Snow in the Bible

Today, 3 March 2008 we had snow in Abilene, Texas. Snow is not very common in this part of the USA. We might get as much as six inches during the winter, but often much less, if any.

It is so much fun watching the snow falling from the sky. When we lived in Nashville, we experienced beautiful snows with huge flakes. Such an event sends me back to the Bible to think again about how the Bible uses "snow."

Exodus 4:6; Numbers 12:10; and 2 Kings 5:27 compare leprosy with snow.

Job 37:6; 38:22; Psalm 147:16; and Isaiah 55:10-11 declare that Yahweh stores up snow in his heavenly treasure houses and from time to time dumps it upon the earth like wool to make plants grow and produce seed for the sower and bread for the eater. Hence, Psalm 148:8 summons the snow to praise Yahweh who sends it. Job 6:16 and 24:19 describe snow melting to form cold rivers.

Proverbs 25:13 compares faithful messengers with fresh snow:
"Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest
are faithful messengers to those who send them;
they refresh the spirit of their masters."

Psalm 51:7 and Isaiah 1:18 compare God's forgiveness of sins with the whiteness of snow.
Psalm 51:7: Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Isaiah 1:18: Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow;
though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

Matthew 28:3 says the appearance of the angel who rolled back the stone at Jesus' tomb and sat upon it "was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow." John describes the "one like the Son of Man" which he saw with these words in Revelation 1:14: "His head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow, his eyes were like a flame of fire."

So the Bible uses "snow" in various ways. Snow provides rich imagery for expressing wonderful truths of God.

John Willis