The biblical account of Samuel calling forth thunder and rain during the harvest season is a significant demonstration of God's power and a testament to Samuel's role as a prophet and judge over Israel. This event is recorded in 1 Samuel 12, where Samuel addresses the Israelites at Gilgal.

Context and Background

Samuel, the last of the judges and a prophet, played a crucial role in guiding Israel during a transitional period from theocracy to monarchy. After the Israelites demanded a king to rule over them like other nations, God instructed Samuel to anoint Saul as the first king of Israel. Despite this, Samuel remained a spiritual leader and continued to admonish the people to follow God's commandments.

The Miracle

In 1 Samuel 12:16-18 , Samuel addresses the people, reminding them of their sin in asking for a king. To underscore the seriousness of their actions and to affirm his words, Samuel calls upon the Lord to send a miraculous sign:

"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."

Samuel's invocation of thunder and rain during the wheat harvest was particularly significant because it was an unusual and potentially damaging occurrence. The wheat harvest typically took place during the dry season, and rain at this time could ruin the crops, serving as a powerful sign of divine intervention.

Significance

The miracle of thunder and rain served multiple purposes. Firstly, it validated Samuel's authority as a prophet and confirmed that his words were from God. Secondly, it acted as a tangible demonstration of God's displeasure with the Israelites' demand for a king, highlighting their lack of faith and trust in God's direct rule. Lastly, it was a call to repentance, urging the people to recognize their wrongdoing and return to faithful obedience to God.

The People's Response

The Israelites' reaction to the miracle was one of fear and repentance. In 1 Samuel 12:19 , the people acknowledge their sin and plead with Samuel to intercede on their behalf:

"Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die, for we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for a king."

Samuel reassures them of God's mercy, urging them to serve the Lord with all their heart and to turn away from idolatry. This event underscores the theme of God's willingness to forgive and restore those who genuinely repent and seek His guidance.

Conclusion

The miracle of thunder and rain during the harvest, wrought through Samuel, stands as a powerful reminder of God's sovereignty and the importance of obedience to His will. It highlights the role of prophets as God's messengers and the need for the people of God to remain faithful, even amidst societal pressures and desires for conformity.1 Samuel 12:18
So Samuel called to the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Book ii. Jerome Answers the Second, Third, and Fourth Propositions ...
... If he putteth no trust in his servants, and chargeth ... who, while he was fasting, had
wrought miracles, no sooner ... sing how the righteous passed through the Red ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/book ii jerome answers the.htm

Beginning at Jerusalem. --Luke xxiv. 47.
... only despised his person, doctrine, and miracles, but that a ... to work upon, as will,
if wrought up to ... shines, when it worketh towards Christ, through the sides ...
/.../bunyan/jerusalem sinner saved/beginning at jerusalem luke xxiv 47.htm

The Jerusalem Sinner Saved;
... not only despised his person, doctrine, and miracles, but that ... to work upon, as will,
if wrought up to ... shines, when it worketh towards Christ, through the sides ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the jerusalem sinner saved.htm

Another Wonderful Record of 25.
... to that faith to say, the age of miracles is past ... so impressed with the thought of
him, and so wrought upon that ... After a jaunt through the storm and snow in the ...
/.../various/the wonders of prayer/another wonderful record of 25 00.htm

The Holy City; Or, the New Jerusalem:
... lift up his head against his servants, but his ... Which knowledge shall then strike
through the heart and ... light, even the illuminating grace of God, especially in ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the holy city or the.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... While these were passing through the mountains they called upon ... O ye Philistines,
that ye be not servants unto the ... of the Lord, where the ark of God was, that ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

The Strait Gate;
... and the hearer, the workers of miracles, and workers ... themselves] to this ministry,
how they wrought for him ... may go a great way; they may pass through the first ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the strait gate.htm

part i
... this same Cross and name of Christ do not perform any miracles, until I ... When you
see your body wasted through sickness, do not murmur against God, but say ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part i.htm

The Pilgrim's Progress
... his dream, the man that cut his way through his enemies ... and so, with the Man that
hath wrought it for ... They also began to vilify His servants, and to count the ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the pilgrims progress.htm

Are the miracles in the Bible to be taken literally? | GotQuestions.org

How can we discern counterfeit miracles? | GotQuestions.org

What are the greatest miracles in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

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