatry and sin. Are we seeing God limiting rainfall in California because of sin? California has had periods of drought before, but is the lack of rainfall God shutting off the spigot or is it just a natural occurrence? Time will tell.

While Deuteronomy 11 does not speak of too much rain, we living Houston, are well aware of the destruction of too much rain. Ten to eleven inches of rain in a short span of time overwhelms the drainage, floods roadways and homes. The pictures of the destruction of the flooding are amazingly sad. Again is such abundance of rainfall God’s blessing?

As stated earlier, rain is to be a blessing. Several scriptures remind us of the blessing of rain.

Joel 2:23-24 points us to a future time when the people of Israel will rejoice in God, “Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God; for He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain to come down for you — the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.” Israel and other nations by “rejoicing in the Lord your God” as opposed to being at enmity with Him (Romans 8:7) will be blessed with rain resulting in an abundance of grain, oil, and wine.
The prophet Zechariah foresaw a time when Israel and Judah will receive the latter rain and there will be plenty of grass for herds and flocks to prosper (Zechariah 10:1).

Finally, the Apostle James encouraged his audience with a most beautiful picture of rain that fits in with the Sabbath, “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:7-8).

It is likely that our world will be subjected to too much rain or a lack of rain, between now and the end of the age. But we know that God who controls the rain will one day bless all mankind with the early and latter rain. God will cause it to rain at just the right time and in the right amounts to provide abundance for all who rejoice in the Eternal.

Enjoy the Sabbath day,

Gary Smith