What Does the Bible Say About Snow?

Snow is mentioned about 23 times in the Bible.

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The southern U.S. has had snow/sleet/ice on the ground since Sunday night.

It’s very unusual to have a wintery mix stick around longer than a day or two, but thanks to the incredibly low temperatures (I saw 3 degrees Fahrenheit this morning), our snow has made itself at home.

Since snow is everywhere around me right now, I thought we could see if the Bible has anything to say about snow.

As it turns out, snow is mentioned about 23 times in the Bible.

3 Times a Person’s Skin is Compared to Snow.

One of the signs that God gave Moses that it was indeed the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who had appeared to him was to turn Moses’ hand leprous “like snow” and then to heal it.

Furthermore the LORD said to him, "Now put your hand in your bosom." And he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, like snow. And He said, "Put your hand in your bosom again." So he put his hand in his bosom again, and drew it out of his bosom, and behold, it was restored like his other flesh. (Exodus 4:6-7)

When God’s anger was stirred up against Moses’ sister Miriam for speaking against Moses as God’s faithful servant, He struck her with leprosy, which caused her to look “as white as snow” for seven days.

And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper. (Numbers 12:10)

When Gehazi took gifts from Naaman, the leprosy of Naaman clung to Gehazi and his descendants forever.

Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever." And he went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow. (2 Kings 5:27)

When a person’s skin is white, it means the blood is not flowing correctly. An absence of blood flowing through your body means death. Leprosy gave the appearance of death.

God is shown as the giver of life - and death is the result if He removes that gift.

3 Times a Person’s Clothing is Compared to Snow.

Daniel described the clothing of the “Ancient of Days” as being “white as snow” - emphasizing the brilliance and purity of God.

I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire; (Daniel 7:9)

The angel of the Lord who rolled back the stone from the door of Jesus’ tomb was described as having clothing “as white as snow.”

His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. (Matthew 28:3)

When Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John on a mountain, His clothes were described as “exceedingly white, like snow.”

His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. (Mark 9:3)

As I write this, I’m looking outside through my office window at the sun shining down on the snow. The light hitting the snow creates a blinding effect, and you can’t look for too long.

The picture of clothing as white as snow illustrates the purity and brilliance of God.

5 Times Snow is an Illustration for Being Clean.

As Job wondered why he was suffering so terribly, he referenced washing himself with snow water - which would be much cleaner than any other water.

If I wash myself with snow water, And cleanse my hands with soap, (Job 9:30)

As David mourned his sin with Bathsheba, he called upon God to cleanse him of his sin - if God washed him clean, he would be “whiter than snow.”

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (Psalm 51:7)

God called His people to hear and “reason together” from what He told them through His prophet Isaiah. Their sins had stained them red like crimson, but God could cleanse them. And they would be so clean they would be “as white as snow.”

"Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)

Jeremiah spoke of how foolish the nation had been in forsaking God. It would be as foolish as leaving behind the clean drinking water that comes from the snow and going to drink “strange waters.”

Will a man leave the snow water of Lebanon, Which comes from the rock of the field? Will the cold flowing waters be forsaken for strange waters? (Jeremiah 18:14)

Jeremiah remembered the nation's previous “clean” condition- and lamented what their sins had done to them.

Her Nazirites were brighter than snow And whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, Like sapphire in their appearance. Now their appearance is blacker than soot; They go unrecognized in the streets; Their skin clings to their bones, It has become as dry as wood. (Lamentations 4:7-8)

The “white snow” illustrates how clean we become when God cleanses and forgives us of our sins. We don’t remain “sin-stained.” He washes all the stains of sin away by the blood of Jesus (Romans 5:6- 9).

6 Times Snow is an Example of God’s Power.

As Elihu proclaimed God’s power and majesty, he spoke of how God commands the snow to fall to the earth - and it does!

For He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth'; Likewise to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength. (Job 37:6)

In the following chapter, the Lord shows up and starts asking Job all these questions that he has no answers for. One of the questions God asked Job had to do with the snow.

Have you entered the treasury of snow, Or have you seen the treasury of hail, (Job 38:22)

The psalmist referred to a time when God scattered Israel’s enemies like snow on the ground (Joshua 10:10).

"Kings of armies flee, they flee, And she who remains at home divides the spoil. Though you lie down among the sheepfolds, You will be like the wings of a dove covered with silver, And her feathers with yellow gold." When the Almighty scattered kings in it, It was white as snow in Zalmon. (Psalm 68:12-14)

In a psalm praising God for His great power through His commands, the psalmist spoke of how God “gives snow like wool.”

He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes; (Psalm 147:16)

The psalmist continues praising God for His power and majesty in the following psalm.

Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, fulfilling His word; (Psalm 148:8)

Isaiah spoke of how God’s word always accomplished its intended purpose - just like the snow falls from the sky and waters the earth.

For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:10-11)

When you look out at snow on the ground, you are seeing a testament to the incredible power and majesty of Almighty God. He demonstrates His power in many marvelous ways, and snow is simply one of the ways He does it.

2 Times the Vanishing of Snow is an Illustration.

Job spoke of how his friend's kindness toward him had vanished in his time of suffering like snow vanishes into a brook in the winter and then the brook vanishes in the summer.

My brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook, Like the streams of the brooks that pass away, Which are dark because of the ice, And into which the snow vanishes. When it is warm, they cease to flow; When it is hot, they vanish from their place. (Job 6:15-17)

Job spoke of how heat " consumed " snow and compared it with how the grave consumes sinners.

As drought and heat consume the snow waters, So the grave consumes those who have sinned. (Job 24:19)

Snow only lasts a little while and then quickly vanishes when the temperature rises. May our kindness toward others not be like the quickly vanishing snow! And may we take our lives on this earth seriously - because they are short (James 4:13-14).

3 Times the Season of Snow is an Illustration.

The cooler weather is a wonderful relief after a long, hot summer of working in the fields.

Like the cold of snow in time of harvest Is a faithful messenger to those who send him, For he refreshes the soul of his masters. (Proverbs 25:13)

However, snow in the summer is not fitting at all. In the same way, honor is not fitting for a fool.

As snow in summer and rain in harvest, So honor is not fitting for a fool. (Proverbs 26:1)

The virtuous woman is not worried about her family when winter and snow arrive because she has made preparations to keep them warm.

She is not afraid of snow for her household, For all her household is clothed with scarlet. (Proverbs 31:21)

For everything, there is a season (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). The wise person recognizes the approaching seasons of life and makes the appropriate preparations.

1 Time a Person’s Face is Compared to Snow.

Finally, John describes Jesus in the book of Revelation. One of the descriptions of our Lord is that His head and hair were “as white as snow.”

His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; (Revelation 1:14)

Earlier in this article, we saw how God’s appearance is pictured as white as snow. The same description is given to Jesus - glorifying and exalting Him as the Son of God.

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So, snow shows up quite a bit in the Bible!

Many of the references point us to God and His great power. We are also reminded how God can cleanse the sinner of his sins and make him as “white as snow.”