#4 in Proverbs / Lessons from the Snow

Intro

“Snow” is mentioned in the Bible 24x. Several of these mentions are in the Proverbs. What do learn?

Mundane mentions.

Benaiah’s encounter with a lion (2 Sam 23:20; 1 Ch 11:22).

General Proverbs

The virtuous woman isn’t concerned about snow because she’s prepared (Pr 31:21).

Honor isn’t appropriate for a fool anymore than snow is for summer (Pro 26:1).

Faithful messengers are as refreshing as a cold, snowy day (Pr 25:13).

There are three themes connected with snow in Scripture (not just Proverbs). All three themes tell us something about God. Two of these I want only to mention briefly so I can focus on the last. You may want to study these first two snow-related themes on your own.

God is Sovereign.

God sends the snow and controls it. “Mother Nature” is God’s housemaid.

“For to the snow He sayd, ‘Fall on the earth’” (Job 37:6).

“He gives snow like wool; He scatters frost like ashes” (Ps 147:16).

“‘Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail’” (Job 38:22)?

Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling His Word (Ps 148:7-8)!

God’s Word will bear fruit.

“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My Word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isa 55:10-11).

Applications

Too much concern with nature, referring to “Mother Earth,” and hyper-conservationism are sins against God because they don’t acknowledge Him rightfully as the Creator and Sustainer of all things.

Preach the Word. We don’t need to manipulate people into the pews. We need to live and proclaim the Word of God.

God is Spotless.

Snow is a picture of purity in the Bible.

Daniel and John saw visions of the incarnate Christ. His appearance represented His holy character.

“As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took His seat; His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire” (Dan 7:9).

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning nI saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around His chest. The hairs of His head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire” (Rev 1:12-14).

This may be what Christ really and truly looks like today! But even if it’s metaphor, the main point rings true: God is holy!

Application:

What is your view of God?

As our culture descends into moral depravity, determine to be pure.

God is Savior.

Sin symbolized by leprosy

Leprosy, a skin disease, turned white as it infected the sick.

Extremely infectious and deadly, leprosy was an effective picture for sin.

God even punished some wicked with leprosy.

Naomi, “When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow” (Nu 12:10).

Gehazi, “Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So he [Gehazi] went out from his presence a leper, like snow (2 Ki 5:27).

Sin, like leprosy, has the following death-dealing qualities:

Begins unseen, often with no symptoms

Infectious, easily transmissible

Stains and separates from the body of God’s people and from His worship

Death

The Bible-era leper had only one hope: the healing touch of God.

Salvation symbolized by snow.

Cleansing from the leprosy-like sin results in being pure as the driven snow.

David pleaded while confessing his sin with Bathsheba, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Ps 51:7).

“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isa 1:18).

Illustration: Naaman (2 Ki 5)

Powerful Syrian, but leprous

By chance*, he had captured a Hebrew girl. And one who believed in the God of Israel! She told him a miracle was available, but he’d have to go to the Promised Land.

Elisha, the man of God, told him to exercise faith in the God of Israel by bathing (7x) in the Jordan. None of it made sense, but Naaman obeyed.

Conclusion / Applications

Are you recognizing the seriousness of sin in your life?

Are you harboring death in any corners of your heart?

Come to the Savior for life-giving miracles.

He will save His people from their sins.

You may have to give up something, like Naaman did his pride.