Is It Not Wheat Harvest Today?

Yesterday it rained on our parade. When I say our parade I mean the celebration of Jerusalem Day. Yesterday was the 40th anniversary of the reunification of the city.

It is not supposed to rain in Israel at this time of year. What happened yesterday is really quite out of the ordinary, and it reminded me of what happened many years ago here in this land:

12 And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me: Nay, but a king shall reign over us; when the LORD your God was your king. 13 Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have asked for; and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you. 14 If ye will fear the LORD, and serve Him, and hearken unto His voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and both ye and also the king that reigneth over you be followers of the LORD your God--; 15 but if ye will not hearken unto the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, and against your fathers. 16 Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes. 17 Is it not wheat harvest to-day? I will call unto the LORD, that He may send thunder and rain; and ye shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.' {S} 18 So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. 19 And all the people said unto Samuel: 'Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not; for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.' 20 And Samuel said unto the people: 'Fear not; ye have indeed done all this evil; yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; 21 and turn ye not aside; for then should ye go after vain things which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vain. 22 For the LORD will not forsake His people for His great name's sake; because it hath pleased the LORD to make you a people unto Himself. 23 Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and the right way. 24 Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things He hath done for you. 25 But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be swept away, both ye and your king.'

We are just a week away from the holiday of Shavuot, which is also called chag haqatzir, the harvest festival.I don't claim to no why God brought rain yesterday. Perhaps it was to remind us that rockets are raining down on Sderot. We really cannot celebrate with a full heart when the people of Sderot are under a state of attack.