God completely controls nature

~Tuesday Thoughts~

Our Lord controls nature. He spoke it into existence and controls its every act. He performs mighty things through it. 

God spoke and created “the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1). He made the light, sky, the land, the seas, vegetation, the sun, moon, and stars, the creatures of the sea, the birds, and the living creatures (ch. 1:3-25). He formed man and woman on the sixth day (v.26-28). 

God controls the ground and water. When Adam and Eve sinned, He cursed the ground because of man (Genesis 3:17-18). Years later, He sent a flood on an earth full of corrupt men (ch. 6:5, 17; 7:11-12). However, God spared Noah (ch.7:1). After the flood, He gave the rainbow as a sign that He will never again destroy the world with a flood (ch. 9:8-17). 

God controls all physical occurrences. He employed them as He freed His people, the Israelites, from Egyptian slavery. In Egypt He executed many miracles, such as turning water into blood (Exodus 7:14-24) and the plague of flies (ch. 8:20-32). God parted the Red Sea so that the Israelites walked on dry ground (ch. 14:21-22) and then closed it on the Egyptians (v.26-28). He turned bitter water sweet (ch. 15:22-25); He gave water from a rock (ch. 17:1-7). He provided manna and quails to eat (ch. 16:11-15). 

God controls the land and its productivity. In Leviticus and other passages He promised fruitful land if the Israelites obeyed Him (Leviticus 26:3-5) and infertility if they disobeyed (26:14-20). 

God controls the weather and used it to fight for the Israelites. In one battle He brought hailstones on their enemies and stopped the sun (Joshua 10:11-14). In another He “thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines” and the Israelites won (1 Samuel 7:2-11). 

God controls rain and rivers. He parted the Jordan for the Israelites (Joshua 3:7-17). By His word, rain did not shower on the land (1 Kings 17:1, 7). Only in the third year did He send rain (ch. 18:1, 45). The Jordan parted for God’s prophets Elijah (2 Kings 2:7-8) and Elisha (v.13-14). 

God controls storms and fish. When Jonah ran away from Him, God sent a great storm (Jonah 1:3-4). When the sailors threw Jonah overboard, a big fish swallowed him (v.15, 17). Inside it, Jonah prayed and God had the fish spit him out (ch. 2:1, 10). 

Jesus controls nature. Throughout His years of ministry, Jesus healed the sick (Mathew 4:23-25; Luke 17:11-19 and more). He predicted two large catches of fish (Luke 5:4-7 and John 21:1-6). Jesus calmed the storm (Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:22-25). He raised people from the dead: a widow’s son (Luke 7:11-17), Jairus’s daughter (Mathew 9:18-19, 23-25; Mark 5:21-24, 35-43, Luke 8:40-42, 49-56), and Lazarus (John 11:38-44). Jesus walked on water (Mathew 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52, John 6:16-21). The fig tree withered at His words (Mathew 21:18-22, Mark 11:12-14, 20-26).

God controls natural disasters and can use them as punishments. While the Israelites were in the desert, the ground swallowed up those who “treated the LORD with contempt” (Numbers 16:28-33). In Revelation God shows John numerous punishments that will come on unrepentant people in the last days. These include earthquakes (Revelation 6:12; 8:5; 11:13; 11:19), hail (ch. 8:7; 11:19), the sun turning black (ch.6:12), and mountains moved from their places (ch.6:14). 

Jesus’s triumph over death (Mathew 28:1-10, Mark 16:1-14, Luke 24:1-49, John 20) remains the greatest instance of God controlling nature. Our Christ is alive (Hebrews 7:23-25)!

Our God, the Almighty Creator, controls each and every aspect of nature.

How about you? What instances of God controlling nature have you found in the Bible? 

If He can calm a storm, He can definitely calm the storm in us. If He can raise people from the dead, He can revive our souls. 

Blessings, children of the King!