The Latter Rain
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Let's ask for God's guidance:
Our Almighty Father,
As we study the prophetic Word, we often come across the subject of the latter rain. It is
now time for us to understand what this event represents.
This is why we once again ask You to help us, for without Your precious light, we would
remain in total darkness.
We thank You in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
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Joel 2:23,24
Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the
Lord your God; for He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain
to come down for you - the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
The threshing floors shall be full of wheat.
In our previous lessons, we have seen that, at the time of the shaking, shortly
before the great harvest which will gather souls into the barns of heaven, God will send a
special «rain» on His people.
Prophecy uses the words «the former rain and the latter rain».
What does this rain symbolize?
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Jeremiah 5:24
Let us now fear the Lord our God, who gives rain, both
the former and the latter, in its season.
He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
In Palestine, the «former rain» represents the
rains which, after six months of dry weather, moisten the ground during the autumn sowing
period, allowing the seed to sprout and grow.
In spring, the «latter rain» comes in turn, allowing the
plants to reach full maturity, with a view to the harvest which follows shortly afterward.
Now, what do these rains symbolize at the spiritual level?
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Joel 2:23,28
Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the
Lord your God; for He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain
to come down for you - the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. (...)
I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh.
Bible prophecy often takes its symbolism from the agricultural sphere, as we
have seen with the sifting (or shaking), the harvest, and the vintage.
Now, the former and latter rains are used to symbolize the Holy Spirit being poured out on
the people of God.
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Ezekiel 36:25,27
Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be
clean (...).
I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My
judgments and do them.
Isaiah 44:3
For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods
on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, My blessing on your
offspring.
The symbol of a beneficial rain is often used in the Bible to represent the
Holy Spirit being poured out on the people of God.
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Acts 2:1-4,16,17
Now when the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were
all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled
the whole house where they were sitting.
Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. (...)
«This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: "And it shall come to pass in the last
days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh."»
The former rain took place on the Day of the Pentecost, fulfilling the first
part of Joel's prophecy.
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Acts 2:37,38,41
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and
said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, «Men and brethren, what shall we do?»
Then Peter said to them, «Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of
Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit.» (...)
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand
souls were added to them.
The aim of the former rain is to make the seed sprout and grow.
Likewise, the rain of the Holy Spirit, at Pentecost, made the Church sprout and grow.
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John 14:16
[Jesus said,] «I will pray the Father, and He will give
you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever.»
Acts 1:8
You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come
upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and
to the end of the earth.
Shortly before returning to His Father, Jesus announced to His disciples that
they would receive this special rain, so that God's Church might be born, and then grow by
proclaiming the gospel to all nations.
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John 7:37-39
Jesus stood and cried out, saying, «If anyone thirsts,
let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his
heart will flow rivers of living water.»
But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive.
Revelation 22:17
And the Spirit and the bride say, «Come!» And let him
who hears say, «Come!» And let him who thirsts come. And whoever desires, let him take
the water of life freely.
Coming directly from God, the Spirit's rain is truly a thirst-quenching source
of living water.
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Acts 4:31
And when they had prayed, the place where they were
assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they
spoke the word of God with boldness.
Acts 10:44
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy
Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.
Since this former rain, the Holy Spirit has been working continuously, bringing
souls to the cross of the Savior, Jesus Christ.
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1 Corinthians 6:11
But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you
were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
2 Thessalonians 2:13
God from the beginning chose you for salvation through
sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.
After having led us to salvation, the Holy Spirit plays an important part in
our sanctification, that is, our continuous spiritual growth.
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1 Samuel 10:6
Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you
will prophesy with them, and be turned into another man.
John 14:17
The Spirit of truth (...) dwells with you and will be in
you.
Galatians 2:20
It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.
This spiritual growth can happen only by the power of the Holy Spirit, who
transforms us day after day into the image of our Savior Jesus Christ.
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Galatians 5:16,17
Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of
the flesh.
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are
contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
Galatians 5:25
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
The sinner has a natural tendency to go against the will of God.
Only the Holy Spirit can give us the power to obey God.
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1 Thessalonians 4:1
Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord
Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to
walk and to please God.
Being justified in Jesus Christ, we are now called to increasingly understand
the will of God.
But even more, through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit within us, God calls us to
obey His will, so that we «should abound more and more».
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Galatians 5:19-22
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are:
adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred,
contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just
as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the
kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
What a transformation the Holy Spirit can carry out in the heart of the sincere
repentant man!
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Hebrews 6:7
For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes
upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from
God.
Galatians 6:8,9
He who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap
everlasting life.
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not
lose heart.
The believer, transformed by the Holy Spirit, gives off a wonderful essence of
blessing around him, and works without respite in God's harvest.
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Joel 2:23,28
Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the
Lord your God; for He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain
to come down for you - the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. (...)
I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh.
After the former rain comes the latter rain.
What does this rain symbolize, bringing the plants to full maturity, before the harvest?
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Acts 2:1,4,16,17,20
Now when the Day of Pentecost had fully come, (...) they
were all filled with the Holy Spirit. (...)
«This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
"And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My
Spirit on all flesh (...). The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood,
before the coming of the great and notable day of the Lord."»
The prophecy of Joel announced the former rain that fell at Pentecost.
That same prophecy also annnounces the latter rain, which, for its part, will fall shortly
before «the great and notable day of the Lord».
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The latter rain is closely linked to Jesus' return:
«[God] will cause the rain to come down for you - the
former rain, and the latter rain. (...) The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the
moon into blood, before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. And it shall
come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion
and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the remnant whom
the Lord calls.» (JOEL 2:23,31,32)
«Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as
the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the
earth.» (HOSEA 6:3)
«Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits
for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early
and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is
at hand.» (JAMES 5:7,8)
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Ezekiel 34:22,23,26
I will judge between sheep and sheep.
I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them - My servant David. He
shall feed them and be their shepherd. (...)
I will make them and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to
come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing.
The latter rain will be poured out on the people of God at the time of the
shaking, that is, when God «will judge between sheep and sheep».
God's purified flock will then be entrusted to the safekeeping of the Great Shepherd,
Jesus Christ, here symbolized by David the shepherd.
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Psalm 68:9
You, O God, sent a plentiful rain, whereby You confirmed
Your inheritance, when it was weary.
In our previous lesson, we have seen that the shaking, which will soon begin,
will take place in the midst of great calamities and upheavals, plunging the whole world
into great distress like never before, and severely shaking the Church.
The believers who remain faithful to God will make up a «weary
inheritance», needing to be confirmed and strengthened.
It is in this arid period that the beneficial latter rain will fall on God's people.
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Isaiah 44:2,3,5
Thus says the Lord who made you and formed you from the
womb, who will help you:
«Fear not, O Jacob My servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My
Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring. (...)
One will say, "I am the Lord's"; another will call himself by the name of Jacob;
another will write with his hand, "The Lord's", and name himself by the name of
Israel.»
This rain will fill the people of God with a power even greater than that of
Pentecost, an unequalled portion of the Spirit of God.
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Isaiah 55:10,11
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.
God's goal, in granting the latter rain to His people, is not simply to support
them during the trial of the shaking.
He also wants to enable them to carry out a very demanding final mission...
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Revelation 18:1,2,4
After these things I saw another angel coming down from
heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory.
And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, «Babylon the great is fallen, is
fallen!» (...)
«Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her
plagues.»
This crucial mission will be to proclaim the message of the fall of Babylon and
to send out a final call to the inhabitants of the earth to accept salvation, before
Jesus' return.
This will be the subject of our next lesson.
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Hebrews 3:7,8,13
As the Holy Spirit says: «Today, if you will hear His
voice, do not harden your hearts.» (...)
Exhort one another daily, while it is called «Today», lest any of you be hardened
through the deceitfulness of sin.
Before closing this lesson, let's answer this fundamental question: «How can
we receive the latter rain?»
First, we must have had a taste of the beneficial action of the former rain, that is, to
have favorably responded to the Holy Spirit calling us to repentance, and to have let Him
work within our hearts, helping us to spiritually grow in Jesus Christ.
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John 14:15,16
[Jesus said:] «If you love Me, keep My commandments. And
I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you
forever.»
Acts 5:32
And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is
the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.
The Holy Spirit causes us to grow and increase spiritually, as we obey the
truth He reveals to us day after day.
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Our obedience to God will allow us to receive the latter rain:
«If you diligently obey My commandments which I command
you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your
soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the
latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil.»
(DEUTERONOMY 11:13,14)
«The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if
you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. (...) The Lord will
open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season,
and to bless all the work of your hand.» (DEUTERONOMY 28:9,12)
«If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them, then I will give
you rain in its season.» (LEVITICUS 26:3,4)
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On the other hand, disobedience will deprive us of the latter rain:
«But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart;
they have revolted and departed. They do not say in their heart, "Let us now fear the
Lord our God, who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season. He reserves
for us the appointed weeks of the harvest." Your iniquities have turned these things
away, and your sins have withheld good things from you.» (JEREMIAH 5:23-25)
«Lift up your eyes to the desolate heights and see: where have you not lain with men? By
the road you have sat for them like an Arabian in the wilderness; and you have polluted
the land with your harlotries and your wickedness. Therefore the showers have been
withheld, and there has been no latter rain.» (JEREMIAH 3:2,3)
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Isaiah 30:21-23
Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, «This is
the way, walk in it», whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the
left.
You will also defile the covering of your graven images of silver, and the ornament of
your molden images of gold. You will throw them away as an unclean thing; you will say to
them, «Get away!»
Then He will give the rain for your seed with which you sow the ground, and bread of the
increase of the earth.
This passage summarizes well the way to follow.
Indeed, a persevering obedience to the Holy Spirit who sanctifies will lead us to the
latter rain which brings maturity.
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Luke 11:13
[Jesus said:] «If you then, being evil, know how to give
good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask Him!»
If we have not yet responded to God's call to repentance, and if we have not
yet received the former rain, there is still time to act.
If we sincerely desire that the Holy Spirit work within our hearts to transform us, teach
us, and guide us, the promise is plain: God will fill us with the Holy Spirit.
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Zechariah 10:1
Ask the Lord for rain in the time of the latter rain.
The Lord will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, grass in the field
for everyone.
And if we have already received the former rain, and if we are following the
path of sanctification which the Spirit shows us, God invites us to pray right here and
now for the latter rain.
For only the latter rain will make us reach full spiritual maturity, and help us to carry
out the great final evangelical work before the return of Jesus.
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James 5:7,8
Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the
Lord.
See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it
until it receives the early and latter rain.
You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Jesus will return very soon.
As we are waiting for this glorious event, it is now up to each one of us to make sure
that we «establish our hearts» in Christ.
May the Holy Spirit help us every day to deepen and strengthen our relationship with Jesus
Christ, our Savior, our Lord and our God.
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Let's pray:
Lord,
It is written: «Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the
Lord. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain,
like the latter and former rain to the earth.» (Hosea 6:3)
As the former rain makes us grow through obedience to Your will, we humbly ask You to also
send us the latter rain, so that we may come to full spiritual maturity, before the time
of the great harvest.
In Jesus Christ we pray.
Amen.
Source of the Pictures of this Lesson
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500,000» by IMSI, CD #17, 29140059.JPG. Screen 18: In: «Who's Who in
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de l'Ecole du Sabbat», Pacific Press Publishing Association, Third Quarter, 1995, front
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Geographic Photo Gallery», National Geographic Interactive, 1997. Screen 28: «Cracked
soil in a dry riverbed». In: «Deluxe Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia CD - 2000
Edition», Compton's Home Library, 1999. Screen 29: Picture by Digital
Imagery, Photodisc, 1999. In: «A Love Stronger than Death» magazine, Family Heritage
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Library 3, 577065.PCD. Screen 32: In: Advertisement for «Altace»,
Hoechst Marion Roussel. Picture edited by Cyberspace Ministry. Screen 33: Photo
in: «Master Clips 500,000» by IMSI, CD #17, HIO29067.JPG.
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The test of Lesson 75 is waiting for you!