The Woman at the Well - The Creation of Rain

 

T he Creation of Rain

 

[Natural and Spiritual]

Jeremiah 10:13

 

Ecclesiastes 11:3          Job 36:27 

God longs to arise within us. He longs for you and me to stir Him. All too often, Christians fail to realise that God lives within them. As a parallel to the days of Noah, the waters fell in abundance from the heavens (EXTERNALLY), an in addition to this, the FOUNTAINS OF THE GREAT DEEP WERE BROKEN UP (INTERNALLY). This is the significant spiritual application of this truth, referring to the DEEP within the believer's spirit.

Seek God in all earnestness. Endeavour to BREAK UP THE FALLOW GROUND, and He will RAIN righteousness upon you. To explain that your heart is hard and that it can not be changed is not only incorrect, it is an excuse offered to refrain from seeking the face of the Lord. YOUR SPIRIT CAN BE CHANGED!

Hosea 10:11,12 And Ephraim is an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall brake his clods. Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, TILL HE COME and RAIN righteousness upon you.

Matthew 8:23-27 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the SHIP WAS COVERED WITH THE WAVES: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he said unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he AROSE, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

Mark 4:35-41 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves BEAT INTO THE SHIP, so that is was NOW FULL. And HE WAS IN THE HINDER PART OF THE SHIP, ASLEEP ON A PILLOW: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he AROSE, and rebuked the Wind and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

Luke 8:22-25 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, LET US GO OVER UNTO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LAKE. And they launched forth. But as they sailed HE FELL ASLEEP: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were FILLED WITH WATER, and were in JEOPARDY. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he AROSE, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and the water, and they obey him.

The focal point of this miracle has traditionally been the Lord Jesus speaking to the winds and the waves and those elements obeying Him. All three references in the Gospels are cited here that a compiling and blending of all the facts may be seen and clearly understood.

The main point that is so readily overlooked is the word of the Lord Jesus, the Son of the living God, "Let us go over unto the other side of the lake." The word has been spoken, yet, as with so many modern day disciples, as soon as the storm arises, the spoken word of God is forgotten. As far as Jesus was concerned, He was crossing over to the other side of the lake in this ship, and that's all there was to it! Upon the strength of that which was SPOKEN, Jesus went to the aft of the vessel, PUT HIS HEAD ON A PILLOW, AND WENT TO SLEEP. That was that! The rising of the storm was to Him, purely coincidental. Irrespective of how strong the wind blew, irrespective of how savage the seas became, irrespective of how full the boat became of water to the point of almost sinking, irrespective of the lives of the disciples being in jeopardy, JESUS REMAINED ASLEEP. HE WAS OBLIVIOUS TO IT ALL. Here is the epitome of peace. He was sleeping like a baby in the midst of a life-destroying storm. THIS is the major point of the miracle. JESUS HAD ABSOLUTE FAITH IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM THAT HE WAS GOING OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LAKE. It was a LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN HIS WORD that drew the statement from the master, "Where is your faith?" "Why are ye so fearful, O ye of little faith?", and, "How is it that ye have no faith?" He had not rebuked the wind and the raging sea at this specific point in time.

Though there is an exercise of faith in speaking to the wind and the sea, though the words are uttered, "What manner of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey Him", the focal point of the miracle is the ABSOLUTE FAITH JESUS SHOWS IN THE WORD!

This illustration shows the vital importance of believing and resting upon the Word of the Lord.

And what of us? Are we really any different from the disciples of old? We have the same spoken word of God - WE ARE GOING THROUGH. However, when the storms of life arise against us, it is all too common for our eyes and attention to fix our gaze upon this, and subsequently relegate the Word of the Lord to the background. But what is the Christian to do in real-life situations as this? He is to emulate the apostles before him. Call the Master! Stir the Master on the vessel. Wake the Master. Shake the Master. Our vessel is ourselves. Oh, how Jesus is waiting for His people to STIR HIM when they find themselves caught in the storms of life. Master, carest thou not? Master, do something! He will, if we will but wake Him, and stir Him into action.