Floods In The Pacific Northwest Compared With Rain In "Due Season" In The Millennium
The floods which ravaged the Pacific Northwest in the areas of Northern California, Oregon, and Washington during December and January were described by one hydrologist as "a once-in-a-thousand years' storm." One United States Forest Service report likened the deluge to a "hydraulic hose gone wild." The magnitude of the damage is still uncalculated. The waters just came and continued to come until 24 inches of warm rain, in a 5-day period, had been dumped upon a heavy snow pack on the heights of the Sierra, Cascade, and Trinity Mountains. About 50 persons lost their lives; and highways, bridges, and railroads were washed out. Many months of costly rebuilding will be required to restore the transportation system of the vast area. One railroad is reported to have lost 92 freight cars which are presumed to have been washed out to sea; many more are covered with mud and debris.
The two states of California and Oregon estimated their damages to highways and bridges at $84,000,000. All of this is in addition to the losses incurred by individuals, corporations, and municipalities. There is widespread unemployment in the lumbering region because of these things. Homes were torn from their foundations and soon became a part of the general wreckage. It is estimated that there is an accumulated damage of at least one billion dollars.
We were much interested in a report of the United States meteorology department which gave its accounting for the causes of the strange weather. The men who study the weather explained that usually there is what they call a Pacific High, which is a mass of high-pressure air that occupies most of the area between Alaska and Hawaii. This normally shields California in winter from the rain-bearing oceanic winds. This time, the Pacific High broke into two parts, the one moving southward to the latitude of Mexico, and the other moving northward to the Gulf of Alaska. Through the resulting low-pressure gap, warm, moist, tropical air flowed into Northern California, inundating cities and hamlets. The department further reported that at one time the break in the Pacific High seemed to have gone back together, but then it broke away again, and the storm repeated.
We were impressed by the lack of agreement among meteorologists as to the causes for all this. Various suggestions were made, but these experts "ruefully admit that they cannot spot the ultimate causes with any assurance." Meteorology is as yet an uncertain science. Not only is the control of the weather not in men's hands, but even the accounting for the shifts is beyond human estimation.
God still "moves behind the scenes, and moves all the scenes He is behind." Man is, after all, dependent on Him for all that he is and has on the earth, no matter how much he seeks to disregard the facts. Human beings are just transients on the earth, and there is none abiding. God asked a question of men: "Who hath gathered the wind in His fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is His name, and what is His Son's name, if thou canst tell?" Pro. 30:4.
The prophet Amos said: "Seek Him... that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is His name." Amos 5:8. He has only to call for the waters of the sea, and they obey Him. When the Lord Jesus was here on earth as a man, He had but to speak, "Peace, be still... and there was a great calm" (Mark 4:39). Psalm 148:8 says: "Fire, and hail; snow, and vapor; stormy wind fulfilling His word." Mankind has gone on with general indifference toward God, accepting all the mercies from His hand without thankfulness, and without the fear of Him. In the days of Noah, men went on their ways eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the flood came "and destroyed them all." The very elements should remind men of the power of God, and of their accountability to Him. "The wickedness of man was great in the earth," and He sent the deluge by which "the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished." 2 Pet. 3:6.
When the Lord Jesus will come in power and great glory, and judge the living, He will set up His kingdom in righteousness. Then there will be great changes on the earth, including climatic changes. Violent storms will be quelled, and the earth will be at rest. God will not require to use the schemes of men for changing the surface of the earth. A sample of men's efforts to produce changes is witnessed in Israel with their great reforestation plans, their carrying water by aqueducts to the arid Negeb section of the country, and the schemes for converting sea water. He will call for the waters of the sea to furnish His land with water. For many centuries Israel has suffered from drought, and the reasons are given: "I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it." Isa. 5:6. Men may conjecture on the reasons for drought and deluge, but the Word of God lets us into the secrets. It was done in His government according to the design of His own hand; but in the days of Christ's kingdom "the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose" (Isa. 35:1).
When Israel walked before the Lord in their land, He gave them rain from heaven "in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil." Deut. 11:14. They did not require irrigation, but the rain was sure "in due season." They were promised that "The LORD shall open unto thee His good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season." Deut. 28:12. The "first rain," elsewhere called the "early rain," fell regularly in about October (allowing for variations in the calendar) in the month "Bul," meaning rain, in time for their planting, or sowing. The "latter rain" fell about our month of February. This intervening season was set aside by God for harvesting their crops which would not thus be interfered with by rain.
In the days of Samuel, when the people rejected the Lord and asked for a king, it became a sign of God's signal displeasure that they would have rain during the harvest: "Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the Lord will do before your eyes. Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call unto the LORD, and He shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king." 1 Sam. 12:16, 17.
Now in the days of Israel's future blessing, the seasons will be in due order with the appointed rain; and "He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." Hos. 6:3.
God's sure word for them in that day is: "Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God; for He hath given you the former rain moderately [or, in due measure], and He will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain...." Joel 2:23.
In those days after Israel's repentance and restoration, the abundance of produce will be so great that the one who harvests this year's harvest, will find such bountiful store that the one who sows next year's seed will find the reaper still gathering the previous crop (Amos 9:13). Our portion as Christians will be with Christ in heaven; that will be our portion, but when Christ reigns, the earth will be blessed abundantly.
"Until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest. Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and the righteous remain in the fruitful field. And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. And My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places." Isa. 32:15-18.
In the days of the kingdom there will be no need for great fertilizer plants, nor for insecticides and pesticides. The face of the earth will scarcely be recognizable; but until then troubles and difficulties are bound to increase, for "all the foundations of the earth are out of course" (Psalm 82:5).