Why Does God Send Sun and Rain “on the Just and the Unjust"?

Writer

Updated June 27, 2023

When you look at your life, the good times and the bad, do you see those times through the perspective of God? When you see those in your life who have caused you pain and heartache, do you believe they experience the same highs and lows as you do, and need God’s love as well?

For many, these two questions are a struggle to answer. We don’t particularly like going through challenging times, but some assume God will bless us as we endure the pain. However, if our enemies were to go through the same situation, we wouldn’t be as quick to say they should be blessed with the same outcome.

In Matthew 5:45 (NKJV), Jesus states, “that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

Jesus conveys that good and bad circumstances will befall those who believe in God and those who don’t, displaying that God is no respecter of people and will allow events in our lives that are meant to grow us into images of Christ, not bitter toward God and others. Hopefully with this knowledge we have, we can look at one another as someone in need of God’s love and demonstrate it, whether they are friend, family, or foe.

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What Is Happening in Matthew 5?

The general mindset within Matthew 5 is acknowledging that bad times will happen, but blessings will come through the struggle.

Many recall that Matthew 5 contains Jesus’ Beatitudes, which reflect on the blessings given by God to those who persevere through hardships. From those pure in heart to those who hunger for righteousness to those in grief or are being persecuted, all will be blessed by God for standing strong in faith through the trials.

As the chapter progresses, Jesus instructs those listening (His disciples and the multitudes) that those who believe God are “the salt of the earth…and the light of the world” (Matt. 5:13-14). He also counsels the listeners that thoughts of murder or adultery, if felt in the heart, already make them guilty of committing the sins, and that only through Him can the Law be fulfilled (Matt. 5:21-30). This is to show that though it is important to uphold the Law – the Ten Commandments – we as imperfect humans cannot keep these commandments, so Jesus died to fulfill the Law. Through this fulfillment, our hearts will be changed to where we will want to uphold the commandments as much as we can, knowing that even if we fail, we won’t lose God.

The latter portion of Matthew 5 focuses more on what believers are to do in their daily lives, encouraging those listening to love their enemies and help others with no expectation of repayment (Matt. 5:38-48). This section includes Matthew 5:45, as Jesus shares that as we all experience the same blessings and challenges in life, we should extend God’s love to all around us because we hope for spiritual transformation for others as God has done in us.

So, as Matthew 5:45 states, when we see that we are all experiencing good and bad times in life, as in the rain and sunrise, we can make the choice to love and support those going through situations we are experiencing as well. This is pleasing to God, who blesses those who extend mercy to others (Matt. 5:7).

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Why Does God Allow Good Things to Both the Righteous and the Unrighteous?

Many reading Matthew 5:45 may have an issue with this verse, as well as Jesus’ explanation after it, stating that just as a tax collector, one of the most despised professions at that time, loves and helps others, we should do the same. We should love our fellow brothers and sisters, even if they hate us or show us disrespect.

However, some find fault with this because if people who hate and harm others should have the same favor as us, is that really fair? Is God rewarding injustice that we, in turn, have to suffer from those we call enemies?

The answer is no. As Jesus mentions in Matthew 5:45, “for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good,” God brings blessings to those who are unrighteous and for the righteous because all are His sons and daughters. He doesn’t play favorites or takes pleasure in seeing a person suffer, but brings blessings when they are appropriate and part of His plan in that person’s salvation and growth.

God knows that we can easily come to expect good things for ourselves when we see ourselves as “good” people, but in God’s eyes blessings don’t come to us because of our efforts. Blessings and good fortune are tools given to us to grow in godly character and thankfulness, provisions to extend out in love to others who don’t know God’s love; and yes, showing love includes to those we would consider unrighteous and unworthy of God’s love and blessings.

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Why Does God Let Bad Things Happen to Good People?

Especially today, this question has been commonly asked: why do bad things happen to good people?

The answer also lies in Matthew 5:45, as Jesus states, “for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.” Jesus points out here that rain, difficult situations and trials, will fall on those who are good (just) and bad (unjust). As we learned above, God doesn’t show favorites, so challenges will be faced by all, unrighteous and not.

God’s purpose for these challenges is to remind those who know, and those who don’t, that this life is not all that is promised. As we persevere through this difficulty, we gain a greater perspective that God is the provider of everything we need. Bad things especially remind us that there is a place after death, if we accept Jesus’s sacrifice, where the pain we experienced on earth will be removed, and the wrong will be made right through God’s love and mercy.

What Does This Verse Show Us about God's Patience and Love?

So, with this knowledge given by Jesus in Matthew 5:45, we learn that God can bring us unbelievable blessings (the sunrise) as well as challenges we don’t know how we will overcome (the rain). We also realize that the same blessings and hardships come to those we may see as enemies, people who we look down upon or even those who bully us in some way.

But what Jesus wants us to remember is that God is a Father to all, and He sees that everyone can be redeemed through His love, mercy, and daily provision. Some may understand immediately their need for God and be obedient to offer God’s love to others; some may be so stuck in their ways that they can’t rationalize showing God’s love to people they condemn and end up missing out on an opportunity to serve God.

Jesus points out this concept in Matthew 5:46-47: “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?”

He reminds us that we should show God’s love for others, as those we condemn need God’s love as much as we do. There are, of course, instances where evil is very apparent and God will handle those situations and people appropriately. But in all other situations, loving as God loves benefits us and helps redeem others.

Show Love to All

The fifth chapter of the book of Matthew shows Jesus’ understanding of the trials we face and how we need to uphold godly living, even if He fulfilled the Law for us with His death.

When it comes to Matthew 5:45, we learn the importance of loving not just those we treasure but those we dislike, realizing that just as good and bad times fall on us, those we fight with face similar ups and downs in life as well.

And just as God waits patiently for us to accept His love and provision in the good and bad times, when we show God’s love to others, even if it is hard to do so, we get to experience the treasure of God’s unfailing love given to someone who needs it most.

The sun and rain fall on all of us equally, and we can equally show God’s love to one another in return.

Blair Parke is a freelance writer for BibleStudyTools.com and freelance book editor who wrote her first book, "Empty Hands Made Full," in 2021 about her journey through infertility with her husband. She previously worked for eight years with Xulon Press as an editor. A graduate of Stetson University with a bachelor's in communications, Blair previously worked as a writer/editor for several local magazines in the Central Florida area, including Celebration Independent and Lake Magazine and currently writes for the Southwest Orlando Bulletin. She's usually found with a book in her hand or enjoying quality time with her husband Jeremy and dog Molly. You can order her book at Christian Author Bookstore - Xulon Press Publishing and visit her website at Parkeplaceediting.