Joel 2:23

"Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in Jehovah your God; for he giveth you the former rain in just measure, and he causeth to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain, in the first month.

These verses, continuing the theme of the whole section (Joel 2:18-27), are the praise of God for the temporal and physical blessings which were given to mankind, and to Israel in particular, because they were the covenant people.

Modern man supposes that he is above attributing any such physical benefits as rain and sunshine to God; and, as the mayor of a north New Jersey township objected to a public prayer meeting "for rain," brought about by a six-year drought which had threatened the water supply of the whole section, "The water supply is too important to be left up to God!" there are many in the current culture who do not believe that God has anything to do with such things; but this is a frightfully short-sighted and inaccurate notion. In the last analysis, everything depends upon the Father's will. The great climatic changes which can change a rain forest into a petrified forest, or through drought destroy the civilization of Frijoles Canyon are finally and absolutely of God Himself. His will is back of everything.