Topical Bible: Famine: Caused by Want of Seasonable Rain

◄ Famine: Caused by Want of Seasonable Rain ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

Famine, a severe shortage of food resulting in widespread hunger, is a recurring theme in the Bible, often depicted as a consequence of the lack of seasonable rain. In the agrarian societies of the biblical world, rain was essential for the growth of crops and the sustenance of livestock. The absence of rain, therefore, led to failed harvests and subsequent famine, which was sometimes interpreted as a divine response to the people's actions.

Biblical Instances and Interpretations

1. Deuteronomy 11:13-17: In this passage, God promises the Israelites that if they faithfully obey His commandments, He will provide rain for their land in its season, ensuring bountiful harvests. Conversely, if they turn away to worship other gods, He warns that He will "shut the heavens so that there will be no rain, and the land will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the LORD is giving you" . This conditional promise underscores the belief that obedience to God results in blessings, while disobedience leads to curses, including famine.

2. 1 Kings 17:1: The prophet Elijah declares to King Ahab that there will be neither dew nor rain in the coming years except at his word. This drought, which leads to famine, is a direct consequence of Israel's idolatry and the worship of Baal, a Canaanite deity associated with rain and fertility. Elijah's pronouncement and the subsequent famine serve as a powerful demonstration of the LORD's sovereignty over nature and His authority over false gods.

3. 2 Chronicles 7:13-14: Here, God speaks to Solomon, saying, "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among My people, if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land" . This passage highlights the connection between national repentance and divine intervention to restore rain and fertility to the land.

4. Jeremiah 14:1-6: The prophet Jeremiah describes a severe drought in Judah, where the ground is cracked, and the farmers are dismayed because there is no rain. The lack of water leads to a dire famine, illustrating the physical and spiritual desolation of the people. Jeremiah's lamentation reflects the broader theme of divine judgment and the need for repentance.

Theological Significance

In the biblical narrative, famine caused by the lack of rain is often portrayed as a tool of divine discipline, intended to bring the people back to a covenant relationship with God. It serves as a reminder of human dependence on God's provision and the importance of faithfulness to His commandments. The recurring motif of famine due to drought underscores the belief in God's control over the natural world and His willingness to use environmental conditions to communicate with His people.

Practical Implications

For the biblical audience, the threat of famine due to insufficient rain was a tangible reminder of the need for spiritual vigilance and obedience. It called for a communal response of repentance and prayer, seeking God's mercy and restoration. This understanding of famine as a divine instrument continues to resonate in contemporary discussions about the relationship between faith, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Kings 17:1
And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jeremiah 14:1-4
The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Amos 4:7
And also I have withheld the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain on one city, and caused it not to rain on another city: one piece was rained on, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Uproar in Ephesus.
... it, those craftsmen would starve for want of employment. ... to the individuals who had
caused the insurrection ... drought, which was followed by famine and pestilence ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xxiii the uproar in.htm

A Treatise of the Fear of God;
... hosts" (Isaiah 6:5). But do you think that this outcry was caused by unbelief ... 4.
The judgments that sometimes God hath executed upon men for their want of godly ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a treatise of the fear.htm

The Holy City; Or, the New Jerusalem:
... Never were kind and seasonable showers more profitable to the ... The want of this hath,
to this day, been ... among the saints, and that hath caused that lingering ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the holy city or the.htm

A Discourse
... It is a grievous mistake to suppose that vital godliness caused the great rebellion,
and consequent beheading of King Charles I. It was frightful and most ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a discourse.htm