Showers of Blessing

"And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them." (Ezekiel 34: 25-27)

It was this precious promise that no doubt inspired Fannie Crosby, the famous Christian songwriter, to write a song entitled "Showers of Blessings."

There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.

There shall be showers of blessing,
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.

There shall be showers of blessing;
Send them upon us, O Lord;
Grant to us now a refreshing,
Come, and now honor Thy Word.

There shall be showers of blessing:
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now as to God we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call!

Chorus
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.

This is truly a great promise! It is a perfect description of life in the ages to come, in the "new heavens and new earth," in the "world to come." This promise is not to all men, but only to those who have been saved and forgiven of sin.

It is difficult to imagine such a world! A perfect world, one without "curse," knowing only "blessing." This is the kind of world that God originally intended, and one Adam and Eve, to a great degree, enjoyed in the Garden of Eden, before they sinned.

It will be different, however, for the wicked, and those who have refused to reconcile to God. They shall be "rained upon," yes, but it will be no "showers of blessing," but a horrible tempest.

When the Lord judged the wicked cities it is said that "Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven." (Genesis 19:24)

When the Lord announced judgment wicked Pharoah and Egypt, the Lord promised:

"I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now." (Exodus 9:18)

He has promised an awful downpour of judgments upon all the wicked.

"Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup." (Psalm 11: 6)

What is it that awaits you? a gentle rain of blessings or a destructive downpour of wrath and awful judgment?

To his faithful people, in the Old Testament, God said:

"Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you." (Exodus 16: 14)

And, he did do as he promised, for we read:

"And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven." (Psalm 78: 24)

It was asked: "Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of dew?" (Job 38:28)

Yes, nature does have a father. Father nature. He begets and fathers the rain and the dew drops. He is the waterer.

"In the light of the king's countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain." (Proverbs 16: 15)

The favor and grace of God, his pleasing and smiling face, will ensure that one will be blessed abundantly, God "opening the windows of heaven" and fulfilling his promise to "pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it"! (Malachi 3:10)

"Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things." (Jeremiah 14: 22)

"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." (Hosea 10: 12)

"Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field." (Zechariah 10: 1)

Friend, are you destined for "showers of blessing" or an "horrible destructive tempest"?