2nd Chronicles 7:12 And the Lord ".... " said unto him"..... 13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
This passage of scripture teaches the inhabitants of the earth what should be done when severe drought, such as is currently taking place in California, overshadows the land. The city of angels, Los Angeles, is located in California, and thus the above passage should be carefully considered as the inhabitants thereof struggle with the devastating drought which will affect all of us sooner or later. There are certain states which represent the bread bowl of America, for tropical produce and extensive farming are carried on routinely in those areas because of the conducive climate, and therefore any drought which adversely affects those states, will ultimately affect everyone, for we will all soon feel the pinch at the local supermarkets and groceries.
However modern science believes that the systems of nature operate in a vacuum, and are totally independent of an Intelligent Supreme Being, and because of this the recurring seasons, and the rain which waters the earth are relegated to "Mother nature", an abstract reference which subtly eliminates God from the human equation. So whenever we receive any gentle reminders to the contrary, in the form of droughts, and apparent capricious outbreaks of nature, the Bible teaches us that it is time to pray, and confess and forsake sin, for the scripture teaches us the distinct truth, that conscious indulgence in sin does affect the weather systems of earth in adverse ways, whereas obedience to the laws of God bring rain in due season, a fact that is well documented several times in the Bible. Let's read:
Leviticus 26:3 If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; 4 Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. 5 And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.
Deuteronomy 11:13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. 15 And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full.
Deuteronomy 28:15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: 23 And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron. 24 The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee"....
One of the great misconceptions today is the belief that passages such as these pertain only to those who have entered into a covenant relationship with God, and because of this erroneous belief, many people, even amongst us as Christians, chalk up such occurrences to mere bad luck or coincidence, and so the real cause and triggering mechanisms are hidden from view. But the Bible teaches us the sacred truth that God's jurisdiction extends over the entire earth, yea the entire universe, and therefore those pagan nations which have utterly rejected the very concept of God, are also subject to Divine interference from time to time, as God sees fit. Let's read:
\Genesis 41:28 This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh. 29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: 30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; 31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous. 32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
In our day the modern scientific world has all but thrown God out of their thinking through the teachings of evolution, and some states are now even demanding that alternative lifestyles be taught as an integral part of the school curriculum. Thus sin has piled upon sin, and iniquity has found friends in high places, so when the natural results occur in the distortions and upheavals of nature, the Bible says it is time to pray.
In verse 14 of our passage for today, the word "If" is used, meaning that "If" we humble ourselves and admit our sins and errors, God will once again restore the rain that is so desperately needed. But "If" we harden our hearts like pharaoh, and do not acknowledge our wrongs, then it may be that the drought may be intensified as in the days of Elijah, to the point where a fearful toll on man and beast is experienced. Thus we are admonished to pray, in order to mitigate the drought in California, for they as well as ourselves, are the subjects of God's jurisdiction, and it is never His will that unnecessary suffering and hardship come upon us, in order to bring us to our knees.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to pray in desperate times like these, and the same God who answered Elijah in ages past, by sending the much needed rain upon the earth, will once again open up the heavenly spigot, so that citizens and farmers alike may find relief. Let's read:
James 5:16 Confess your faults".... "and pray one for another, that ye may be healed".... 17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!