And He was also saying to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and so it turns out. “And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, ‘It will be a hot day,’ and it turns out that way. You hypocrites! You know how to analyse the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why do you not analyse this present time? And why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right?”
Luke 12:54-59
What an interesting few verses! Jesus picks up on a few local weather sayings and uses them to teach something more important:
- When a cloud rises in the west, a shower is coming.
- When a south wind blows, it will be a hot day.
How does He know? Well, in Jesus’ case, He set the stars in place and He determined the global circulatory systems. He ought to know.
He draws up the water vapour and then distills it into rain. The rain pours down from the clouds, and everyone benefits. Who can understand the spreading of the clouds and the thunder that rolls forth from heaven?
Job 36:27-29
The wind goes toward the south and turns around to the north . . . and comes again on its circuit.
Eccl 1:6
As an ex-geography teacher, I taught the principles behind the weather. Once you know how it all works, then it is “easy” to know what is happening and why it is happening. But it is not easy to predict. These quotes from the Bible concern the macro patterns: in the case of Job -the water cycle, and the understanding of cloud formation and electrical storms. In the case of Ecclesiastes, the writer is talking about global wind patterns over the earth in the Northern Hemisphere; macro climate features. Now how did he know that unless the Creator of the Universe told him. These are not the normal observable wind patterns over Israel or the Middle East. This is the global, upper atmosphere pattern of the wind flow which governs the earth, not just Israel.
The quotes Jesus uses are micro climate patterns for Israel. These can be determined by observing the local area climate or weather patterns and working out what follows what. What features do we observe, which then determine a subsequent change in the weather? It’s easy. Israel indeed, has a basic prevailing wind from the west, much like New Zealand. So generally, whatever is seen arising from the west, we are going to experience in the next few minutes. When the wind blows from the south, it comes off the Negev and brings with it hot dry winds. So if the wind is blowing from the south, then we can predict what will happen in summer. To determine local weather patterns, you need to take note of the patterns. But you have to have local knowledge too.
When Tania and I went to Melbourne for the first time, we made everyone laugh. We woke up one morning and there was a strong wind blowing outside. So we dressed the girls and us in warm clothes and headed out, little realising the wind was from the north. When the wind blows from the north or north-west, it is bringing hot winds from the interior desert. We Kiwis didn’t know that and caused great amusement when we arrived at the dining room for breakfast all rugged up for cold weather.
Kiwis know the saying, “Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight. Red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning” is true. With our westerly wind patterns, it is generally a true statement by which shepherds learn to read the weather. Other sayings that are truisms are:
- Clear moon, frost soon.
- The higher the clouds the better the weather.
- A sunshine shower won’t last half an hour.
- The weather forecast for tonight – dark. George Carlin
Jesus takes the weather patterns, and uses them as an illustration of the knowledge we demonstrate when understanding the principles He has put in place in the natural world. If we know how it works in the natural world, then we can predict the outcomes of certain life phenomena. He says to the crowd in this case, you understand the weather patterns and you have your sayings to help you remember the principles, but why don’t you understand the other principles that govern your life on earth? Why don’t you become like the sons of Issachar, “leaders who understood the times in which they lived and knew what Israel ought to do.” (1 Chron 12:32). Many can do it for the weather but don’t see that God has built into life, other laws or principles as well. The law of sowing and reaping, what you sow you will reap; the principle of forgiveness and unforgiveness; hoarding wealth for yourself; that the measure of judgement you use on others, will be used for you as well.
Before we come to the next Gem, take time to see how this section connects with what went before it and what follows it. Or is Jesus having trouble starting a conversation and so resorts to the weather because He doesn’t know what to say?
Don’t knock the weather, 90% of people couldn’t start a conversation if it didn’t change once in a while.
Kin Hubbard
Weather is a great metaphor for life – sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad and there’s nothing much you can do about it but carry an umbrella.
Ian Vail
All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.
Anon
The best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Many a man curses the rain that falls on his head, little realizing it brings abundance to drive away hunger.
Saint Basil
There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.
Alfred Wainwright
Sunshine all the time makes a desert.
Anon
Whether the weather be fine; whether the weather be not.
Whether the weather be cold; whether the weather be hot.
We’ll weather the weather, whatever the weather.
Whether we like it or not.
Anon