In this episode we continue studying the book of Leviticus. In this episode, God promised to bless the people if they obey Him.

If they did not worship idols, and if they kept the Sabbath, and walked in all his ways, he would bless them with rain in due season.

But if they did not obey his laws and statutes, He would withhold the rain and their crops would fail.

So their obedience or disobedience would affect the weather. God proved He alone was God by controlling the weather.

Since He controlled when it rained, he controlled crop production.

He also controlled the bugs and the insects, these He called His army.

In Joel chapater 2 God said, He sent his army of locusts, cankerworms, palmerworms and caterpillers to eat up their crops.

Here's the text:

Joel 2:25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.

In Jeremiah chapter 5 verses 23 through 25, He told the people their sins and iniquities had kept good things from them and that included good weather.

Here’s the text:

Jeremiah 5:23 But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.

Jeremiah 5:24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.

Jeremiah 5:25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.

God withheld rain from them but they refused to repent.

Yet, He would continue to plead with them to repent because he did not like seeing them suffer.

But as their God and their Father, He cared about their souls and had to chastise them, so they would amend their ways.

Although they sinned, over time, due to chastisement the people often repented, after being inflicted by much trouble.

He would send famine, disease, war and even exile.

These troublesome events proved he loved them. Because they made the people repent of their sins, resulting in the salvation of their souls.

Temporary earthly suffering, often leads to repentance, and can keep us from suffering from the second death, that is eternal life in hell.

Jesus told the church in Laodicea, in Revelation chapter 3 verse 19 “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore and repent.

The writer of Hebrews also addressed chastisement saying God chastises us for our own profit.
Here’s the text:

Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Hebrews 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Hebrews 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Hebrews 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

Hebrews 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.