The East Wind, Blight, and Drought

     God also said He is the source of wind, blight, and drought in His conversation with Job referenced last week.

     “By what way is…the east wind scattered over the earth?”  Job 38:24

     The east wind, commonly called ‘Sirocco’ is a hot oppressive and often dusty wind with its origin in northern Africa and reaching to southern Europe.

     The terms ‘east wind’ and ‘blighted’ also mean to be scorched with great heat.

    God confirmed to Job that such a wind and its distribution was entirely beyond man’s ability to control.

     Biblical teachings relative to the east wind are found back in history prior to the giving of the law.  Recall Pharaoh’s dream in Egypt.  The dream centered on seven fat cows and seven gaunt cows.  The seven gaunt cows ate and consumed the seven fat cows.  The dream was reinforced with a second dream consisting of seven healthy heads of grain on one stalk and then seven additional heads, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind.  The seven withered and thin heads of grain rose up and ate the seven full and good heads.

     Pharaoh, being totally perplexed by the dreams, called for all the magicians of Egypt and all the wise men, and told them his dreams, but none could interpret them.  Pharaoh then was told of Joseph’s gift of interpreting dreams and called for him.

     “Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, ‘the dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.’”  Genesis 41:26

     The sovereignty of God is shown by the words ‘God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.’

     The dreams were interpreted to mean that seven years of plenty were about to happen followed by seven years of famine.

     “Indeed seven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt; but after them seven years of famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will deplete the land.”  Genesis 41:29-30

     Joseph then emphasized that God would plan and then surely execute His plan at His will.

     “And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.”  Genesis 41:32

     And so it was, there was great drought and famine ‘over all the face of the earth.’  Egypt, however, had prepared for the event under the advice and leadership of Joseph.  God had used His plan to bring Joseph’s brothers and his father Jacob to Egypt to reunite.

     Approximately a millennium later God spoke again about drought and blight, this time through the Prophet Amos.

     “I also withheld rain from you…I blasted you with blight and mildew…yet you have not returned to Me...”  Amos 4:7a, 9

     And then the inevitable was about to happen when a nation continuously rejects God.

     “Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel…Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” Amos 4:12

     It was shortly after this that the Northern ten tribes of Israel were overrun by Assyria. 

     Have the nations learned the lesson?  Let’s look forward in history.

     “Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire.  And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.”  Revelation 16:8-9

     Scripture reveals that scorching heat is being reserved for use against the rebel nations in the future because men will continue to reject God in this age.  Note the above Scripture passage is written in the past tense, in other words it is a done deal.

     It is a sad commentary that our government’s leaders continue to reject the wisdom of God.  Even with increased tax revenue and delegated authority granted to EPA, all is vanity.

     Thus when our president proclaims that the debate over climate change is over, he prophetically proclaims the truth.

     We’ll conclude next week by addressing the aspect of weather factors such as cold, ice, and hail stones that will not only dent our cars, but crush them.