Topical Bible: Rain: Divided Into: Small

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In the biblical context, rain is often seen as a blessing from God, a sign of His provision and care for His creation. The division of rain into "small" refers to the gentle, light rain that nourishes the earth without overwhelming it. This type of rain is significant in Scripture, symbolizing God's grace and the subtle ways in which He sustains life.

Biblical References:

1. Deuteronomy 32:2 : "Let my teaching fall like rain and my speech settle like dew, like gentle rain on new grass, like showers on tender plants." This verse uses the imagery of gentle rain to describe the way God's teachings and words nurture and sustain His people. The comparison to small rain highlights the importance of consistent, gentle instruction and the quiet yet profound impact of divine wisdom.

2. Job 36:27-28 : "For He draws up drops of water which distill the rain from the mist, which the clouds pour out and shower abundantly on mankind." Here, the process of rain formation is described, emphasizing God's control over even the smallest drops of water. The passage illustrates how God orchestrates the natural world, ensuring that even the smallest rains serve a purpose in His creation.

3. Isaiah 55:10-11 : "For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it." This passage draws a parallel between the effectiveness of God's word and the nourishing effect of rain. The small rain, like God's word, is purposeful and life-giving, ensuring growth and sustenance.

Theological Significance:

In the biblical narrative, small rain is often associated with God's gentle and sustaining presence. It is a reminder of His ongoing care and the subtle ways in which He works in the world. Unlike torrential downpours, which can be destructive, small rain is nurturing and life-giving, symbolizing the grace and mercy of God that quietly but effectively supports His creation.

Symbolism and Application:

Small rain can be seen as a metaphor for the quiet workings of God in the lives of believers. Just as small rain nourishes the earth, God's gentle guidance and provision sustain His people. This imagery encourages believers to recognize and appreciate the subtle ways in which God is at work in their lives, often unnoticed but always essential.

In practical terms, small rain serves as a reminder of the importance of patience and trust in God's timing. Just as the earth relies on the steady, gentle rain for growth, believers are called to rely on God's consistent and faithful provision, trusting that He will meet their needs in His perfect way.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Job 37:6
For he said to the snow, Be you on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

'Clear Shining after Rain'
... as embracing the whole earth, but as affecting the small area then ... the ark grounded,
and the two sources, the rain from above ... That time was divided into stages ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/clear shining after rain.htm

How Bishop Wilfrid Converted the Province of the South Saxons to ...
... name was Dicul, who had a very small monastery, at ... there fell a soft but plentiful
rain; the earth ... fishes of divers sorts, which being divided into three parts ...
/.../bede/bedes ecclesiastical history of england/chap xiii how bishop wilfrid.htm

The Description of Jerusalem.
... upper rooms, and cisterns to receive rain-water. ... height was twenty-five cubits, and
divided into several parts ... by the hand of the artificers into their present ...
/.../chapter 4 the description of.htm

Past Knowledge.
... rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the ... I know a little island
where the society, small enough already, is divided into certain classes ...
/.../the life of duty a years plain sermons v 2/sermon li past knowledge.htm

Upon the Gathering Together of the Waters.
... in opposition ponds and accumulations of rain water, and ... fire, in spite of its being
divided into minute particles ... water, in spite of the small amount spread ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/homily iv upon the gathering.htm

The Creation of Luminous Bodies.
... reddish it threatens us either with heavy rain or with ... ones, and these last are again
divided into sixty. ... happen whilst the sun is passing into northern regions ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/homily vi the creation of.htm

Methodism.
... first ed. Bristol, 1771 sqq., in 32 small vols. ... ignorant colliers early and late,
in rain and snow ... Christians in England and America are divided into a number ...
/.../creeds of christendom with a history and critical notes/ 109 methodism.htm

The Potency of Prayer Hath Subdued the Strength of Fire...
... and opens and shuts the storehouses of rain, it unlocks ... His life was not divided
into compartments, the one shut off ... the habit of prayer we enter into a new ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bounds/purpose in prayer/chapter iv the potency of.htm

The Survival of the Fittest.
... as the result of a forty days' rain; but according ... six stories, each of which was
divided into nine parts. ... to Babylonia, they naturally came into contact again ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/kent/the making of a nation/study iv the survival of.htm

The Israelites
... Canaan, produced by the absence of rain, which made ... Israel was a house divided against
itself, and planted ... should bring its discordant elements into peace and ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter i the israelites.htm