Winter

Notes
Transcript

Introduction

God made the seasons. His word has declared it and decreed it.
Daniel 2:21 NIV84
He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
Genesis 8:22 NIV84
“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”
Psalm 74:17 NIV84
It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter.
It is part of God’s order to experience the seasons. Just as the seasons we know change, we can also be assured that we can experience spiritual seasons. We have shown how the Fall Season spiritually can be God’s design, designation and determination. We have seen His providential, purposeful and processed care in His design. We have seen how God uses such a time as this, and just like Esther, God puts us in a position to carry out His work and glorify Him. We have seen that even though God does all of this for us, He still gives us the right to choose. Of course we have often determined that His way is always the best way.
So what about the Winter season? What does the Bible say about winter? In Biblical times, the winter months were also rainy months.
Song of Solomon 2:11 NIV84
See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.
I love the description found in Jeremiah 36:22.
Jeremiah 36:22 NIV84
It was the ninth month and the king was sitting in the winter apartment, with a fire burning in the firepot in front of him.
The indication here was that the king had a smaller quarters to go through the winter, allowing for a smaller area to be heated. This is also indicated in Amos 3:15.
Amos 3:15 NIV84
I will tear down the winter house along with the summer house; the houses adorned with ivory will be destroyed and the mansions will be demolished,” declares the Lord.
We see in the New Testament during the arrest and mock trial of Jesus that it was cold and Peter had to warm himself by the fire.
John 18:18 NIV84
It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.
Also in Acts 27:12, we see the seasons also affected travel.
Acts 27:12 NIV84
Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete, facing both southwest and northwest.
One of the most telling passages about winter is found in the Book of Job. The Book of Job is believed to be the oldest book in the Bible. Job was a man that was a good man, righteous and was blessed with a great family of seven sons and three daughters. Job was chosen to be tested by satan to see if he lost everything he had been blessed with and would turn away from God.
It is a classic illustration of bad things happening to good people. The Book of Job shows this and gives us as readers today several different options.
The first option was for Job to understand that God gives wisdom but only in limited amounts. Job had to deal with his problems with the limited wisdom God gave him.
A second option that Job could choose was to acknowledge God’s gifts and recognize that if God could give a good gift He could certainly take it away. This in fact was an option Job chose.
A third option was to lament. The word lament means to express grief or sorrow. Job lamented about his suffering. He defended his innocence and debated his friends that said his fate was because of his sinfulness. This caused Job to even question God’s justice.
A fourth option was provided by the younger friend named Elihu. Elihu was a young whippersnapper that felt he had enough wisdom share with Job. He argued with Job that the suffering was primarily discipline to teach Job a few things.
If I had been Job, I would have said, “You don’t know what you are talking about and besides, what was your momma thinking when she named you Elihu?”
However, Elihu said God did something in the winter that we need to consider.
Job 37:5–7 NIV84
God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ So that all men he has made may know his work, he stops every man from his labor.

Designed to Rest

Elihu was correct in emphasizing the transcendence of God. He tells of his sovereignty, justice and righteousness. He tells that God’s voice thunders. Then he mentions that God directs the snow and rain to fall to the earth. When this happens, there is a domino effect that takes place. We know from living in the High Country that when it snows, we have to be prepared to do things differently. We joke about having to get milk and bread so we can have supplies in case we get snowed in and are not able to freely move around.
However, notice what happens from a theological point of view. We are not able to carry out our daily tasks because the climate will not allow us to do so. We have to stop. Now the Bible says that we stop our labor in order to see God’s work.
Job 37:7 NIV84
So that all men he has made may know his work, he stops every man from his labor.
There is a theology of rest of which many of us do not do well. Why do you think that is the case? The Bible is quite specific about God’s plan for rest.
Genesis 2:1–2 NIV84
Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.
Even in the New Testament, the invitation to rest is prevalent. Jesus offered rest to those who are weary and heavy burdened.
Matthew 11:28 NIV84
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
When our hands stop and our labor ceases, we are able to rest. Notice what happens when we do this.
Psalm 46:10 NIV84
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
When we are still, when our hands stop, our eyes are opened to the power of God. Elihu tells Job that the voice of God thunders in marvelous ways. Job 37:5 cross references back to Job 36:33.
Job 36:33 NIV84
His thunder announces the coming storm; even the cattle make known its approach.
When we hear the thunder do we look up to the sky? Are our eyes opened to power of God as He demonstrates it? What if we proclaimed 2 Samuel 7:22 every time we heard the thunder?
2 Samuel 7:22 NIV84
“How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.
The second half of verse 5 tells us that God does great things beyond our understanding. Again, there are a few cross references to consider from this context.
Job 5:9 NIV84
He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.
Job 11:7–9 NIV84
“Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens—what can you do? They are deeper than the depths of the grave—what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea.
How great is our God!
God tells the snow flake to fall to stop our work so we can rest, but also that we may reflect. God has designed us to reflect.

Designed to Reflect

Verse 7 says “So that all men He has made may know His work.” Do you know the work of God? He uses the winter time in our lives to help us reflect on all that He is and does.
Charles Spurgeon wrote about this idea:
As you look through the frosted pane upon the driving snow, do you say to yourself, “God has taken me off from my own work, and given me a holiday, which He would have me turn into a holy day; let me now turn my thoughts to the Lord’s great works in nature, providence, and grace; shut out from my calling, I am also shut in to think of my God and His work?”
Psalm 107:43 NIV84
Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the Lord.
Have you spent much time reflecting on the love of God? In the midst of the winter in your life, use that time to reflect on how God designed you for His purpose.
Dr. Henry Blackaby in his great work EXPERIENCING GOD, says that God is always at work around you. We see God’s great work throughout scripture.
Jeremiah 1:5 NIV84
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
Isaiah 55:5 NIV84
Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.”
Philippians 2:12–13 NIV84
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
As God is at work in us and around us, He uses all things to give us insight into His ways and works.
Ephesians 1:7–8 NIV84
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
God has lavished on us so that we can reflect on who He is and all He has done. In doing so, God is drawing us closer to Him.
Hebrews 7:19–21 NIV84
(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever.’ ”
As a result, we have Hebrews 10:22:
Hebrews 10:22 NIV84
let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
As we enter into this season of rest and reflection, we are restored.

Designed to Restore

God’s purpose as we have discussed many times is to get rid of the old and help us realize the new.
2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV84
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
The final work of Christ will be making all things news.
Revelation 21:5 NIV84
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Making everything new shows that we are restored to be better. As we get better, we also get stronger. Even in the face of extreme trials, God uses this season to make us stronger. You may feel worn out and depleted. During this time, God can be called upon to make us stronger and to reveal His power and strength.
Psalm 68:35 NIV84
You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!
God has designed us to be restored to be better, stronger and to be more. The winter season is a time, according to this passage in Job, where the autumn rains become winter ice and snow. The Bible tells us that workers stop their labor as God’s power freezes the land with His snow. The weatherman calls this a meteorological phenomenon. Elihu calls is a mighty work of God. Isaac Watts the composer of the Christmas hymn Joy to the World, wrote another hymn that speaks of the work of Almighty God.
Be Patient Chapter Twelve: Elihu Explains and Defends God (Job 34–37)

I sing the goodness of the Lord

That filled the earth with food;

He formed the creatures with His word,

And then pronounced them good.

There’s not a plant or flower below

But makes Thy glories known;

And clouds arise and tempests blow

By order from Thy throne.

Are you entering into a winter season? Let your hands stop laboring, be still, and watch the power of God Almighty work in your life and around you!
Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more