Topical Encyclopedia In the biblical narrative, rain during the wheat harvest is depicted as an extraordinary event, particularly in the context of ancient Israel's agricultural calendar. This unusual occurrence is notably recorded in the days of the prophet Samuel, serving as a divine sign and a demonstration of God's power and authority.The account is found in 1 Samuel 12:16-18. After the Israelites demanded a king to rule over them, rejecting the Lord as their sovereign, Samuel addressed the people to reaffirm God's displeasure with their request. To underscore the gravity of their actions and to authenticate his message, Samuel called upon the Lord to send thunder and rain during the wheat harvest, a time typically characterized by dry weather. The Berean Standard Bible records this event as follows: "Now, therefore, stand and see this great thing that the LORD will do before your eyes. Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call on the LORD, and He will send thunder and rain, so that you will know and see what a great evil you have done in the sight of the LORD by asking for a king." (1 Samuel 12:16-17) Samuel's invocation resulted in an immediate and dramatic response from God: "So Samuel called to the LORD, and on that day the LORD sent thunder and rain. As a result, all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel." (1 Samuel 12:18) This extraordinary rain during the wheat harvest served multiple purposes. It was a tangible sign of God's displeasure with Israel's demand for a monarchy, highlighting their lack of faith and trust in God's direct rule. The event also reinforced Samuel's role as God's prophet, whose words and actions were divinely sanctioned. In the agrarian society of ancient Israel, the timing of rain was crucial. The wheat harvest typically occurred in the dry season, and unexpected rain could damage crops, leading to economic hardship. Thus, the sudden storm was not only a miraculous sign but also a potential threat to the harvest, further emphasizing the seriousness of Israel's transgression. The people's reaction to the event was one of fear and reverence, as they recognized the power of God and the authority of His prophet. This fear led them to acknowledge their sin and seek Samuel's intercession, as recorded in 1 Samuel 12:19: "The people all said to Samuel, 'Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die, for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.'" The extraordinary rain during the wheat harvest in the days of Samuel remains a significant biblical event, illustrating the interplay between divine sovereignty, prophetic authority, and human responsibility. It serves as a reminder of the importance of faithfulness to God's covenant and the consequences of straying from His ordained path. Torrey's Topical Textbook 1 Samuel 12:17,18Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call to the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king. Torrey's Topical Textbook Library In the Fifteenth Year of Tiberius C??sar and under the Pontificate ... Lives of Faith and Trust CHAP. I. -II. 3 (II. 1). The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus The Tabernacle of the Most High Another Wonderful Record of 25. The Pilgrim's Progress part i Resources What does it mean that the Word of God will not return void? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the canopy theory? | GotQuestions.org What is the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal? | GotQuestions.org Rain: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Subtopics Rain of Christ in the Communication of his Graces Rain of the Doctrine of Faithful Ministers Rain: (Destructive) of a Poor Man Oppressing the Poor Rain: (Destructive) of God's Judgments Rain: Answer to Prayer For, Promised Rain: Canaan Abundantly Supplied With Rain: Contingent Upon Obedience Rain: Designed For: Making Fruitful the Earth Rain: Designed For: Refreshing the Earth Rain: Designed For: Replenishing the Springs and Fountains of the Earth Rain: Divided Into: Overflowing Rain: Extraordinary: After Long Drought in Ahab's Reign Rain: Extraordinary: After the Captivity Rain: Extraordinary: During Wheat Harvest in the Days of Samuel Rain: Extraordinary: Plague of, Upon Egypt Rain: Extraordinary: Time of the Flood Rain: Forty Days of, at the Time of the Great Flood of Noah Rain: Frequently Withheld on Account of Iniquity Rain: God Causes, to Come Down Rain: God Exhibits Goodness in Giving Rain: God Exhibits Greatness in Giving Rain: God Sends Upon the Evil and Good Rain: God should be Feared on Account of Rain: God should be Praised For Rain: Impotence of Idols Exhibited in not Being Able to Give Rain: Miraculously Caused by Elijah Rain: Miraculously Caused by Samuel Rain: North Wind Unfavorable To Rain: Not Sent Upon the Earth Immediately After Creation Rain: Occasioned by the Condensing of the Clouds Rain: Often Impeded Travelling in the East Rain: Often Succeeded by Heat and Sunshine Rain: Promised in Due Season to the Obedient Rain: Rainy Season in Palestine is in the Ninth Month, Corresponding to December Rain: Storm and Tempest often With Rain: The Appearance of a Cloud from the West Indicated Rain: The Earth Will Never Again be Destroyed By Rain: The Former, After Harvest, to Prepare for Sowing Rain: The Lack of Causes the Earth to Open Rain: The Lack of Dries up Springs and Fountains Rain: The Lack of Occasions Famine Rain: The Lack of Removed by Prayer Rain: The Latter, Before Harvest Rain: The North Wind Drives Away Rain: The Plague of, Upon Egypt Rain: The Rainbow often Appears During Rain: Thunder and Lightning often With Rain: Withheld for Three Years and Six Months in the Days of Elijah Rain: Withheld, in Answer to Prayer Related Terms Thunder-flames (8 Occurrences) |
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