Has God stopped the rain in America? Yes, of course! We read that He is in charge of His history, and His nature in His world. We read that the Lord says, "I will remove the hedge (of protection) and it will be consumed; I will break down its walls and it will become trampled ground. And I will lay it waste … I will also charge the clouds, TO RAIN OR NOT TO RAIN on the world" (Isa. 5:6). The reason: My people "do not pay attention to the deeds of the Lord, nor do they consider the work of His hands" (v. 12).
For "My people have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. … Therefore, He has stretched out His hand against them and struck them down, and the mountains quaked. … For all this His anger is not spent, but His hand is still stretched out" in declaring a judgment (vv. 25-26).
The people just say "We play." This is what we see today on TV. Americans just "Play, play, and play." It seems to never end! The people "rise up early in the morning that they may pursue strong drink; who stay up late in the evening that wine may inflame them!" (v. 11). They will go into exile for lack of knowledge (v. 13).
The people in America love signs from the Lord. They ask God to hurry up, to make hasten His work, "so that they may see it. … Let the purpose of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come to pass, that we may know what He is doing" (v. 19). In fact, they call evil good, and good evil; and substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; they substitute bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. They justify the wicked for a bribe and take away the rights of the ones who are in the right" (vv. 20-23).
Americans are too occupied to be concerned about His coming. They ask "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation" (2 Pet. 3:4). Job adds that the Lord sends the drops of rain and the clouds, and His thundering. He spreads the lightning about Him … for by it He judges the peoples (of earth); He gives food in abundance. He commands the lightning to strike its mark. Its noise declares His presence. The cattle know what is coming!" (Job 36:29-33). HE IS IN CHARGE!
He tells the snow to fall upon the earth (37:6) and He tells the rain to be strong (v. 6). He loads the clouds with thick moisture; He disperses the clouds of His lightning. It changes direction, turning around by His guidance that it may do whatever He commands it on the face of the inhabited earth. Whether for correction, or for (the benefit) of His world, or for lovingkindness, He causes it to happen" (vv. 12-13).
Thus, He holds back the rain, the clouds and snow, or He sends it!
God sends rain on the land where there is no people, He satisfies the young lions, the young birds cry to God for food, or wander about without food, as He sees fit! (38:26-41).
Storms, earthquakes, drought, fires, tornadoes, floods, all come upon us by God's command. Nothing happens by accident. We are hopeless and helpless without His intervention.
