Topical Bible: Summer: Drought of

◄ Summer: Drought of ►

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In the biblical context, the summer season often brings to mind the intense heat and the potential for drought, a recurring theme throughout the Scriptures. The Bible frequently uses drought as a symbol of divine judgment, spiritual barrenness, and a call to repentance. The arid climate of the ancient Near East made the threat of drought a significant concern for the agrarian societies of biblical times.

Biblical Instances and Symbolism

1. Judgment and Consequence: Drought is often depicted as a consequence of Israel's disobedience to God. In Deuteronomy 28:23-24 , God warns the Israelites of the consequences of turning away from His commandments: "The sky over your head will be bronze, and the earth beneath you iron. The LORD will turn the rain of your land into dust and powder; it will descend on you from the sky until you are destroyed." This passage highlights the severity of drought as a divine punishment.

2. Prophetic Warnings: The prophets frequently spoke of drought as a sign of God's displeasure. In Jeremiah 14:1-6 , the prophet laments the drought in Judah, describing the parched land and the suffering of both people and animals. This serves as a vivid illustration of the spiritual desolation that accompanies a nation's departure from God.

3. Call to Repentance: Drought is also used as a catalyst for repentance and turning back to God. In 1 Kings 17, the prophet Elijah declares a drought over Israel as a direct challenge to the worship of Baal, the Canaanite storm god. This event sets the stage for a dramatic demonstration of God's power and a call for the people to return to the worship of Yahweh.

4. Spiritual Metaphor: Beyond its literal meaning, drought is employed metaphorically to describe spiritual dryness and the need for divine intervention. In Psalm 63:1 , David expresses his deep longing for God: "O God, You are my God; earnestly I seek You. My soul thirsts for You; my body longs for You in a dry and weary land without water." This imagery captures the soul's yearning for the refreshment that only God can provide.

5. Divine Provision and Restoration: Despite the harshness of drought, the Bible also emphasizes God's ability to provide and restore. In Joel 2:23-24 , the prophet speaks of God's promise to send rain and restore the years the locusts have eaten, symbolizing hope and renewal: "Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God, for He has given you the autumn rains for your vindication. He sends you showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before."

Theological Implications

The theme of drought in the Bible underscores the dependence of humanity on God's provision and the importance of obedience to His will. It serves as a reminder of the consequences of sin and the necessity of repentance. At the same time, it highlights God's mercy and readiness to restore those who turn back to Him. The imagery of drought and rain reflects the broader biblical narrative of judgment and redemption, illustrating the spiritual truths that transcend the physical realities of the ancient world.

Nave's Topical Index

Psalm 32:4
For day and night your hand was heavy on me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Psalm 32
... thine hand did heavy lie,. So that my moisture turned is. in summer's drought
thereby. ^5I thereupon have unto thee. my sin acknowledged,. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/scottish psalter and paraphrases/psalm 32.htm

The Waterer Watered
... waste itself, for the deep fountains in the bowels of the earth continue unceasingly
to supply it, and both in winter's frost and summer's drought the spring ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/the waterer watered.htm

The Man after God's Own Heart
... In spring-time it is not sown, and in summer drought it cannot fail. In
harvest it is not reaped, yet the storehouse is ever full. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/drummond/the ideal life/the man after gods own.htm

Forgiveness
... complaining. For Thy hand was heavy on me night and day: my moisture was turned
to the drought of summer.' Then he had tried sacrifices. He ...
/.../kingsley/sermons for the times/sermon xix forgiveness.htm

The Sower.
... Where the earth is soft underneath, and so permits the roots to penetrate its depths,
the towering stalks defy the summer's drought; but where the roots are ...
//christianbookshelf.org/arnot/the parables of our lord/i the sower.htm

Concerning Light, Fire, the Luminaries, Sun, Moon and Stars.
... holds a place midway between summer and winter, combining the dryness of summer
with the ... But we hold that we get from them signs of rain and drought, cold and ...
/.../john/exposition of the orthodox faith/chapter vii concerning light fire the.htm

A Letter from a West Indian Cottage Ornee
... But to the inhabitants they are tokens of those fearful fires which raged over the
island during the long drought of this summer; when the forests were burning ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter v a letter from.htm

A visit to the Harvest Field
... to cold dews, chilling frosts, stormy blasts; you have had the trial of the vapory
fog, the icy winter, the fickle spring, and the summer drought; but it is ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/a visit to the harvest.htm

Job --Groping
... the day long. For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture
is turned into the drought of summer. I acknowledged my ...
//christianbookshelf.org/whyte/lord teach us to pray/vii jobgroping.htm

Confession of Sin Illustrated by the Cases of Dr. Pritchard and ...
... Its effects were visible upon his outward frame; "his bones waxed old;" "his moisture
was turned into the drought of summer." No remedy could he find, until he ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 11 1865/confession of sin illustrated by.htm