Appreciating God’s Handiwork and the Events that are to come

If you should peep through your windowpane one chilly morning you will see indications of the treasures of our Hope in nature’s beautiful disguise.

The grass and the leaves bent gracefully under their shining silvery burden of frost will soon come to life and reflect brilliant sunshine when the sun shines upon them. Soon the frost will melt away and the plants become heavy with dewdrops, tiny specks of water which will eventually evaporate as the sun gets warmer, caught up to heaven to form clouds. The grass is left, but it will have suffered harm, for the frost was cold. Some of the more tender plants will turn black and die, “for the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass” (James 1. 11); “the grass withereth and the flower thereof falleth away” (1 Pet. 1. 24); and all flesh is grass.

But the dewdrops are different, for they are like us! As each one has been inhaled by the Sun from the sea of nations that are like many waters, we respond to the Spirit word that came from the Father of Lights, and so we little dewdrops hang in amongst the grass and herbs, not even visible to the average eye, for there is “night” covering the earth. We are waiting for the Sun of Righteousness to arise and draw us out from the “womb of the dawn (grave)”-see Is. 26. 19 (of. Comp. Bible). Then we shall sparkle, brilliant and beautiful, reflecting the sunlight. And what of the grass? It will experience the power and heat of the sun as she rises higher and higher whilst drawing the dew from the grass.

Judgement is impending then to Gog for he is doomed to utter destruction, and Christ with His clouds of dew will hold his peace a little longer (cf. Heb. 2. 1; Rev. 1. 7; 1 Thess. 4. 17; Ezek. 4. 17) whilst the nations and Jews are invited (not Gog, for he is doomed to utter destruction) one last time to “return”. “I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest” (Isa. 18. 4; Ps. 37. 1 -2 ). What a harvest it will be, where all grass will be cut down, “where men shall cast their idols to the bats to go into the clefts of the rocks for the fear of Yahweh, and for the glory of His majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth” (Isa. 2. 20); “Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of?” (cf. Jer. 17. 5-8). Yes, that judgment is necessary for only then will the earth learn righteousness.

Let us consider the ultimate that will result from this. Think of the rain that will fall from those “clouds” after the heat of harvest. Think of the blessing that shall flood the earth—and we shall be the medium which God uses to shower those blessings upon an earth that is cleansed and rid of the old dry grass. Will the earth not respond and yield its increase? Can you not see the tender grass springing out of the earth after the rain?

David considered these things, for he wrote, “There shall be a ruler over mankind, a Just One, ruling in the righteous precepts of Elohim and as brightness of morning He shall rise, the Sun of an unclouded dawn (for the clouds have rained down) shining forth after rain upon tender grass out of the earth” (2 Sam. 23. 3-4, Dr.Thomas rendering).

This is the glorious ultimate and every rainbow in the sky should remind us that Deity has purposed it, for a rainbow can only be seen when the sun is shining upon rain which mildly descends from a cloud formation. Then the rainbow is seen, a promise of good things to come, and although there is a “dry time of famine” now (Lev. 26. 18-20; Amos. 8. 11) and there seem to be only wells without water and broken cisterns (Ter. 2. 13), there will be a refreshing, healing rain after the harvest when “his doctrine shall drop as the rain, his speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass” (Deut. 32. 2; cf. Hos. 6. 2-3; Isa. 55. 8-13).

There are seven colours in the rainbow which when combined make the colour white. Seven is the spiritual symbolism for perfection or completeness—the same word is translated “oath” or “covenant”. White symbolises righteousness. We shall teach the nations with righteousnes and purity.

How blessed we are that we were accounted worthy to respond to the call of God now in a time when just a remnant is called out with a still voice. How much we long to be able and allowed to take part in the “healing of the world”, when all that is offensive is removed and men will be taught to bow the knee, acknowledging from the heart that Yahweh is the One from whom all blessings flow, the giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1. 17).

“There is a lesson in each flower,

A story in each stream and bower;

In every herb on which we tread

Are written words which rightly read

Will lead you from earth’s fragrant sod

To hope, and holiness and God.”