We’ve reviewed the rainy and drought aspects of climate change, but equally significant is the icy aspect of the weather; past, present, and future.
Once again, prior to the time of Moses, the book of Job provides a glimpse of God’s sovereignty relative to cold, snow, and ice. As God continued to interrogate Job, He asked:
“From whose womb comes the ice? And the frost of heaven, who gives it birth? The waters harden like stone, and the surface of the deep is frozen.” Job 38:29-30
“Have you entered the treasury of snow, or have you seen the treasury of hail, which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war?” Job 38:22-23
Not only does God remind Job that he has no control over snow or hail, He reveals further that snow and/or hail is being reserved to use as a weapon of mass destruction for the future day of war.
God used hail, in fact, as one of the plagues He brought on Pharaoh as He was preparing to deliver the Israelites from their bondage in Egypt.
“Behold tomorrow about this time I will cause very heavy hail to rain down, such as has not been in Egypt since its founding until now.” Exodus 9:18
Moses continued by stating the hail would be so severe that any person or animal left in the fields would be killed by the hail.
“And the hail struck throughout the whole land of Egypt, all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail struck every herb of the field and broke every tree of the field. Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail.” Exodus 9:25-26
Pharaoh, realizing he had crossed the red line, told Moses that he would release the children of Israel. He further admitted that the LORD was righteous while he, Pharaoh, was evil. Moses then said he would entreat God to end the plague.
“So Moses said to him, ‘As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands to the LORD; the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, that you may know that the earth is the LORD’s.’” Exodus 9:29
Then Pharaoh revealed his true self.
“…when Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart…” Exodus 9:34
Pharaoh’s actions brought on the three final plagues which led to redemption and the Passover.
Approximately 500 years after the Exodus the Psalmist confirmed God’s sovereignty relative to the ice; its formation and its melting.
“He casts out His hail like morsels; who can stand before His cold? He sends out His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow.” Psalm 147:17-18
It is interesting to note Job’s response after God’s interrogation. Even though God hadn’t revealed His purpose for Job’s suffering, Job had a glimpse of the sovereignty of almighty God.
“Then Job answered the LORD and said: ‘I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You…Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know…Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.’” Job 42:1-3, 6
According to the Bible, hail is still being reserved in God’s treasury to be released as the seventh bowl judgment just prior to Christ’s return to end the tribulation.
“Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl… and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven…saying, ‘It is done!’…And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent (100 lbs). Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.” Revelation 16:17, 21
Knowing all this, is it possible our nation’s leaders will acknowledge God’s sovereignty and repent like Job?
Perhaps there will be a million man march in Washington, each carrying placards and singing the presidential anthem loudly with one accord: “Hail to the Chief!”