If ye walk in My statutes and keep my commandments, and do them, then will I give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. Leviticus 26:3,4
Beginning in 2010, much of the United States has been in some degree of drought conditions, with some heavy rain bringing some relief in early 2013 to the southeastern areas, but most of the great plains region remains in drought and is expected to remain so. Some two-thirds of the US has been affected by the drought, including 80 percent of that nation’s farmland. Experts say the drought has already caused catastrophic economic conditions because of the failure of crops and related problems, with some estimates as high as $35 billion in losses in the US midwest. All because there has been little or no rain. Why has there been little or no rain? The environmental scientists have all sorts of theories and models to explain it. Our text offers a one-word explanation: disobedience.
The ancient Israelite farmers were given a wonderful promise: as long as they obeyed God’s commandments, they would have good crops. There would never be a drought as long as spiritual conditions in their land were as they should. Did they have droughts? Yes they did. And they knew why. God often send along rain in abundance despite their disobedience, but He withdrew rain during times of the worse of their depravity. Does God operate in the same way today? It is difficult to say for sure, because there is so much disobedience and sin pervading our society. We could surely have no argument if God were to halt all rain, because of the depravity into which our North American lifestyles have sunk. The destruction of God’s plan for families, the glorification of homosexuality, the slaughter of the unborn, the abandonment of all things related to God and His righteousness, and so much more, can all give us no reason to expect God to bless us and give us favourable conditions for making our living. God still blesses, but we must wonder why, and for how long.
As Christians, we can still depend on God to honour His promise, when it comes to spiritual blessings. It’s not that God pours temporal blessing on all faithful, godly saints. In fact, often the reverse is true; God often uses poverty and hardships to develop humility and sweet temper in His people. But when we think of spiritual blessings, these are richly dispensed by God on those who honour His word and place their faith in His will.
God has promised to honour those who honour Him. And His honour is far bigger than ours. – Jim MacIntosh