Snow

I live in North Alabama, so we are all thinking about snow tonight. In this area of the country, we get a small snow (an inch or so) a couple of times a year. However, occasionally, we get a larger snow. I guess we will wake up tomorrow morning and see if it is actually going to occur. But, it makes me think about times in the Bible in which winter and/or snow is mentioned. I have written about these a couple of times, and I encourage you to take a look:

• Jerusalem In Winter
• First Major Snow of the Season
• Snow at the Israel Museum

If you need me, I'll be glancing out the window waiting for the snow.

First Major Snow of the Season

People often do not think of snow when they think of Israel. But, there is snow every year is parts of Israel. On the northern boundary of Israel sits beautiful Mount Hermon, which is over 9000 feet in elevation. Mount Hermon receives a good bit of snow every year, and even has a few ski slopes on it. Even the city of Jerusalem gets occasional snow. The city sits in the central mountain range and is just under 3000 feet in elevation. (Trivial time: How many US States have a highest point of less than 3000 feet? The answer will be at the end of the post.) The Jerusalem Post reported this morning that the area of Galilee and northern Israel received some thunderstorms and snow in the higher elevations. Consequently, the Sea of Galilee recorded their first rise in water level since April.

When I read stories like this, I am reminded of a few verses in the Bible. Scriptures refers to the rains that come in the autumn as "early rain". (The "latter rain" falls in the spring.)

“And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, he will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, that you may gather in your grain and your wine and your oil. - Deuteronomy 11:13-14

Also, as I said, Jerusalem is around 3000 feet in elevation. It does turn much cooler during the winter.

At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. - John 10:22:23

Oh...and the answer to the trivia question? It is 17. There are 17 states that have a highest point that is less than the elevation of Jerusalem. And nearly all of those states record snowfall every year.

(NOTE: The picture at the top of this post was posted last year by the Israel Museum on their Facebook page during their heavy snow fall.)

HT: Todd Bolen

Snow at the Israel Museum

I'm still seeing a large number of great pictures taken around Israel with regards to the snow. In particular, one picture this morning caught my eye. At the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, there is a rather large model of the city of Jerusalem during the Second Temple period. You can walk around it and stare at it for hours remembering the stories that you have read in the Bible. On their Facebook page this morning, they posted the following picture of the model in the snow:

You can compare that picture to one that I took back when I visited back in September:

With all of these pictures of snow in Jerusalem this week, I was reminded by a good friend who lives in Washington State of a passage from the period of the King David:

Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. - 1 Chronicles 11:22

Heavy Snow in Jerusalem

If you have seen the news today, then you have probably seen many pictures or video of the snow that has fallen across much of Israel today. Some parts of Jerusalem have received up to eight inches of snow. I thought I would include a few additional pictures that were sent to me from a friend of mine who lives just outside the city. He is around 2400 feet in elevation. When I see pictures like this, I can help but remember the verse from John 10:22-23:

Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.

Snow and Rain in Jerusalem

As I have mentioned before, people who have never been to Israel often think of it as a very warm and dry place. It is true that there are some areas of the country that are desert-like, most notably the Negev in the southern part of the country. In addition, there are times during the summer in which the periods of rain are very few and far between. For instance, Jerusalem rarely gets any rain between the months of April and October. Still, you have to remember that Jerusalem is about 750 meters (2500 feet) in elevation and during the winter, can receive a lot of rain. And, on occasion, receive snow. Within the past day, much of the land of Israel has received copious amounts of rain. From the Galilee area, down the central mountain range, and through Jerusalem, many centimeters of rain has fallen. And, in many areas, this has fallen as snow. Reports from Mount Hermon state that many areas of the mountain have received over a meter of snow. It has been snowing in Nazareth and this morning, many parts of Jerusalem have received about two centimeters (about an inch) of snow. The Jerusalem Post posted a number of pictures of the rain, flooding and snowfall, which I encourage you to view.

In 2006, my parents were traveling with Ferrell Jenkins and were able to witness this phenomenon. On April 2, the city of Jerusalem received over 4 inches of rain. The water drained out of the metropolitan area and rushed into Wadi Qelt. (Wadi Qelt is a valley and stream that run east from Jerusalem down toward Jericho. It is very deep and in many areas it is impassible to someone traveling north to south.) Wadi Qelt flooded in many places and washed out some roads when it drained out into the valley. I have attached a few pictures from that event.

When I look at the pictures, I can't help but think of the example that Jesus used as he encouraged the people to listen to him.

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. - Matthew 7:24-29