How great is God—beyond our understanding! The number of His years is past finding out. He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams; the Clouds pour down their moisture so that abundant showers fall on all Mankind. Who can understand how He spreads out the Clouds, how He Thunders from His pavilion? See how He scatters His Lightning about Him, bathing the depths of the Sea? This is the way He governs the Nations and provides food in abundance—for everyone. He fills His Hands with Lightning and commands it to strike its mark; His Thunder announces [that the Storm is coming]; even the cattle make known its approach. He seals up the hand of every Man, that all men whom He has made may know it. Then the animals go into coverts— they remain in their dens. Out of its chamber comes the Storm, and Cold
out of the North. By the Breath of God, Ice is given, and the breadth of the waters is frozen. Yes, He loads the thick clouds with moisture; He spreads abroad the Clouds of His Lightning, turned around by His Guidance that they may do whatever He commands; whether it’s for correction, for His land, or for lovingkindness that He causes it to come. Do you know how God controls them, and causes the Lightning of His Clouds to shine? Do you know the workings of the Clouds, the wondrous
works of Him who is perfect in knowledge?
I would like to reply to you and to your friends with you . . . Beware of turning to evil which you seem to prefer to affliction. Look up at the Heavens and see; gaze at the clouds so high above you. If you sin, how does that affect Him? If your sins are many, what does that do to God? If you are Righteous, what do you give to Him, or what does He receive from your hands? . . . Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself, and your righteousness only the sons of men. The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when He fetters them, they do not cry for help.
But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night; who teaches more to us than to the beasts of the Earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the air? . . . If men are bound in chains, held fast by cords of affliction, He tells them what they have done—that they have sinned arrogantly. He makes them listen to correction and commands them to Repent of their evil. If they obey and serve Him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment. But if they do not listen, they will perish by the Sword and die without knowledge.
Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near. Let the Wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have Mercy upon him; for He will abundantly pardon. Know therefore, that the Lord thy God is GOD; the faithful GOD which keeps His covenant of Mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations; “I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me. Then shall you call upon Me, and you shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. You shall seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”