The Seasons

What’s your favorite season? Spring? Fall? Winter? Summer?

These last two weeks, loudly tweeting birds waken me every morning. It happens every year about this time: the birds really go stereo sound. The seasons are changing. The birds know it.

The daffodils are beginning to bloom. The grass is greener. There aren’t any leaves on trees yet, but they’ll be coming out soon. It’s spring!

The other day, while driving, I was enjoying the views, rejoicing in the change of season. Tiny yellow primroses grace the banks next to the river. Wild daffodils have sprung up. New lambs run and jump. Even the chickens look happy to be alive!

And, so am I.

In the Bible, we read some curious passages about the seasons.

The seasons were God’s idea and were set in place when the moon, sun, and stars were created, on the fourth day.

• And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years (Genesis 1:14).
• While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease (Genesis 8:22).
• Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter (Psalm 74:17).
• He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down (Psalm 104:19).

The Bible uses the seasons as an illustration for the absurdity of honoring a fool. As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not seemly for a fool (Proverbs 26:1).

The prophecy of judgment (Babylonian conquest) after the people had the opportunity to repent is expressed with language about the seasons. Sadly, they didn’t repent. Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD. The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved (Jeremiah 8:7, 20).

The prophecy about Christ’s millennial kingdom uses the image of the seasons: And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be (Zechariah 14:8).

The prophecy about the Israel becoming its own nation and Christ’s return being near is couched in language about spring and summer. Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh (Matthew 24:32. Also in Mark 13:28; Luke 21:30).

God is sovereign. He rules the world. God sometimes uses the word seasons to refer to different time periods.

• And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding (Daniel 2:21).
• And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power (Acts 1:7).

God’s blessings are expressed as rain from heaven and fruitful seasons.

Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness (Acts 14:17).

Isn’t it wonderful that God promises the seasons will keep going until there is no more earth? Isn’t it great to know that He cares for us and meets our needs? Isn’t it encouraging that our God knows the future and holds it in His hands?

Truly, He fills our hearts with food and gladness (Acts 14:17).

Have a happy spring!

(Photos by anar)