Christian Influence Over Weather Events

The Bible frequently references God's control over weather events, attributing phenomena like rain, wind, and storms to divine action. Scripture notes that God "makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust" ^[2]. This understanding is reinforced by passages that describe God as the one who "brings forth the wind out of his treasuries" ^[1] and "causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow" ^[4].

The biblical account of creation and the natural world emphasizes God's sovereignty over the elements. one tradition writes that God "established the clouds above" and "balances the wind in his hand" ^[3]. The book of Job similarly highlights God's power over the weather, noting that he "commands the sun, and it does not rise; he seals off the stars" and "alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea" ^[1].

The early Christian tradition continued to affirm God's control over the weather. The patristic writer Tertullian noted that God's providence extends to all aspects of the natural world, including weather events ^[7]. Reformed theologians like John Calvin also emphasized God's sovereignty over the weather, arguing that "all the calamities of war, frost and hail, destroying the promise of the year, cause sterility, which reduces us to penury" are ultimately under God's control ^[5].

In interpreting weather events, Christian traditions have often seen them as manifestations of God's providence. Matthew Henry, a Nonconformist/Puritan commentator, observed that the changes in weather "serve the purposes of his providence" and should inspire awe and reverence for God ^[9]. Similarly, Charles Hodge, one theologian, noted that God's providential agency is evident in the "production of vegetable and animal life" and other natural phenomena ^[8].

While some Christian traditions have historically associated weather events with divine judgment or blessing, others have cautioned against simplistic interpretations. Calvin warned against assuming that specific weather events are direct judgments from God, instead emphasizing the complexity of God's providence ^[6]. The biblical text itself notes that God's rain falls on both the just and the unjust, suggesting that weather events are not necessarily tied to human morality ^[2].

The understanding of God's influence over weather events has implications for Christian prayer and practice. Some traditions have encouraged prayer for favorable weather, while others have emphasized the importance of trusting in God's sovereignty regardless of circumstances. The biblical text presents a nuanced view, encouraging prayer and petition while also affirming God's ultimate control over the natural world.

The biblical and theological traditions affirm that God is actively involved in the world, including in weather events. As one tradition writes, God "sends out his word, and melts them; he causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow" ^[4]. This understanding of God's sovereignty over the weather continues to shape Christian thought and practice today.

Sources

Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Wind, The — Variable nature of -- Ec 1:6. God Created. -- Am 4:13. Restrains. -- Job 28:25; Ps 107:29. Brings forth, out of his treasuries. -- Ps 135:7; Jer 10:13. Raises. -- Ps 107:25; Jon 4:8. Changes. -- Ps 78:26. Assuages. -- Mt 8:26; 14:32. Gathers, in his hand. -- Pr 30:4. Accomplishes the purposes of God -- Ps 148:8. Theory of, above man's comprehension -- Joh 3:8. Mentioned in scripture North. -- Pr 25:23; Song 4:16. South. -- Job 37:17; Lu 12:55. East. -- Job 27:21; Eze 17:10; Ho 13:15. West. -- Ex 10:19. Euroclydon. -- Ac 27:14. The simoom or pestilential w”
Matthew “that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. -- Matthew 5:45”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Clouds — Formed from the sea -- 1Ki 18:44; Am 9:6. Are garment of the sea -- Job 38:9. God Established. -- Pr 8:28. Balanced in the air. -- Job 37:16. Disposed in order. -- Job 37:15. Brings over the earth. -- Ge 9:14. Binds up. -- Job 26:8. Spreads out. -- Job 26:9. Scatters. -- Job 37:11. Power and wisdom of God exhibited in forming -- Ps 135:6,7; 147:5,8; Jer 10:13; 51:16. Power and wisdom of God exhibited in condensing -- Job 36:27,28; 37:10,11; Pr 3:20. Made for the glory of God -- Ps 148:4. Called the Clouds of heaven. -- Da 7:13; Mt 24:30. Windows of heaven. -”
Psalms “He sends out his word, and melts them. He causes his wind to blow, and the waters flow. -- Psalms 147:18”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 62: are involved in all the calamities of war. Frost and hail, destroying the promise of the year, cause sterility, which reduces us to penury; wife, parents, children, relatives, are carried off by death; our house is destroyed by fire. These are the events which make men curse their life, detest the day of their birth, execrate the light of heaven, even censure God, and (as they are eloquent in blasphemy) charge him with cruelty and injustice. The believer must in these things also contemplate the mercy and truly paternal indulgence ”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 32: fixed the bounds which could not be passed ( Job 14:5 ). Still, in relation to our capacity of discernment, all these things appear fortuitous. How will the Christian feel? Though he will consider that every circumstance which occurred in that person’s death was indeed in its nature fortuitous, he will have no doubt that the Providence of God overruled it and guided fortune to his own end. The same thing holds in the case of future contingencies. All future events being uncertain to us, seem in suspense as if ready to take either d”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. XI.: After this, being desirous to show that it is nothing either wonderful or new which we state regarding floods or conflagrations, but that, from misunderstanding the accounts of these things which are current among Greeks or barbarous nations, we have accorded our belief to our own Scriptures when treating of them, he writes as follows: "The belief has spread among them, from a misunderstanding of the accounts of these occurrences, that after lengthened cycles of time, and the returns and conjunctions of planets, conflagra”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 30: production of vegetable and animal life, are referred to his universal providential agency. The reference is special. The effect is one which the Scriptures recognize as not within the sphere of second causes, and therefore ascribe to God. They recognize the free agency of man; they acknowledge and treat him as a moral and rational being; they admit the adaptation of of truth to convince the understanding, and of the motives presented to determine the will and to control the affections, and nevertheless they teach that these secondary cau”
Job (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Job 37:6: The changes and extremities of the weather, wet or dry, hot or cold, are the subject of a great deal of our common talk and observation; but how seldom do we think and speak of these things, as Elihu does here, with an awful regard to God the director of them, who shows his power and serves the purposes of his providence by them! We must take notice of the glory of God, not only in the thunder and lightning, but in the more common revolutions of the weather, which are not so terrible and which make less noise. As, I. In the snow and rain, Job 37:6. Thunder and lightn”

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