Weather and the Bible

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Does God control the weather? Does he use it as judgment? Is it a sign of the end? Will he protect the righteous?

The Weather
A Study in the Scriptures

by DIANE DEW

"...he causeth ...lightnings with rain..." (Jeremiah 10:13)

I. The Scriptures are far from silent on the origin of weather disasters,
including drought, earthquakes, famines, floods,
hailstones, storms, thunder, tornadoes, wind storms, etc.

A. Does Satan have any part in destructive weather catastrophes?

1. Weather disasters can originate with Satan.

Job 1:9-12, 19 "Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath... But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee ...And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand ... And behold, there came a great wind ...and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell ...."

Job 2:3 "And the Lord said unto Satan, ... [Job] holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause."

John 10:10 "The thief [Satan] cometh ... to kill and to destroy..."

2. However, Satan's efforts must pass divine approval
and are limited to the extent God allows.

Job 1:12, 19 "And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand ... And behold, there came a great wind ... and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell ..."

Job 2:6"And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold he is in thine hand; but save his life."

B. God is fully in control of creation, at all times.

Psalm 29:10 "The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever."

Psalm 107:25, 29 "For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.... He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.."

Proverbs 30:4 "Who ... hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?"

Jeremiah 14:22 "Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O Lord our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things."

Mark 4:39, 41 (cp. Matthew 8:26-27; Luke 8:23-25)"And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm....and [they] said ...even the wind and the sea obey him."

1. God sends earthquakes and fires, etc.

Isaiah 29:6 "Thou shalt be visited of the Lord of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire."

2. God sends snow, the cold and frost.

Psalm 78:47" He destroyed ...their sycomore trees with frost..."

Job 37:6 "For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth..."

3. God controls the lightning.

Job 37:3 "He directeth ... his lightning unto the ends of the earth."

Psalm 18:12-14 "... he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them."

Psalm 78:47-48 " He destroyed their ...flocks to hot thunderbolts."

Psalm 97:4 "His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled."

Jeremiah 10:13 "...he causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings ..."

4. God sends the wind.

Genesis 8:1-2 "... and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged ... and the rain from heaven was restrained."

Exodus 10:12-13 "... and the Lord brought an east wind ... [and] the east wind brought the locusts."

Exodus 10:19 "And the Lord turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts..."

Exodus 14:21 "... and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind..."

Exodus 15:10 "Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters."

Numbers 11:31 "... a wind from the Lord..."

Isaiah 11:15 "And the Lord shall utterly destroy ... with his mighty wind ...."

Psalm 48:7 "Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind."

Psalm 78:26 "He caused an east wind to blow ... by his power he brought in the south wind."

Psalm 135:7 (cp. Jer. 10:13; 51:16) "He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind ..."

Psalm 147:18 "... he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow."

Jeremiah 51:1 "...Behold, I will raise up against... them that rise up against me, a destroying wind."

Ezekiel 13:13 "...I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; and ... an overflowing shower ..."

Jonah 1:4 "But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken."

Jonah 4:8 "...God prepared a vehement east wind...."

5. God sends and withholds the rain and floods.

Genesis 2:5 "... for the Lord God had not [yet] caused it to rain upon the earth ..."

Genesis 6:17 (cp. 7:4, etc.) "And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy... "

Leviticus 26:4 (cp. Deut 11:14) "Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit."

Deut. 11:17 "...the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, ... that there be no rain..."

Deut. 28:12 "The Lord shall ... give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand..."

1 Samuel 12:17-18 "...I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain...and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day...."

2 Samuel 1:21 " ...neither let there be rain, upon you... for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil."

1 Kings 8:35-36 (2 Chron. 6:26-27)"When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray ... and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them: Then hear thou ...and give rain ..."

1 Kings 17:14 "... the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth."

2 Chron. 7:13 "If I shut up heaven that there be no rain... or if I send pestilence among my people."

Job 5:10 "Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields."

Job 28:11 "He bindeth the floods from overflowing..."

Job 28:25-26 "...he weigheth the waters by measure. When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder."

Job 36:27 "For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof."

Job 37:6 "For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength."

Psalm 11:6 "Upon the wicked he shall rain snares... and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup."

Psalm 68:9 "Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain..."

Psalm 74:15 "Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up mighty rivers."

Psalm 147:8 "... who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow ...."

Isaiah 5:6 "...I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it."

Isaiah 30:23 "Then shall he give the rain..."

Jeremiah 10:13 "...he causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain..."

Nahum 1:8 "But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end...."

Haggai 1:11 "And I called for a drought upon the land... and upon all the labour of the hands."

Zech. 10:1 "Ask ye of the Lord rain ...so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain..."

Zech. 14:17-18 "And it shall be, that whoso will not come... to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if [they] ... come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the Lord will smite the heathen..."

Matthew 5:45 "...[he] sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust."

Acts 14:17 "Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness."

Hebrews 6:7 "For the earth which drinketh in the rain... receiveth blessing from God."

6. God sends hailstones.

Joshua 10:11 "... the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword."

Psalm 78:47-48 " He destroyed their vines with hail...He gave up their cattle also to the hail...."

Psalm 105:32 "He gave them hail for rain..."

Isaiah 30:30 "And the Lord shall cause ... and shall shew ... with the indignation of his anger... and tempest, and hailstones."

Ezekiel 13:13 "Therefore thus saith the Lord God; I will even rend it with ... an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in my fury to consume it."

Ezekiel 38:22 "And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him ... an overflowing rain, and great hailstones..."

Joel 2:23 "...he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain..."

Amos 4:7 "And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another ...."

Haggai 2:17 "I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the Lord."

7. God sends famine.

Psalm 105:16 "Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread."

Ezekiel 5:16-17 "When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread: So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts... and pestilence ... I the Lord have spoken it.

Ezekiel 14:13, 21 "Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it.... I send my four sore judgments ... the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence..."

Jeremiah 24:10 "And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence..."

Jeremiah 27:8 "...that nation will I punish ... with the famine, and with the pestilence...."

C. God does use weather catastrophes -- even resulting in deaths,
or the destruction of beasts or property -- but with a purpose:
to unsettle the apathetic, to punish and judge,
to alter our course of action, or to instill the fear of God.

Psalm 78:44 "And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink."

Psalm 144:6 "Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them."

Psalm 148:8 "Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word."

Jeremiah 14:12 "When they fast, I will not hear their cry ...I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence."

2 Peter 2:5 "And [God] spared not the old world... bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly."

1. To unsettle the apathetic.

2 Samuel 22:15 "And he sent out ... lightning, and discomfited them."

Psalm 18:12-14 "... hail stones and ... he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them."

Luke 15:14 "And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want."

2. Because of a leader's sin.

2 Samuel 21:1 "Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites."

3. To instill the fear of God.

1 Samuel 12:17-18 "... I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great... So Samuel called unto the Lord; and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel."

Psalm 83:15 "So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm."

Jeremiah 5:24 "Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth rain..."

Ezekiel 12:16 "But I will leave a few ... from the famine ... that they may declare all their abominations among the heathen ...and they shall know that I am the Lord."

Amos 8:8; 9:5 "Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt....the Lord God of hosts is he that toucheth the land..."

Matthew 27:54 "Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God."

4. In punishment for sin.

Genesis 19:24 (cp. Luke 17:29) "Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven."

Exodus 9:18-19 " Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail... gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die."

Exodus 9:22-34 "And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field... and the Lord sent thunder and hail... Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail. Intreat the Lord (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go And Moses said unto him... I will spread abroad my hands unto the Lord; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the Lord's...And Moses ... spread abroad his hands unto the Lord: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth. And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants."

Deut. 28:24 "The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed."

1 Kings 8:35 "... there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee ..."

Psalm 11:6 "Upon the wicked he shall rain snares... and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup."

Isaiah 28:17 "Judgment also will I lay to the line ... and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place."

Jeremiah 11:22 " Therefore ...I will punish them ... their sons and their daughters shall die by famine."

Jeremiah 3:3 "Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed."

Jeremiah 44:12-13 "...I will punish them ... by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence." (cp. 38:2; 42:16-17, 22; 44:12-13, 27)

Jeremiah 29:17-18 "I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, ... they are so evil..."

Nahum 1:3 "The Lord ... will not at all acquit the wicked: the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm...."

Rev. 18:8 "Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine...for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her."

Rev. 11:13 "And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven."

5. God might alter weather conditions
to redirect our route, to change our plans.

Genesis 12:10 "And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land."

Genesis 26:1 "And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went ...unto Gerar."

Genesis 42:5 "And the sons of Israel came to buy corn ...for the famine was in the land of Canaan."

2 Kings 8:1 "Then spake Elisha unto the woman... saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the Lord hath called for a famine... seven years."

Ruth 1:1 "... there was a famine in the land. And a certain man ...went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons."

Acts 27:4 "And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary."

Acts 27:7 "And when we had sailed slowly many days, ... the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone."

Acts 28:2 "And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold."

II. However, God also responds to His people's pleas
for deliverance from destruction.

A. In drought and famine.

1 Kings 8:35-36 (2 Chron. 6:26-27) "When ... there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray ... and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them: Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive ...and give rain ..."

2 Chron. 20:9 "If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we ... cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help."

Psalm 33:19 "To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine."

Psalm 37:19 "They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied."

Zech. 10:1 "Ask ye of the Lord rain ...so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain..."

James 5:17-18 "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit."

B. In floods.

Psalm 32:6 "For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him."

Psalm 66:6 "He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot: there did we rejoice in him."

C. In storms.

Luke 8:23-25 " ... and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy ....Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him."

III. God sometimes uses prophets to warn of impending destruction
by famine, drought, atmospheric catastrophe, etc.

1 Kings 17:1 "And Elijah ...said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word."

2 Kings 8:1 "Then spake Elisha unto the woman... saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the Lord hath called for a famine... seven years."

1 Samuel 12:17-18 "Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking you a king. [18] So Samuel called unto the Lord; and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel."

1 Kings 18:1-2 "...the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth ... And there was a sore famine in Samaria."

Ezekiel 37:9 "Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live."

Rev. 11:6 "These [two witnesses] have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will."

IV. Fear is a common reaction to a powerful display
of God's authority in creation.

Exodus 20:18 "And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings... and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off."

1 Samuel 12:18 "... and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel."

Ezra 10:9 " ... all the people sat in the street ... trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain."

Psalm 55:8 "I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest."

Psalm 97:4 "His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled."

Matthew 14:30 "But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried..."

Matthew 27:54 "Now when the centurion, and they that were with him... saw the earthquake... they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God."

V. However, God provides for and protects his own
in the midst of storms and troubles,
unless it his purpose to test us (Job 1:10, 12, 19).

Genesis 41:30-31 , etc. "And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous."

Genesis 41:36 "And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine."

Genesis 45:11 "And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty."

Deut. 8:15 " Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint."

1 Kings 17:1-16 "And Elijah ... said unto Ahab... there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook ... I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there... the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook. And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath... dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. So he arose and... the widow woman was there.... And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse... And Elijah said unto her, Fear not... The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain ... and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah."

Job 5:20, 22 "In famine he shall redeem thee from death ... At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth."

Isaiah 25:4 "For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall."

Isaiah 58:11 "And the Lord shall ... satisfy thy soul in drought ..."

Jeremiah 2:6 "Neither said they, Where is the Lord that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?"

Ezekiel 36:29-30 "I will also save you ... and lay no famine upon you. And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen."

Romans 8:35 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"

VI. A sign of the end-times, Jesus said,
would be an increase in earthquakes, "signs in the heavens," etc.

Mark 13:8 (cp. Mat 24:7) "...and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows."

Luke 21:11 "And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven."

Rev. 16:18, 21 "And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great....And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great."

Rev. 6:12-13 "...when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth..."

Rev. 7:1 "And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree."

Rev. 8:5 "And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake."

Rev. 8:7 "The first angel sounded, and there followed hail ... and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up."