Contemplative Bible Reading

1 Samuel 7:10 (New Living Translation)

10 Just as Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines arrived to attack Israel. But the Lord spoke with a mighty voice of thunder from heaven that day, and the Philistines were thrown into such confusion that the Israelites defeated them.

The dreaded Philistines arrive with an army to attack Israel. The Philistine army was superior and was to win yet another battle. The Israelites defeated the superior Philistine army.

Huh? What happened? The Philistines were thrown into confusion by thunder, i.e., weather. God changed the weather, the Philistines were confused, and they were defeated.

This doesn’t make sense, but this is right in front of us in the text. God brought some unexpected thunder of a kind that threw an army into confusion to the point that they couldn’t shoot straight or whatever armies of the time were trying to do.

Does God change the weather to change all battles of human armies? I don’t know. I don’t read that in the Bible. I do read where God does change the weather for some battles for some armies at some times and the weather changes the outcome. If God changes the weather, what else does God change to affect the course of human events? Probably many things. It is for God to know and me to wonder. It is also for me to do what is right and righteous and seek God’s mercy and grace.