THE CHILDREN'S WEATHER
It seems strange that, after the Lord Jesus had by a miracle fed four thousand men besides many women and children, He should be asked by the religious Jews for a sign from heaven. He knew that they did not want to believe in Him so He merely drew their attention to the weather which they could foretell by the signs in the sky. Evidently our own little weather-rhymes about the red sky at night and in the morning apply also to the weather in Palestine. This is not surprising since from various passages in the Bible we learn that the different winds have effects there similar to those they have here.
The south wind bringing warmth was a token of God's favour in the circumstances of His chosen people. For ourselves, the mercies for which we are so thankful are no substitute for divine, spiritual guidance. You will remember that during a southerly breeze in Paul's last and eventful sea voyage, the warnings of the apostle should have been heeded rather than the vain hopes of the shipmaster and thus save the disaster that overtook them all.
By way of contrast to the south wind, that from the north brought cold from the snow-capped heights such as mount Ararat. It led to the night-frosts such as Jacob endured and to the ice which Elihu described as coming "by the breath of God". This wind is like the trials, disappointments and even persecutions allowed by a wise God and which make the witness of those who suffer ever brighter.
"Exaltation", or prosperity of soul, must come this way since it does not come "from the east nor from the west, nor yet from the south"!
The Lord spoke of a cloud rising out of the west foretelling showery weather. Such would be especially welcomed by the many tillers of the ground. Scripture distinguishes between the former rain which came in the autumn at seed-time, and the latter rain which came a few months later when the crops swelled up for harvest. The fruitfulness of God's work in souls however is not bound by this time-scale. Evidently around Sychar the seed had only just been sown, yet the Lord spoke of the harvest not being four months away but already come!
The east wind from the wilderness caused vegetation to become parched. Pharaoh dreamed about this and the years of famine in Egypt and Palestine were no doubt caused by prolonged blowings from the eastern deserts. This wind is generally a symbol of the withering power of God's judgments. These will always make way for Christ to be exalted as Joseph was throughout the dominion. Have you subjected yourself to the Lord Jesus?
J.C.Evershed