“Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? ” Job 38:22
Snow falls when the weather is cold, below freezing temperatures. You will find it in areas further away from the equator in winter or on top of high mountains. Snowflakes are produced in clouds that contain moisture. The conditions must be just right for snowflakes to be made. When temperatures are well below the freezing point of water, tiny snow crystals are formed, and as they get heavier they begin to fall. As they fall they get larger because they pick up more moisture in the atmosphere. It is God who controls the conditions in the atmosphere, dispensing the snow at His choosing. If God is in control of the snow, He can also dispense all the things in life that we need. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17
People who live where it snows alot may not consider snow as a treasure, yet the Bible says that there are treasures in the snow. The word “snow” appears in the King James Bible 24 times, describing various situations. Some of God’s richest treasures can be found in the snow. The word “treasure” in Job 38:22 is the Hebrew word “o-tsaw” which means an armory, or storehouse. Although snow flakes are very small, when enough of them band together they have the power to shut down an entire city. God can use something as small as a snowflake as a source of great power. Sometimes God will sends “storms” in our lives to bring us to a halt enough to acknowledge Him. “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10
We usually admire snow for its beauty, but may not think of snow as being a precious and essential commodity. Approximately 20% of the world’s land mass is covered permanently by snow. About 40% of the Northern Hemisphere is snow covered. Fresh snow falls on 1 out of every 6.5 square kilometres of dry land each year. One third of the world’s water used for irrigation comes from snow. Countries like Argentina, Chile and Western U.S. rely heavily on snow for irrigation purposes. In fact 75% of irrigation in Western USA relies on snow.
It is snow that also gives power to the great American rivers of the west like the Rio Grande, the Colorado, the Missouri, and the Columbia. Melted snow produces approximately 100 trillion litres of water each year in the Columbia River alone. That is enough water to raise the level of Lake Michigan by two metres.
“And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.” 2 Samuel 23:20. To do great deeds in a time of snow, makes things a little more heroic as this is a time when it is more treacherous to move about and get around.
DIVERSITY
Each snow flake is distinctly different from any other. All those blankets of snow with their trillions of flakes—each flake is different. We can only wonder at the greatness of God.
There are actually 10 general categories of snowflakes. If you look under a microscope you would see the different categories. They come in shapes such as needles, stars, trees, fishbones, bullets, etc., yet no two snowflakes are exactly the same. Each have their own shape—their own identity. They each are unique. What an awesome God we serve.
Also with the billions of people on this earth today and those billions who lived in the past, not one was, or is, exactly like any other. Our fingerprints, and every other part of our body is unique. Even twins are not truly identical. Not a single flower, or animal either. Who can understand the ways of God? And the most wonderful part is that He cares for each person individually as though they were the only one on this earth. He orchestrates circumstances in their lives, for their salvation, whether it be suffering, want, or plenty. Each has their own characteristics and unique experience, unlike any other.
And God is actively and patiently working to develop all the different character traits He desires to see in each person.
As each snow flake is also perfect in its symmetry, everything that comes from the hand of God is perfect, including your experience. The snowflake is very beautiful and you also are beautiful to your Creator. He knew you before you were formed in your mother’s womb and He has a distinct purpose for your life.
STRENGTH
The strength and power of the snow are seen when the snowflakes band together. One flake can easily melt, but together they can produce a blizzard. God is storing up snow as He does with the fire and the hail to dispense when He chooses. “At His own will God summons the forces of nature to overthrow the might of His enemies—‘fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling His word.’ Psalm 148:8. When the heathen Amorites had set themselves to resist His purposes, God interposed, casting down ‘great stones from heaven’ upon the enemies of Israel. We are told of a greater battle to take place in the closing scenes of earth’s history, when Jehovah ‘hath opened His armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of His indignation.’ Jeremiah 50:25.” –Maranatha, p. 297
In God’s church, we each may be a small seemingly insignificant snowflake; we may melt alone, but when we band together we can cause a great blizzard. That is why we are together in the church.
PURITY OF CHARACTER
Snow is beautiful to look at. It brings a beauty to nature in the winter time when all the trees have lost their leaves and all the little animals have gone into hibernation; all the plants and flowers have died, some forever, others are only dormant. The countryside looks dry and dead, and the snow covers all this deadness, giving it a lovely soft appearance. It turns the most desolate landscape into beautiful scenery. Although snow is cold, it appears very clean in its pure white pristine condition.
Although snow looks very clean and white, in reality it acts as a filter to remove germs and impurities from the air. It has a powerful cleansing effect on the atmosphere. Snow is actually formed around some matter already existing in the atmosphere like a piece of dirt, thus when it falls it brings this dirt to the ground out of the atmosphere. It still looks pure and white though. The dirt is hidden by the whiteness, and the air is very clean after a snow storm. As the dirt has been hidden by the whiteness of the snow, so also our sins are filtered out by the blood of Jesus and hidden, being cast into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19).
Jesus said through the prophet Isaiah, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18. No matter what colour the object on the ground or trees, when the snow comes, they are all covered in a lovely blanket of white. The same colour. We have all been corrupted by sin. We have been as the dead trees in winter. We cannot conceal the stain, but when the snow comes, it covers all. It is like the robe of Christ’s Righteousness, which covers our dirty, sinful nature with a pure white covering, giving a soft beauty to our natures—a nature that will be accepted by God the Father who has a repulsion for sin. Jesus’ robe of righteousness covers all our stains of sin when we repent, no matter how dark they are. He promised that we can be made as white as snow.
After he had done a terrible sin, David prayed, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7
When snow first falls, everything looks so soft and powdery. The landscape is very beautiful. Should the snowy landscape be disturbed by a man or an animal walking in
, footprints are left. Afterwards, no matter how much you try to cover up the footprints, you can never return the landscape to the perfect scenery that was created after the snowfall. Snow can also get dirty easily when soiled with dirt from the road, as well as other sources such as from animal dirt. Once the beauty is disturbed, it cannot return to its original beauty unless another snowfall comes down to cover up what was disturbed. If Christ has put His robe of Righteousness around us, we must be careful not to let anything come and soil it. One little sin and it will be removed. Jesus will remove it before He allows us to soil it and we will appear dead once more.
LEPROSY
Although snow is beautiful and white, it is used in the Bible also to describe something deadly. “And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.” Exodus 4:6. We can only imagine how white that was.
Although leprosy is white, it is a symbol of sin, and self-righteousness. A person can appear unusually white physically, which would make us concerned that they have leprosy. This is something we all see. “Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.” Numbers 12:10. A person’s own righteousness is compared to leprosy. They try to make themselves look good and to bring honour and glory to themselves. If we are symbolically leprous we will not see the white skin, but the fruits will be seen; self-righteousness, and Phariseeism.
We cannot actually see the robe of Christ’s righteousness. Only the unseen world can see the whiteness of it, however we can see the fruits, such as good works, a loving and honest heart, and an exalting of Christ and His Righteousness—never exalting our own good works.
JOB
Job lived in an area where there was snow since he used snow several times as an analogy.
Job compared his friends to snow. Those ‘friends’ stated they had come to comfort him in his sorrow. They really brought no comfort, but only accusation. They should have shown him pity in his distress but they did not. “To him that is afflicted pity should be showed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty. My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away; Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid: What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place. The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.” Job 6:14–18
Job first compared his friends to a brook. A babbling brook brings life to the surrounding countryside, to the flora and the fauna both. Brooks are often teeming with life. When winter comes and the brooks freeze, what colour do they look? They often look black. They are frozen solid, no life can live in them. The smaller water animals have either died or have burrowed in the soil to hibernate. The brooks then benefit no one.
In Eastern countries there are streams known as wadis, which dry up and disappear in the heat of the summer when needed most. When the weather gets warm, the snow melts and disappears. It is gone, as if it did not exist. It turns into water and then it soaks into the ground. The drying up (passing away) of the waters at the approach of summer is compared to the failure of these friends to support Job in his time of affliction. This is the eventual result of those that decide not to submit to the Lord, but are deceivers. In the end they will disappear.
“If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain? If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.” Job 9:29–31. Job is almost saying, “what’s the use?” It matters not how clean and pure I try to make myself because God will plunge me again into the filthy mire. He abhors himself. If you are wicked, either openly or secretly (secret sins, or in your attitudes and thought processes), you may try to wash yourself with snow water—which is pure. You may try to put on the robe of Christ’s righteousness yourself. You may try to be holy, but it is in vain. The end result? The Lord will plunge them in a ditch, and they will appear dirty to the Lord. A ditch is often associated with dirty water that is draining away. And their own clothes will abhor them—their own clothes—their own righteousness which is nothing before God.
“He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards. Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned. The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree.” Job 24:18–20. As the heat of the summer causes the snow to disappear, so in like manner the graves consume the wicked.
After describing the murder and the adulterer and other sinners in the verses prior to these, Job compares the open sinners to swift waters, but waters that are cursed. Just the right amount of water is needed in the springtime as the snow begins to melt, to help the crops begin to grow, but too much can have devastating effects as floods that damage buildings and crops. Then the Lord says to those who are as swift waters, not caring for the vineyards, that He will send them drought to consume the snow waters. The drought and heat will come and destroy the beneficial effect that was intended by the snow waters. God will dry them up. So with the sinners, but more so with the self-righteous pretentious sinners. Those described in Matthew 7:20–23. They did good works, they served humanity, but for selfish purposes. Their portion is the grave—eternal grave. Jesus does not recognize them as His.
Although we love our children dearly, Job says that the womb shall forget these people and the worms shall feed sweetly on them. They will have a feast. Throughout the countless millions of years, they will no longer be remembered. Jesus will comfort the broken hearts of mothers who do not see their children in heaven. Their wickedness shall be broken as a tree. In the winter too much snow on a tree will cause its branches to break. It can bring down a whole tree; all from the accumulation of little snowflakes.
“God thundereth marvellously with His voice; great things doeth He, which we cannot comprehend. For He saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of His strength. He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know His work.” Job 37:5–7. It is God who brings the snow and decides just how much should fall. He is in control. We need to learn to trust Him. The wicked may become frightened with the various troubles on this earth, whether in the elements of nature, or whether from mankind; however it is all in God’s permissive will. Nothing will touch His children except what He allows. We are as the “apple of His eye.” Zechariah 2:8
King Solomon said, “As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.” Proverbs 26:1. Snow in summer is most unnatural. Rain in harvesttime would be most undesirable. Honour for a fool would be equally unnatural and dangerous. To elevate to a place of honour a man lacking understanding is to give him opportunities to do great harm; such a course discourages those who are truly worthy of such a promotion. We do not give offices in the church to members who do not attend regularly as an incentive to be there weekly. We give offices to those who are faithful in their attendance at all times.
In Isaiah we read: “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater.” Isaiah 55:10. Rain and snow are a gift from God to man. They are given to accomplish a purpose. All things are ordained by God whether material or spiritual. Not only to beautify the earth in the cold winter season, but to supply an abundance of much needed water in the spring time, to bring nature back to life.
WHITER THAN SNOW
What is whiter than snow? in describing a pure white colour, the word snow has been added to indicate prefect purity. Jesus’ garments are compared to being white as snow. “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool: His throne was like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire.” Daniel 7:9. On the mount of transfiguration. “And His raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.” Mark 9:3
And, also, the angels clothing, “His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow.” Matthew 28:3
Not only the garments are unspotted—and pristine, but the character also is unspotted and pristine. Garments are being used as a symbol of character.
Also Jesus’ hair is described as being pure white. “His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow.” Revelation 1:14
There are many treasures to be seen in the snow. God wants to wash us and clean us to the point that we are whiter than snow. He wants to cover us with His robe of righteousness. All we have to do is surrender to Him. Do not delay—start today. Right now.
Let us band together as little snowflakes in God’s church so that we can work together in unity and be a great force for God in this world.
“God encourages us to contemplate His works in the natural world. He desires that we shall turn our mind from the study of the artificial to the natural. We shall understand this better as we lift up our eyes to the hills of God, and contemplate the works which His own hands have created. They are God’s work. His hand has molded the mountains and balances them in their position, that they shall not be moved except at His command. The wind, the sun, the rain, the snow, and the ice are all His ministers to do His will.” –The Upward Look, p. 98
Wendy Eaton