Seasons Come and Seasons Go

Seasons Come and Seasons Go
By: J. B. Hixson, Ph.D.

“I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing.” (Ezekiel 34:26)

Do you know much about Ezekiel? He was a prophet to Israel during the time of the nation’s exile in Babylon. He prophesied for twenty-two years from 593 to 571 BC. During his ministry he foretold of a time when Israel would be restored to her sacred land and enjoy peace and safety. According to his prophecy, the ultimate fulfillment of Israel’s restoration will not occur until Christ returns to establish His earthly kingdom. When He comes, Christ will reign over all the earth from God’s holy hill, a reference to Jerusalem. It will be a time of global righteousness and justice never before seen on the earth.

Wouldn’t you like to know when all of this will come to pass? When will the suffering and heartache that span the globe give way to joy and blessing? Ezekiel tells us it will happen “in its season.” Nearly 2,500 years after Ezekiel, his prophecy inspired Daniel Webster Whittle to write the following hymn in 1883.

There shall be showers of blessing.
This is the promise of love.
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need.
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.

Ezekiel refers to the future earthly kingdom of Christ as a time when God’s “showers of blessing” will come down “in their season.” Throughout history, God’s chosen nation of Israel experienced various seasons. Often, these were times of refreshing linked to Israel’s obedience and faithfulness. Sometimes God’s people faced negative consequences due to their own disobedience. Still other times, circumstances beyond Israel’s control caused them to experience a dark and stormy season. Yet through it all, Israel held on to the hope that showers of blessing would come; and they always did.

Are you going through a difficult season? Perhaps, like Israel, you have been led away from your land of milk and honey into a land of captivity, and you long to return to the promised land of peace and contentment. Ezekiel’s message is a message of hope. God has not utterly forsaken you; you can be sure of that. The showers of blessing will come; it is a promise. Time after time the Old Testament prophets balanced the difficult times in the lives of God’s people with promises of hope and restoration. David echoes Ezekiel’s words when he writes, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)

Seasons come and seasons go. If you are living in a time of God’s extended blessing, praise Him for it. Enjoy the moment, being careful to give God all the glory. If you are living in a time of extended drought, praise Him for that too; and be patient, because the rain is coming. Though the seasons may change, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) No matter what your season, Jesus Christ is the one constant in an ever-changing world. Keep your eyes on Him.

Hold on to the promise that God is good all the time, in all seasons. Paul reminded us of this fact when he spoke to the crowds in Lystra. He said that God “did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” (Acts 14:17) As the pages on your calendar turn, allow the changing seasons to remind you of the seasons of life, and never forget…there shall be showers of blessing.