And also I have withholden the rain from you, when [there were] yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.
Ver. 7. And also I have withholden the rain from you, &c.] And so have punished you with thirst and drought, as well as with dearth and famine: and because I have found you wells without the water of piety, 2 Peter 2:17, therefore I have refused to rain upon you, as I threatened, Deuteronomy 28:23,24 .
“ En quia iam vobis sunt ferrea pectora, reddit
Coelum etiam vobis durius aere, Deus. ”
When there were yet three months, &c. ] When you could worst of all want it See Trapp on " Joe 2:23 " for the watering of the seed and opening of the earth.
And I caused it to rain upon one city] It rains not then by haphazard; neither are the seasons of the year (whether barren or fruitful) ruled by the course of nature or influence of the stars, but by God, Acts 14:17. It is he that giveth rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons. He covereth the heaven with clouds, he prepareth rain for the earth, he maketh grass to grow upon the mountains, and standing corn in the fields, Psalms 147:8. He weighs these waters by measure; so that not a drop falls in vain, or in a wrong place, but by Divine decree, Job 28:26, for the fattening of the earth, allaying the heat, nourishing the herb and tree, Deu 32:2 Isaiah 63:14, producing unto us "the appointed weeks of harvest," Jeremiah 5:24, "that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater," Isaiah 55:10. This the poor Pagans ascribed to their god Jupiter, whom they therefore styled Nεφεληγερετης. Him they confessed the greatest of all, calling him υπατος, the overseer of their trading; hence αγαραιος, the keeper of their houses, hence Jupiter Herceus, from ερκος, a wall, or hedge. This they did, to the great shame of many atheists among us, who hold that all things come either by benign nature or blind chance.
One piece] sc. Of the same field, was rained upon, and fructified (this was near to a miracle; as when Gideon's fleece was wet and no place else; and again, every place else, and not Gideon's fleece, Jdg 6:37).
And the piece whereupon it rained not] It, that is, the cloud, but by God's appointment; for he it is that filleth those bottles of the sky, and emptieth them again, where and when he pleaseth, either in mercy, as Joe 2:23 Zechariah 10:1 Leviticus 26:4, or for a judgment, as Joe 1:17 Genesis 17:11,12 1 Samuel 12:18,19. In the year of grace 1551 a great multitude of men and cattle in Germany were drowned and destroyed; decidentibus subito nubibus, ac effusis certatim aquis, saith Bartholinus; by excessive showers and immoderate waters, pouring down upon people as by spouts. This was the very finger of God, who will one day rain upon the wicked snares, fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest, Psalms 11:6, Heb. a burning tempest; like as now out of those very clouds where hence he raineth, he doth again scatter sudden fires unto all parts of the earth, astonishing the world with the fearful noise of that eruption.
Withered] It must needs do so; and so must God's own vineyard, the Church, when he shall command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it, Isaiah 5:6, that is, his ministers, that they drop no doctrine upon it, Deu 32:2 Eze 21:2 Amos 7:16, fitly resembled to rain in regard, 1. of cooling heat; 2. quenching thirst; 3. cleansing the air; 4. allaying the winds; 5. mollifying and mellowing the parched and heat hardened earth; 6. causing all things to grow and fructify. This rain of righteousness goes sometimes by coasts, as here: God tying up the tongues of his most faithful labourers, and withholding their showers, though they be clouds thick, and full, and likely enough to drop down in abundance; see Eze 3:26-27 Hos 9:7 Proverbs 16:1. Pray, therefore, oh pray earnestly, both ministers, for ability and liberty to "drop their word toward the holy places, and prophesy," Ezekiel 21:2, and people, that he would fill their ministers as full of good matter as ever Elihu was, Job 32:18, and then be with their mouths, Exodus 4:12, yea, stretch out his holy hand, and touch them, Jeremiah 1:9, performing that piece of midwifery, Proverbs 16:1, that they may freely utter their conceptions, "and come to their hearers in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of peace," Romans 15:29. In the Island of St Thomas, on the back side of Africa, in the midst of it, is a hill; and over that a continual cloud, wherewith the whole island is watered. This is our happiness for present. Oh that we knew but this gift of God, John 4:10, and were answerably thankful and fruitful! Oh, how cursed a generation are those that repine at it, saying, Never was merry world, since so much preaching, &c. How shall such miscreants one day wish to have but one drop fall from these full clouds to cool the heat and horrors of their consciences, but shall not obtain it.