“How much rain did we get?” my wife will ask. On my morning trek to feed the birds, I check the glass rain gauge for the requested information. A few weeks ago, the glass collector cracked, so no more measurements. Then, when we visited my brother-in-law recently, I noticed he had a nifty weather station receiver in the dining room. Later, he showed me the sending unit outside, complete with a little anemometer spinning on top. The seed was planted.

Last week, the Farm & Fleet store had a five-in-one weather station on sale for half price. I snatched it up. Now I’m not a weather fanatic, but I do like to know what’s going on outdoors. In the summer, the amount of rainfall we get determines the flower and vegetable garden watering schedule. In winter, the outside temperature determines how many layers of clothing I should wear when I go out. Plus, it’s just fun to watch the weather change.

So this new thing, mounted on a three-quarter-inch diameter pipe in a clear spot in the backyard, transmits gobs of information to the receiver in our living room which displays current temperature (inside and out), relative humidity (ditto), dew point, wind speed and direction, and rainfall amount. It also displays the current barometric pressure and its trend, and predicts the future weather based on these measurements. The machine is currently in a “learning” mode lasting about fourteen days, after which it supposedly will tell me what the weather will be.

While I trust the current readings to be accurate, I’m highly suspicious of the prophetic capabilities of this new device. Like the weather forecast on TV, I think it’s kind of a dartboard. The weather person shows us the radar, and tells us to prepare for a major snowstorm. File video shows the county snowplows in action, with frequent shots of the huge salt piles to reassure us that the roads will be made passable by the morning commute. In the morning, all we get are flurries. Weather prophecy is a tough business.

Biblical prophecy was also a tough business, but for an entirely different reason. When a prophet proclaimed “Thus says the LORD…” accuracy was guaranteed. The challenge for the prophet came when the people hated what he said. Sometimes he was forced to get out of town. But sooner or later, what was proclaimed became reality. During the Advent season, we remember two important, world-changing prophecies. The birth of Jesus, the Savior, was announced centuries before it occurred, but we can now see how it came to be exactly as proclaimed in every detail. The second event is yet to come; the triumphant return of Jesus, when He will make all things new, and sin and death will be no more. This long-awaited event will also come to be exactly as it is foretold in the Bible. You think Christmas parties are a big deal? Just wait until THAT day. The very earth itself will vibrate with unending joy as heaven and earth become one!

Revelation 21:1-5 (ESV) Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

I’m not sure if it will snow tomorrow; but I am absolutely certain that Jesus is coming again!