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saith the Lord" (Amos 4:7-8,
King James Version).
Prolonged drought is the
RE–
SULT
OF
SIN! ••yet have ye not
returned unto me!"
King Solomon unders tood this
fact of life when he prayed at the
consecration of God' s Temple.
How many national leaders today
know and believe this?
"When the
heaven is shut up,
and there is no rain ,
because
they
[the people of the land)
have sinned against thee;
yet if
they pray toward this place, and
confess thy name, and
turn from
their sin,
when thou dost affi ict
them; then hear thou from heav–
en, and forgive the sin of thy
servants, and of thy people Is–
rael , when thou has taught them
the good way , wherein they
should walk; and
send rain upon
thy land,
which thou hast given
unto thy people for an inheri–
tance" (II Chronicles 6:26-27) .
Reaplng What We Have Sown
The Creator allows nations to
reap the natural consequences on
weather caused by wrong agricul–
tural practices, warmaking or
abuse of the environment.
He allows governments of
every ideology to make foolish
political or environmental deci–
sions that lead to unnecessary
famine or agricultura] disruption.
He allows nations to experience
the consequences on weather of
huge paved-over metropolitan
complexes, cloud seeding and
experiments to turn weather into
a powerful weapon of war.
But God also intervenes in the
weather to punish nations for
such sins.
There is also another factor in
weather, however. The Bible re–
veals a powerful spirit being who
is the "prince of the power of the
air" (Ephesians 2:2). The account
in the first chapter of Job indi–
cates that, when God permits it to
work out sorne purpose, this
powerful spirit-Satan--can use
atmospheric pbenomena to wreak
havoc.
Freak weather will most cer–
tainly be part of the ..great
wrath" with which Satan will
affiict the inbabitants of the earth
38
before the return of Jesus Christ
(see Revelation 12:12).
A Chance to Repent
During the past year, sorne areas
affiicted by serious drought were
mercifully relieved by abunqant
rains or more normal weather.
Australia a nd parts of North
America are examples, among
others.
But do the peoples in tbese
nations appreciate the period of
grace given to them? Do they
understand why this grace period
has been given?
How many understand the
grace period is not a chance to go
on living as they did before, but a
chance to repent of their idolatry
and sins?
The Bible defines sin as the
transgress ion of God's laws
(1
Jobo 3:4) . Idolatry is serving
or worsbipping anything above
the true God and His laws.
Our modero nations are full
of material goods and gadgets
that millions literally worship
and crave in the place of God
and Hi s ways. Around the
world, immorality, crime, family
breakdown, and racial hatreds
are increasing rapidly. God is
warning nations through adverse
weather because of what is in
their bearts!
But tbere is another reason for
grace in the weather. lt is neces–
sary to allow God's Work–
through His true C hurch- to
carry Christ's Gospel to all na–
tions as a witness before the end
of this age. That Gospel is the
announcement of the soon-com–
ing rule of God's Government on
earth.
In that day when God sends
Jesus Christ to rule the world in
peace, weather patterns will be
made a blessing for all obedient
nations.
But today you can expect more
and growing-worse weather disas–
ters. Few bumans, and no nations,
are repenting of tbeir mounting
sins.
Few, today, grasp the most
important causes, revealed in the
Bible, for humanity's curses in
the weather.
Now, hopefully, you do! o
GETTING HIGH
(Continued from page 14)
are the milestones of a society
collapsing on itself.
lnstead of new programs, what's
really needed is a
change in the
society itself!
We need an order
that gives people the too1s to posi–
tively deal with crises. A society
that offers a life so fulfilling and
exciting as to make drug abuse a
weak, unwanted alternative.
As you have seen, our present
societies foster and promote the
use of illicit drugs. To bring
about a solution to the problem of
drug abuse, · the elements that
cause it must be eradicated!
"Somethlng Better"
Man will not bring about the
environment that eclipses depres–
sion a nd loneliness-but God
will! The Bible is literally full of
the prediction of a new society, a
new government that will offer an
alternative to drugs. Even hard–
core addicts will find this society
a healing one!
Listen to God's solution! After
God sets up His society, this is
what you'll see: " ... the ransomed
[released from bondage) of the
Lord shall return ..
o
with songs
and everlasting joy upon their
heads: they shall obtain joy and
gladness, and sorrow and sighing
shall ftee away" (lsaiah 35: l
O)o
Can you imagine it? These
people- you and I-will rejoice
o
because the source of desponden–
cy- the root of depression- will
be removed! The new society will
be one that teaches people to be
fruitful and happy.
People will practice a "give"
way of life that will make drugs
unnecessary and unwanted. The
"get" way that makes man turn
inward, toward a selfish means,
will be completely replaced ,
through the Spirit of God, by the
"gíve" way.
Would you like to know more
about man's potential and t he
new society? Write for our free
booklets
Why Were You Born
and
The Wonderful World To–
morrow.
They will show you what
lies just ahead for man! o
The
PLAIN TRUTH