Rain

Rain is a very mysterious, complete, marvelous, inescapable experience of human life. We human beings "receive" rain. We cannot "produce" rain. We can describe rain, and analyze rain, and predict rain, and enjoy rain, but we cannot "make" rain happen.

As a result of the Enlightenment beginning in the sixteenth century, many scientists and many modern thinkers assume that if there was a God who created the universe, God put certain "natural laws" on the planet earth, and rain happens according to the "laws" built into the warp and woof of life on earth. This is a "Deistic" view of creation and nature. This view is "logical" and "rational," BUT it is NOT Biblical, and it is NOT the only "logical" and "rational" explanation for "rain" and other phenomena on planet earth.

Briefly, here are a few "biblical affirmations" about rain. PLEASE consider, pray about, and ponder about these affirmations.

1. The Bible claims that "God SENDS rain." Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount: "Your Father in heaven . . . SENDS rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous" (Matthew 5:45). Elihu declares:
"Surely GOD is great, and we do not know him;
the number of his years is unsearchable.
For HE [GOD] DRAWS UP THE DROPS OF WATER;
HE DISTILLS HIS MIST IN RAIN,
which the skies pour down
and drop on mortals abundantly." (Job 36:26-28).
According to the Bible, God "causes rain" to come on the land on earth. No one can PROVE this is true. No one can DISPROVE this is true. What do YOU think?

2. The Bible claims that sometimes "God SENDS rain" to punish wicked people by means of storms and floods. A classic example is the flood in the story of Noah. According to Genesis 6:17, God says: "For my part, I AM GOING TO BRING A FLOOD OF WATERS on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life." It would be a mistake to conclude that every storm or flood is the active work of God to punish wicked people. There are other biblical explanations of storms and floods. But "sometimes," God uses floods and storms to punish the wicked.

3. The Bible claims that sometimes "God WITHHOLDS rain" to punish wicked people. Amos 4;7 reports that God said in North Israel when the Israelites were rebelling against God:
"And I also WITHHELD THE RAIN from you
when there were still three months to the harvest;
I WOULD SEND RAIN on one city,
and SEND NO RAIN on another city;
one field would be rained upon,
and the field on which it did not rain withered."
[See also Jeremiah 14:1-6). Again, it would be a mistake to conclude that every drought or famine is the active work of God to punish wicked people. BUT "sometimes," God withholds rain to punish the wicked.

4. Isaiah 55:10-11 compares the beneficial RAIN falling on the land with the beneficent WORD OF GOD falling on the human heart.
"For AS THE RAIN and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return there until they have WATERED the earth,
MAKING it BRING FORTH and SPROUT,
giving seed to the sower and bread to he eater,
so shall MY WORD be that goes out of my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and succeed in the thing for which I SENT it."

Keeping watching all those passages in the Bible which refer to rain. Appreciate the wonders of God's gifts of rain. Our God is a marvelous, loving, transforming God. Praise HIM!!!

John Willis
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