Isaiah 45:8 — Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the Lord have created it.

I love rain. Today we had the afternoon rain that seems so typical of Southwest Florida at this time of year. It pours down, floods down, a wonderful refreshing rain.

Did you ever think about how rain works? Rain – hail and snow – are formed when warm moist air cools and the moisture condenses into liquid because warm air can hold more water than cool air. That liquid is the rain that blesses us. It’s actually a little more complicated because there are three ways that warmer air cools down. One is when a body of warm air meets a body of cooler air. Another is when a body of air rises over high ground. The last is when the ground heats up, hot air rises, and the atmosphere is disturbed … 

So I know what you’re thinking. “Thanks for the cool science lesson, but isn’t this supposed to be a devotion?” Well, yes, it is. So go back and look at that verse from Isaiah. It speaks of an idea that is mentioned a few times in the Bible. The goodness of God flows down from heaven and righteousness flows up from earth to meet it.

The idea was especially suited to Biblical lands where, without the blessing of rain the land would be parched and the crops would be sparse. But for the grace of God there would be little righteousness on earth.

Isaiah is talking immediately of the prospect of the Jews return to Israel, and the good things — the peace and plenty which would follow. That’s the “down to earth” interpretation. But, as with many prophesies there is a more distant, even a heavenly interpretation. The best thing to drop down from above will be the coming and reign of the Messiah. When Jesus comes again He will bring salvation and call out righteousness from His people.

The Florida rains can be pretty impressive. The rain pours down and can flood roads in a matter of minutes. There are no mean half-measures. So it is with the righteousness that pours down from heaven. It is a glorious flood. The earth round here smells wonderfully clean and fresh after the summer rains. That’s how it is with the righteousness from heaven, too. It leaves us wonderfully cleansed and refreshed.

I love rain. It is a gift from God.