“I also withheld rain from you when the harvest was still three months away. I sent rain on one town, but withheld it from another. One field had rain, another had none and dried up. People staggered from town to town for water, but did not get enough to drink, yet you have not returned to me, declares the Lord” (Amos 5:7-8).
In our last edition, we did establish that each man, community and nation operates under a “heaven space”. We also discovered that it is marked out for each person, and that the condition of the heaven space over one individual or nation varies from the other. The above biblical truth is collaborated in Amos’ revelation and prophecies about Israel today.
The height of God’s judgment and wrath over Israel’s apostate condition and flagrant defilement of God’s holiness through sin was the closing of the heavens space over them.
This situation came at the nick of harvest. God withheld rain from the land when harvest was still three months away. This means, the crops had already budded their flowers, the grapes were near the stage of maturity and the vine had already began to shade off their covers in readiness for harvest. The farmers were already counting their proceeds in anticipation of great harvest.
Suddenly their hopes were dashed.
The Lord, in his wise counsel against Israel, has decided to withhold rain from the land, so that the fields could not yield their produce, and living things in the land panted for water. What a terrible situation? Lack of rain three months before harvest will prevent full development of the grain.
These were not simply natural disasters; they were direct acts of God, a punishment of “hook” to draw the nation closer to God. It was not fully intended to destroy the people, but an instrument to bring them back to God’s righteousness. Yet these lessons were soon forgotten by Israel. This is expressed by their refusal to return to God (V8c).
The above situation reveals the condition of heaven space over the nation at this critical time. This is what determines the living condition of the people within the period. It is a clear evidence of failed economy and the misery it subjects the citizens to. The heavens space of Israel was completely shut against them. Instead of rain, there were mildew and blight; locust devoured even the remnant of fig and olive.
Are you a businessman, pastor, career civil servant, missionary or politician? Or are you in any field of life not mentioned above? Have you pondered why you are not doing well? Have you taken time to reflect on the condition of your heaven’s space?
Before rainfall, the cloud gathers. When your heavens are cloudy, then your rain is about to fall, and the rains are poured when the heavens open. In this case, you are hopeful. When the heavens are filled with dust and sand, then mildew and blight descend harshly upon your ground, and this is a hopeless situation.
It is important we understand that rain in the scriptures often represents the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the lives of men. It also symbolises the pouring forth of heavenly blessings on men for service. The New Testament gives us insight to God’s immediate action when He opens the heavens. This means that the downpour of heavens is automatically the coming forth of the Holy Spirit as a source of empowerment and unction for greater function in respective endeavours of calling. When this is absent from someone’s life, service become a hectic task and certificate become a mere paper.
The evidence of dust, mildew and blight is hard labour of many years without any progress. You may have had great experience to talk about, but poor reward to go home with. Much is planted, but little is harvested.
When your heavens are closed, your fields may have been full of grain at the initial time, but none to harvest at the fullness of time. At this level of operation, everything is jilted just at the nick of time. Child of God, it is important you pause a while and check the barometer of your heavens. Are they favourably disposed unto you as a person? Why must you keep going on assumption that all is well, while you overlook the crucial issue of closed heavens?
Many nations of the world are growing in emptiness and dryness today because the heavens closed. The Holy Spirit has been foreclosed in the realms of the cloud, and there is no pouring forth. Consequently, there is no restoration and revival. The political class now falls deep into diabolical operations. The religious class becomes overwhelmed by the heaviness of worldly affairs that they cannot pray, and there is no remedy to our situation. Instead of rain, we receive dust, mildew and blight. Instead of harvest, we receive serious lack.
The common challenge we have here is to come to the consciousness of the prevailing condition of our heavens. If the Lord shuts us out of His grace and the heavens are closed against us, then demons in the land will prevail. Consider what happens at this point. You may further understand this matter more clearly as we progress further in our teaching.