Four Compelling Ways God Reveals Himself in the Dew
We often use word pictures to help us describe a person, place, object, event, or situation. We say things like he was tall like a giraffe, or she was as busy as a bee. When we use word pictures, we provide an excellent visual without giving excessive detail.
The Bible uses word pictures. The church is described as the body of Christ and Christians are challenged to be Jesus’ hands and feet. In addition, Jesus is called the light of the world and living water. Plus, the Holy Spirit is symbolized through a dove, fire, wind, and also living water just like Jesus.
Word Picture in Hosea
The book of Hosea is based on the imagery of marriage. The prophet Hosea uses his marriage with his promiscuous wife to express the relationship between God and the nation of Israel. In the final chapter, Hosea pleads with Israel to repent and return to the Lord. He writes them a message from God.
“I will heal their apostasy; I will freely love them, for my anger will have turned from him [Israel]. I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily and take root like the cedars of Lebanon. His new branches will spread, and his splendor will be like the olive tree, his fragrance like the forest of Lebanon. The people will return and live beneath his shade. They will grow grain and blossom like the vine. His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.”
Hosea 14:4-7
God communicates a word picture about Himself. He declares He will be like the dew to Israel. God gives a parallel that seems unimpressive. Dew isn’t much of anything in my perception, so why would God provide this particular image?
Researching Dew
I googled the word dew in search of wisdom. I learned the official dictionary.com definition for dew is “moisture condensed from the atmosphere, especially at night, and deposited in the form of small drops upon any cool surface.” Dictionary.com also offers an interesting second definition: “something like or compared to such drops of moisture, as in purity, delicacy, or refreshing quality.”
I’m not a science girl. I read all sorts of information about dew, compliments of my google search, and I didn’t fully grasp the concept of how dew appears to summarize effectively. However, I did comprehend that dew formation has to do with the differences in temperature between the air and an object. In addition, I discovered dew is a result of water changing from vapor to a liquid. In my simplistic understanding, there is an interaction between two different things, and we end up with dew.
When we read verses like Hosea 14:5-7 with our American culture filter, we latch onto words like blossom, spread, splendor, and renown. We interpret God’s Word through our concept of the American dream. As a result, we perceive God offers an idyllic, prosperous life without struggle, hardship, or pain. On the flip side, the description of God being like dew doesn’t fit.
Hebrew View of Dew
The Hebrew people in Hosea’s time didn’t have google. They couldn’t even look it up in a set of old school Britannica Encyclopedias. The Hebrews believed everything, and I do mean every-thing, came from God. Their view of life was always from the view of Yahweh’s supremacy and absolute rule. Therefore, the image of dew must tell us something about how God moves in His world and for His people.
When you read the first three verses in Hosea 14, you discover the concepts of repentance and forgiveness, as well as the goodness and compassion of God. In Hosea 14:4, God offers healing and His generous love along with the removal of His anger. Consequently, God’s “dew-ness” is connected to His forgiveness, love, and restoration of relationship.
Throughout the Old Testament, dew is referred to as “heaven’s dew.” Moses tells us in Deuteronomy 33 dew is a blessing of “heaven’s bounty.” (Verse 13, CSB) Solomon tells us in Proverbs 19:3, “A king’s rage is like the roaring of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.” Isaiah explains dew comes quietly (Isaiah 18:4), and Hosea informs us dew is fleeting and goes away early (Hosea 6:4).
The Hebrews had knowledge of dew that I didn’t know until I googled. In arid and semi-arid regions, dew is a major water source. Dew also helps plants retain more moisture in their cells, making the plants more resilient in hot, dry conditions. For the Hebrew, dew was a known necessary daily component of survival.
Lessons from the Dew
How does seeing God like dew help us? I see four lessons from the dew.
- God graciously provides good gifts. Dew doesn’t appear because of anything we do, it’s a blessing from a sovereign God who takes care of details.
- God’s provision is enough. We see dew as a small thing, but it provides what the plants need on a regular basis. Even with today’s technology, you and I can’t store dew for the next day. However, God furnishes what we need in each moment, just like He sends dew to the earth.
- God nourishes us gently. Dew is evidence that nourishment came, even in the dark. We see the droplets in the morning, after the night has passed. God, like the dew, delivers what we need, even though we may not recognize it till later.
- God continually molds and changes us. Dew brings about a lasting effect, though its influence is slow-moving. God could change the landscape of our lives in an instant. Instead, He often chooses to shape who we are through a longer process of growth, just like the dew brings about eventual fruitfulness.
Hosea ends his book with these words, “…For the ways of the Lord are right and the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.” (Hosea 14:9b, CSB) God’s ways are perfect, even when needed sustenance comes in the unlikely form of dew. When we choose to trust God and rely on His choices, we flourish. On the other hand, if we complain, stubbornly stomp our feet, and tell God He’s not providing well, we flounder in spite of the provision given.
God is like the dew. He provides what we need in His goodness and grace. He knows what we need, and when we need it, because He is sovereign and wise. Regardless of the simplicity of His provision, God always enables His own to flourish. We can wonder over the morning dew, while celebrating the goodness and faithfulness of God.
