Weather or Not…
I was asked recently whether God might have something to do with the weather on earth. That is not a cloudy issue and in fact it’s a fair question. OK – no more puns.
The weather on earth has become far more threatening these past few years, with everything from increasing floods and droughts to disastrous fires brought about by both winds and severe dry conditions, as well as by man-involved collateral matters, such as downed power lines. The fires in Malibu and more recently in Maui were disastrous, and involved the loss of life of both humans and animals. Since I began a first draft of this writing, the category 5 hurricane Idalia has swept through Florida and up the east coast, leaving a trail of destruction.
It might be helpful to look into the word of God and see what we’re told about “natural” disasters. Might be the Lord have any biblical track record for sending natural as well as even supernatural disasters upon the earth when civilizations require correction or judgment and have failed to respond to lesser degrees of correction?
This writing will quote biblical scripture without alteration, and I’ll plan to comment within and around scripture for the purposes of clarity and understanding. Please know these are definitely not the only verses that could be utilized to confirm part of the means and methods of God. And also please note that not every storm is a result of God’s particular anger towards specific people who might have suffered loss in a particular event. And at the same time let’s remember we are all living in a very much fallen world, so if anything, “credit”/blame man-unkind/mankind for all of the troubles on earth. Things are quite a mess, and we’re told it will get messier prior to it getting better (when the Lord returns). I don’t think there had been plans for devastating earthquakes, floods and fires to be sweeping through the Garden of Eden.
First, we would do well to understand this eternal truth: The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is never a bully, is never delighted in the destruction of anyone.
A declaration of God’s heart can be found in Ezekiel: Israel was suffering through a 70-captivity Babylonian captivity, brought on by their consistent rebellion. They were pining away in hopelessness. They knew as a nation that they were suffering for their sin. In the midst of that suffering, loving-God was calling His people to repentance. The Jewish prophet is told this by God:
Ezekiel 33:10-11
10 “Therefore you, O son of man, say to the house of Israel: ‘Thus you say, “If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, and we pine away in them, how can we then live?”‘
11 Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’
In the New Testament – in scriptures divinely intended for both His Jewish people as well as all the Gentiles who would come into covenant with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob by way of the crucifixion of the only Messiah of the world, Y’shua (aka Jesus in Greek), fisherman-Peter tells us this, confirming the words earlier spoken by God to Ezekiel:
2 Peter 3:9
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
The overarching plan of God, from the very beginning, was and remains “salvation” – literally a saving/salvaging of any and all people, people already condemned to judgment as a result of their own choices as to how they would live their lives. Live for God, and live. Live for yourself, and die.
Rabbi Paul, in 1 Corinthians, speaks to the matter of the Old Testament (which the world sadly often refers to as the “Jewish scriptures” when in fact they are intended to be for anyone/everyone). The New Testament, Jesus-believing people of God would do well to not ignore or even minimize the earlier “Jewish” scriptures:
1 Corinthians 10:1-11
1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers (writing to a primarily Gentile congregation in Turkey, Paul is reminding them that by spiritual adoption the Gentiles were now considered to be full-fledged members of the family of God. (….”all our fathers…”) were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, (referring to the supernatural Red Sea deliverance – part of what we would all be reminded of each year, were we to observe the forever/for all generations holiday of Passover)
2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, (meanwhile past experience is insufficient, in and of itself, to get someone saved or keep someone in relation with God)
3 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we (New Testament readers, during the age in which we are living) should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.
(verses 7-10 provide a list of destructive judgments for sin are cited, and then a reminder God’s hand was/is in it all, and then we’re told the recount is for us, and also we’re reminded that there’s an “end of this age”)
11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
Let’s go back further back in time, before Moses, to the one example of a global flood, and why it occurred.
The Flood of Noah.
Genesis 6:5-22
5 Then (at that time) 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. (Currently we are not YET quite at that level of wicked-world-condition, although we’re sadly heading towards that level of wickedness, again. And more).
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.”
8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
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 flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
14 Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch.
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.
18 But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.
22 Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.
That global flood was a worldwide disaster, destroying life, destroying the technologies and accomplishments of all of mankind. It was precipitated by the sin of all mankind. It ended when the work was complete. The rainbow was given as a sign by God to mankind – not that He would never again destroy the world, but that He would never again destroy it by a global flood. That rainbow is a holy sign. Like the oil running down the beard of the priests of Aaron, that rainbow is holy, and no one will do well trying to highjack God’s holy sign for any illegitimate purpose.
Helpful to our understanding of the nature of God, and how He in the past particularly has dealt (and therefore will deal) with people walking under covenant with Him, can be found in the book of Amos.
Notable is that the Jewish people to this day remain under covenant with God – because God is always faithful to covenant, as He expects people to be, as well. Should one want to read the primary Jewish covenant, it can be found in the book of Deuteronomy. Chapters 27-30 are a solid and sobering read.
Perhaps the clearest imagery and illustration of God and weather, God and crops, God and captivity, God and trouble, can be found in the book of Amos, the Jewish prophet. This was written around 750-750BC.
Amos 3:1 – 4:13
(Spoken by God to the children of Israel, at that time representing the only covenant people on earth. Meanwhile, in these days, the church is composed of primarily Gentile believers – and they/we along with the Jewish population on earth, would do well to embrace these eternal truths as examples of consistent-God, who does not change in His holiness and His honoring of covenant. Those who have come into covenant with God are the ones spoken to by Paul in 1 Corinthians 10. We read of that inclusion earlier in this article, and then it appears often throughout the New Testament scriptures)
1 Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying:
(2A – The exclusivity and specialness of being in covenant – although literally everyone/anyone is invited into that covenant – the primary purpose of that covenant being blessing)
2 “You only have I known of all the families of the earth;
(2B – That specialness of intimacy necessarily positions a person for correction, as a son or daughter)
Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”
(3 – The purpose of the correction is so that man/woman might walk in closeness to a holy God who is rightfully desiring intimate relationship, so we are called to change, since God will not become unholy to be intimate with us. That’s fair)
3 Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?
(4-6 – nothing happens by chance. God is God. Even forewarned trouble will be coming from Him, because His is sovereign)
4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey?
Will a young lion cry out of his den, if he has caught nothing?
5 Will a bird fall into a snare on the earth, where there is no trap for it?
Will a snare spring up from the earth, if it has caught nothing at all?
6 If a trumpet is blown in a city, will not the people be afraid?
If there is calamity in a city, will not the LORD have done it?
(7-8 – God will always have His people on earth to declare His truths and His purposes)
7 Surely the Lord GOD does nothing,
Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
8 A lion has roared!
Who will not fear?
The Lord GOD has spoken!
Who can but prophesy?
(God’s call to the enemies of Israel, people whom God has utilized as instruments of stern correction upon Israel, time and again. And still to this day)
9 “Proclaim in the palaces at Ashdod,
And in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say:
‘Assemble on the mountains of Samaria;
See great tumults in her midst,
And the oppressed within her.
(when Israel’s condition is injustice it will result in their being surrounded by enemies)
10 For they do not know to do right,’
Says the LORD,
‘Who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.'”
11 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD:
“An adversary shall be all around the land;
He shall sap your strength from you,
And your palaces shall be plundered.”
(the remnant work)
12 Thus says the LORD:
“As a shepherd takes from the mouth of a lion
Two legs or a piece of an ear,
So shall the children of Israel be taken out
Who dwell in Samaria—
In the corner of a bed and on the edge of a couch!
(God’s judgment will not be about honoring places sanctified for holy purposes, when the people remain unholy. He’s looking for holy people not holy places. The places are holy when holy people are there, at which time holy-God is there).
13 Hear and testify against the house of Jacob,”
Says the Lord GOD, the God of hosts,
14 “That in the day I punish Israel for their transgressions,
I will also visit destruction on the altars of Bethel;
And the horns of the altar shall be cut off
And fall to the ground.
15 I will destroy the winter house along with the summer house;
The houses of ivory shall perish,
And the great houses shall have an end,”
Says the LORD.
(an unflattering rebuke upon the Hebrew women of leisure and luxury, prioritizing pleasure over compassion and social justice)
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 by His holiness:
“Behold, the days shall come upon you
(2B literally occurred during the taking away of thousands of Israelites into Babylon, many pulled and led into captivity by fishhooks through their faces)
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.
(Again: going to a holy place but continuing to live in sin, is worthless)
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.
(Here comes God’s dealing through progressive “natural” disasters, brought upon them by a holy, righteous and supernatural God in hopes they would turn back to Him instead of requiring escalating troubles)
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.
(Rain – unusual weather patterns)
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.
(meanwhile the people attempted a work-around, instead of coming to repentance)
8 So two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water,
But they were not satisfied;
Yet you have not returned to Me,”
Says the LORD.
(God necessarily raised His voice of correction by dealing more severely)
9 “I blasted you with blight and mildew.
When your gardens increased,
Your vineyards,
Your fig trees,
And your olive trees,
(a plague of locusts)
The locust devoured them;
Yet you have not returned to Me,”
Says the LORD.
(another plague sent)
10 “I sent among you a plague after the manner of Egypt;
(invasions and warfare and loss of life, precipitated by God Himself)
Your young men I killed with a sword,
Along with your captive horses;
I made the stench of your camps come up into your nostrils;
Yet you have not returned to Me,”
Says the LORD.
(God references His own actions against the famous cities now sitting below the Dead Sea)
11 “I overthrew some of you,
As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
And you were like a firebrand plucked from the burning;
Yet you have not returned to Me,”
Says the LORD.
(and God remains relentlessly righteous, so He will continue in His dealings with His covenant people)
12 “Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel;
Because I will do this to you,
Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!”
13 For behold,
He who forms mountains,
And creates the wind,
Who declares to man what his thought is,
And makes the morning darkness,
Who treads the high places of the earth—
The LORD God of hosts is His name.
“The Lord of Hosts” is also written in some biblical translations as “Lord Almighty”.
In transliterated Hebrew it would be understood as: “Yahweh t’sva-oat” – King of the universe, Commander of the armies of heaven. Throughout scripture, that particular title (one of many of God’s titles) appears when situations demand the actions and authority of a powerful and mighty God who brings judgment upon mankind, when necessary.
Is God in the weather of the world? Particularly, might God be involved in the current and escalating troubles of America, including but certainly not limited to intense weather?
In 1620 our forefathers bowed their knees aboard the Mayflower and entered covenant with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 400 years from 1620 takes us to 2020. That was a sort of “action-year” for America, was it not?
The solution remains the same: national repentance beginning with personal repentance. Churches and also synagogues preaching and teaching repentance and turning for sin. Those with “ears to hear” turning from doing things their own way. Success is about coming to God on His terms. His terms in this age include, specifically, coming to the One and only Savior that God intended and purposed for the salvation and rescue of anyone/everyone who will turn to Him, on His terms. And those terms are non-negotiable because they are perfect. Because He is perfect.
2 Peter 3:9
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
How amazingly kind and patient is our holy God? And meanwhile He has chosen to provide each and every person ever born to own and exert his/her free will. The Yes or the No that a person chooses to live by will massively impact their life path, and eventually their eternal destiny. Knowing that, God deals with us here on earth so that we might consider the validity of His word, the righteousness of His ways, and the impact of our choices.
All scripture NKJV
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