WATER AND BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION
And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:17&18)
What Job fails to answer God Almighty when questioned, fallen men today attempt to unravel the mystery of nature and seek to bring nature under control. They are now in a position to play God so that they may forever erase the memory of the past humiliation brought upon their fathers for their sins and rebellion against the Most High. Unfortunately for fallen men, and no matter how hard they try, Jehovah God dispels men of any hope of domineering over His creation by telling them that, For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9) Notwithstanding, the first decree given to Adam and subsequently given to Noah and his family is to have dominion over all the creatures on earth. This dominion is only theoretically possible given the fact that sinners are now living in their fallen state. In addition, we learn of creatures overcoming men in many instances instead of men having dominion over them. In fact, it is Jehovah God who must be personally involved to ensure that men might have any success at all in bringing the creatures under their dominion which we learn in Deut 7:22: And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.
However, as for the elements in the atmosphere, the inanimate part of nature, men have never been given any given direct authority to tamper with the balancing of their forces and the workings of their properties and characteristics. While it is true that faithful men of God pray to God for conducive environment for them to prolong their miserable existence on earth, the outworking of the environment in which fallen men have to live under is the prerogative of Almighty God. For it is the office of the Lord God to give rain to reward those who love Him and obey Him which we read in Lev 26:4: 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. This is one of the means by which God corrects the behaviour of His creatures and we have further confirmation of this operation in following Scriptures.
And then the LORD’s wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you. (Deut 11:17)
When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them: Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance. (1 Kings 8:35&36)
When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; yet if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them; Then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou hast taught them the good way, wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance. (2 Chron 6:26&27)
If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (2 Chron 7:13&14)
And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. (Isaiah 5:6)
And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. (Zech 14:17&18)
Elements in the heavens are like a rod in the hand of the Lord God to correct the behaviour of His creatures to conform to His directive will. So fallen men in outright disobedience and disregard to the will of the God of Creation attempt to remove or steal this rod from His hand so that they might live according to their own ways without any consequences. But as far as fallen men are concerned, the ability to manipulate the forces of nature is viewed as progress for the purpose of making the world a better place for everyone to live in without God interfering in their affairs. Hence, fallen men bravely march on in their folly in search of a god of their own making and travel on the broadways of everlasting destruction.
This article is taken from a chapter in the book “Water: The Source Of Life Or Agent Of Death” which may be downloaded via: