Topical Encyclopedia
In the Bible, rain is often depicted as a symbol of God's provision and blessing, as well as His judgment and discipline. The concept of "rainy" weather is closely tied to these themes, reflecting both the nurturing and corrective aspects of God's relationship with His people.
Provision and BlessingRain is frequently associated with God's provision for His creation. In the agricultural societies of the biblical world, rain was essential for the growth of crops and the sustenance of life. The Bible often portrays rain as a direct blessing from God, a sign of His favor and care. In
Deuteronomy 11:14, God promises the Israelites, "I will provide rain for your land in its season, the autumn and spring rains, that you may gather your grain, new wine, and oil." Here, rain is depicted as a divine gift that ensures the prosperity and well-being of the people.
The prophet Isaiah also speaks of rain as a metaphor for God's word and its life-giving power: "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" (
Isaiah 55:10-11). This passage highlights the nourishing and transformative power of both physical rain and spiritual truth.
Judgment and DisciplineConversely, the absence of rain is often depicted as a form of divine judgment or discipline. In the Old Testament, droughts and famines are sometimes described as consequences of the people's disobedience and idolatry. In
1 Kings 17:1, the prophet Elijah declares to King Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there will be neither dew nor rain in these years except at my word." This pronouncement of drought serves as a direct challenge to the worship of Baal, a Canaanite deity associated with rain and fertility, and underscores the sovereignty of the God of Israel.
The withholding of rain is also used as a warning to encourage repentance and return to God. In
2 Chronicles 7:13-14, God says, "If I shut the sky so there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send a plague among My people, and 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." Here, the lack of rain is a call to spiritual renewal and obedience.
Symbolism and ImageryRainy weather in the Bible is rich with symbolic meaning. It represents both the sustenance and the sovereignty of God, illustrating His ability to provide for His people and to discipline them when necessary. The dual nature of rain as both a blessing and a potential curse serves as a reminder of the covenant relationship between God and His people, where obedience leads to blessing and disobedience to correction.
In the New Testament, Jesus uses the imagery of rain to illustrate God's impartial kindness: "He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (
Matthew 5:45). This passage emphasizes God's grace and the universal nature of His care, extending His blessings to all humanity regardless of their moral standing.
Overall, the concept of "rainy" in the Bible encapsulates the dynamic interaction between divine provision and human responsibility, reflecting the broader theological themes of covenant, blessing, and judgment.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
a.) Abounding with rain; wet; showery; as, rainy weather; a rainy day or season.
Greek
5494. cheimon -- winter, a storm... winter, a storm. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: cheimon Phonetic
Spelling: (khi-mone') Short Definition: a tempest, the
rainy season Definition
...3914. paracheimazo -- to winter at
... winter. From para and cheimazo; to winter near, ie Stay with over therainy
season -- winter. see GREEK para. see GREEK cheimazo....
5204. hudor -- water
... water. And genitive case, hudatos (hoo'-dat-os), etc. From the base of huetos; water
(as ifrainy) literally or figuratively -- water. see GREEK huetos....
4406. proimos -- early rain, early crops.
... early rain, early crops. From proi; dawning, ie (by analogy) autumnal (showering,
the first of therainy season) -- early. see GREEK proi....
Strong's Hebrew
5464. sagrir -- steady or persistent rain... very
rainy. Probably from cagar in the sense of sweeping away; a pouring rain --
very
rainy. see HEBREW cagar. 5463, 5464. sagrir. 5465 . Strong's Numbers.
1653. geshem -- rain, shower
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition rain, shower NASB Word Usage downpour
and the rain* (1), rain (24), rains (1),rainy (2), shower (3), showers (2...
3139. Yorah -- an Israelite family
... family NASB Word Usage Jorah (1). Jorah. From yarah;rainy; Jorah, an Israelite --
Jorah. see HEBREW yarah. 3138, 3139. Yorah. 3140 . Strong's Numbers.
3140. Yoray -- "He teaches," a Gadite
... Word Origin from yarah Definition "He teaches," a Gadite NASB Word Usage Jorai
(1). Jorai. From yarah;rainy; Jorai, an Israelite -- Jorai. see HEBREW yarah....
4309. Matri -- a Benjamite family
... Word Origin from matar Definition a Benjamite family NASB Word Usage Matrite (1).
Matri. From matar;rainy; Matri, an Israelite -- Matri. see HEBREW matar....
Library
The First Year --Society and Climate.
... in the North-Western Provinces, the one melting gradually into the other"the hot
season beginning in March and ending in June, therainy season beginning...
Hints to Teachers and Questions for Pupils
... external features of the period embraced in this chapter compare the corresponding
pages of Hausrath; on the internal features see PrincipalRainy's lecture on...
The River of Life
... rose from a crevice in the Temple rock, and beneath that rock stretched the valley
of the Kedron, dry and bleached in the summer, and arainy torrent during...
Kumaon.
... Attempts have been made on a small scale to cultivate the grape, gooseberry, and
currant, but the excessive rainfall of therainy season has been found...
The Record of a Quaker Conscience
... Much of thatrainy day I spent in my chamber, as yet unaware of my fate; in writing
and reading and in reflecting to compose my mind for any event....
From the Close of the General Conference in 1796, to the...
... [4] I must he made perfect through sufferings. I rest inrainy weather, and
have to ride from eighty to one hundred miles in a week....
Appendix.
... Dale's well-known Lectures. On Philippians:Rainy in the Expositor's Bible,
and Jowett's The High Calling. On Colossians: Maclaren's...
Soul-Rest.
... You think the reason your peace of soul is disturbed is that Mrs. Garrulous talked
about you, or that the weather israiny and disagreeable, or that the...
Association
... You become members of them, because you are prudent, or provident, that is,
because you are careful, and look forward to arainy day....
The Expositor's Bible.
... 1 Kings. By the Very Rev. the Dean of Canterbury. Philippians. By PrincipalRAINY,
DD. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. By Prof. WF ADENEY, MA. Joshua. By Prof....
Thesaurus
Rainy (3 Occurrences)... Noah Webster's Dictionary (a.) Abounding with rain; wet; showery; as,
rainy weather;
a
rainy day or season. Multi-Version Concordance
Rainy (3 Occurrences).
...Winter (22 Occurrences)
... win'-ter (choreph, from charaph, "to inundate," "overflow"): Therainy season, also
the autumn harvest season (Genesis 8:22 Psalm 74:17 Zechariah 14:8). It is...
Wet (25 Occurrences)
... 2. (superl.) Very damp;rainy; as, wet weather; a wet season.... 6. (a.)Rainy weather;
foggy or misty weather. 7. (n.) A dram; a drink. 8. (imp. & pp) of Wet....
Inches (1 Occurrence)
... 4. Dry andRainy Seasons; The rainfall is largely on the western slopes of the
mountains facing the sea, while on the eastern slopes there is very little....
Rainfall
... 4. Dry andRainy Seasons; The rainfall is largely on the western slopes of the
mountains facing the sea, while on the eastern slopes there is very little....
Bul (1 Occurrence)
...Rainy, the eighth ecclesiastical month of the year (1 Kings 6:38), and the second
month of the civil year; later called Marchesvan (qv). (see MONTH.). Int....
Season (101 Occurrences)
... Some parts of the world have three seasons, -- the dry, therainy, and the
cold; other parts have but two, -- the dry and therainy....
Dropping (33 Occurrences)
... droppings" of rain through a leaking roof (roofs were usually made of clay in Palestine,
and always liable to cracks and leakage) on a "veryrainy day" is...
Time (7245 Occurrences)
... lands a month or two later. The fruit harvest comes in summer proper and
continues until therainy season. "The time when kings go...
Resources
What is the significance of Egypt in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is a glory cloud? Is a glory cloud biblical? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does God look like? | GotQuestions.orgRainy: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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