Weather, God's sovereignty over

The weather is under the control of God, who alone is able to direct it.

The weather is under God's control

Job 28:25–27; Matthew 8:26–27 parallels Mark 4:39–41, Luke 8:24–25 See also Job 5:10, Job 26:8–9, Job 26:13, Job 37:1–18; Psalm 135:7, Psalm 147:8, Psalm 147:16–18, Psalm 148:8; Jeremiah 10:13

When God fixed the weight of the wind and measured out the waters, when He set a limit for the rain and a path for the thunderbolt, then He looked at wisdom and appraised it; He established it and searched it out.

“You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey Him!”

God alone understands the mysteries of the weather

Proverbs 3:19–20; John 3:8 See also Job 36:26–33, Job 38:22–30, Job 38:34–35, Job 38:37; Ecclesiastes 11:3–5

The LORD founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding. By His knowledge the watery depths were broken open, and the clouds dripped with dew.

The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

Israel's economy was dependent on the weather

Leviticus 26:4 See also Deuteronomy 11:10–15, Deuteronomy 28:12; Jeremiah 5:24; Hosea 6:3

I will give you rains in their season, and the land will yield its produce, and the trees of the field will bear their fruit.

The weather demonstrates God's goodness and mercy

Genesis 8:22; Matthew 5:45; Acts 14:17 See also Genesis 9:14–16; Deuteronomy 33:13–14; Psalm 68:7–9; Isaiah 30:23, Isaiah 49:10; Joel 2:23; Zechariah 10:1

As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall never cease.”

that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Yet He has not left Himself without testimony to His goodness: He gives you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.”

The weather as a demonstration of God's direct intervention

Jonah 1:4 See also Exodus 14:21; Numbers 11:31; Psalm 78:26; Jonah 4:8

Then the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship was in danger of breaking apart.

The weather as an answer to prayer

James 5:17–18 See also 1 Samuel 12:17–18; 1 Kings 8:35–36 parallel 2 Chronicles 6:26–27; 1 Kings 18:41–44

Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth yielded its crops.

The weather can cause suffering

Genesis 31:40; Acts 28:2 See also Ezra 10:9; Job 1:16, Job 1:18–19; Matthew 20:12; John 18:18; Acts 27:15

As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes.

The islanders showed us extraordinary kindness. They kindled a fire and welcomed all of us because it was raining and cold.