Biblical Winters

 

[Young Elihu to Job & company]

"God's voice thunders with marvelous things;

He does great things we cannot deeply know.

For to the snow He says, 'Fall on the earth,'

And to the shower of rain, Be mighty rain torrents'...

From the Breath of God ice is given,

     And the broad waters are frozen."  (Job 37:5, 6, 10)

Praise Yahweh from the earth:

Fire and hail, snow and clouds, 

Strong wind doing His will...

Let them praise the Name of Yahweh,

For His Name alone is exalted;

His splendor is above the earth and heavens. (Psalm 148: 7a, 8, 13)

He sends forth His command to the earth;

His word runs swiftly forth.

He dispenses snow as wool;

He scatters hoar-frost as ashes.

He hurls His hail as fragments--

Who can stand before His icy cold?

He sends forth His word and melts them;

He causes the wind to blow,

         and the waters flow.  (Psalm 147: 15-18)

[Yahweh says]

"For just as the rain comes down

     And the snow from the heavens

     And does not return there

     Without watering the earth,

Causing it to bring forth and sprout

     So that it yields seed to the sower

      And bread to the eater,

Thus is My Word which goes forth from My mouth:

It does not return to me void,

But does what I delighted

And advances those things for which I sent it."  (Isaiah 55: 10-11)

"Come, now, let us reason together.

Though your sins are like scarlet,

They shall be as white as snow;

Though they are red as crimson,

They shall be [white] like wool."  (Isaiah 1:18)

[King David leads us in saying]

"Cleanse me with hyssop* and I shall be clean;

Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."  (Psalm 51:7)

(original translations c.m.b.)

*Ezov, the hyssop of the Bible-- a flowering herb in the mint family, which was used for cleansing. The plant was used to "sprinkle" liquids.  A hyssop stalk was used to life a sponge to Jesus' lips as He hung on the cross, to give Him something to wet His lips as He thirsted.