The Dog Days of August

It’s hot. There’s no way of escaping the heat - it’s everywhere. In August, 90 degrees outside becomes commonplace. The pools are busy, sunscreen is applied, and air conditioning paramount. Outdoor workers take in fluids, take breaks under trees, and find shade in the least likely of places. It’s no wonder why these days are called the “dog days of August.”

Yet, we are thankful for heat in a round about way. For me, the outside temperatures makes me thankful for the luxuries we have - blessings such as air conditioning, swimming pools, and ice cream. In Scripture, “heat” is a common thread which runs through the pages of Scripture. From the creation of the sun (Genesis 1) to the sun’s destruction (as prophesied in Revelation 21:23), we see the blessings of God’s great and tender care of His creation. From its inception to its cessation, the sun has already been an important part of God’s plan. It is only a pawn in God’s great creation plan. As the heat bears down we are reminded, God, and God alone, directs the sun to shine on His creation.

We know from Scripture just how important the sun is. Over and over, from Genesis to Revelation, Creation has been well kept, even managed, but its rays. Yet, Psalm 19:16 reminds us, “there is nothing hidden from its heat.” We must keep in mind when the Psalms were written there was no such thing as air conditioning. There was no escaping the heat. When it became hot, it stayed hot, until the season cooled it down. In Psalm 32:4, David describes the heat, “For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of Summer.” Heat in Scripture (different from warmth) is normally seen as a act of judgment - as in the case of Jonah.

When we think of Jonah, of course, our minds opine back to the whale. Quite naturally, we think of the whale as the ultimate penalty. Yet, after Jonah’s “rebirth” on dry land after his 3 day submergence in water, we read, “And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he great faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, ‘It is better for me to die than to live.’ ” Now, that’s hot judgment. Coinciding with smelling like fish (for probably years), now Jonah had a literal “hot head” for years! I know what you’re thinking: “Really, Jeff, don’t just tell me that it’s hot; I know it’s hot, give me hope of a cooler tomorrow.” Okay, here goes:

God’s ray of hope extends to every place and person in the world today. God’s love extends to all those who place their hope in the Lord. Jeremiah 17:9 reminds us to not “fear when heat comes,” but to allow the Lord to “search the heart.” Isaiah 51:6 encourages us to “Lift up your eyes to the heaven, and look o the earth beneath. For the heavens will vanish away like smoke, the earth will grow old like a garment, and those who dwell in it will die in like manner; But My salvation will be forever, and My righteousness will not be abolished.” Clearly, just as the Lord is the God of the cool breezes, He is the God of heat.

The Bible describes the day of the Lord with feverish intensity. 2 Peter 3:10 informs, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.” As hot as it gets, let us keep in mind God is the all-seeing God in control of the temperature. Revelation 7:16 reminds us, “They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike then, nor any heat.” God initiated the warmth of the sun and one day He will bring it to an end.

When we think of heat, quite naturally, we think of warmth. Yet, we know, by faith, as Matthew 24:35 reminds, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” The sun can singe and destroy all things tangible, but the Word of God stands forever. As the temperatures rise, let us rejoice and, “Lift up your eyes” (Isaiah 51:6). For as Revelation 21:23 describes, one day the sun will be of no use. John writes, “The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.”

Therefore, let us remember, just as God is the God of the cool brook, He is also the God of the 90 degree heat. Let us not curse the Lord, but yet, be thankful, for the heat reminds us how God ever desires to burn away our impurities, redeem us, and build our home in Glory…just make sure mine’s at 68 degrees!