Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. (Joel 2:23)
Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. (Hosea 6:3)
Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. (Zechariah 10:1)
Introduction
In the present hour many people are speaking of a tremendous revival that is at hand. The present author has stated on numerous occasions that we are on the edge of the most marvelous intervention of God in all history. The coming outpouring is the latter-rain revival spoken of in the Scriptures.
Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. (James 5:7)
The reference is to the rain cycle of the land of Israel. The former, planting rain occurs in the fall after the six-month drought of summer. Then there are occasional winter rains. The harvest rain begins in March and is referred to as the "latter-rain." After the heavy harvest rains there must be hot sun to harden the heads of wheat to prepare them for threshing.
Because of the several mentions in the Scriptures of the former and latter rain we conclude that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit during the Church Age will follow the pattern of the natural rain of the land of Israel. The spiritual fulfillment of the former, planting rain is described in the Book of Acts. Then there have been "mercy drops" during the "winter" of the Church Age. Now we are moving toward spring, so to speak, and the coming of the Lord. The several outpourings during the past three hundred years remind us that soon there will be an unprecedented deluge.
If this is true we are about to witness the mightiest outpouring of all time. The purpose of the latter (harvest) rain is to bring to maturity all that God has planted in the earth. After that there will come the burning sun of tribulation to harden the heads of wheat, that is, to prepare the saints to walk with Him who is the Consuming Fire of Israel.
There are two principal purposes to be accomplished by the latter-rain outpouring. The first purpose is to empower the saints to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to every nation for a witness. The second purpose is to bring Christ to maturity in the saints.
The operation of the first purpose is symbolized by the two witnesses of Revelation, Chapter Eleven. The operation of the second purpose is symbolized by the Son who is brought forth, as described in Revelation, Chapter Twelve.
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Matthew 24:14)
Bearing Witness to Every Nation of the Kingdom of God
Notice first that it is the Gospel of the Kingdom that will be preached. The Gospel of the Kingdom has been lost, it seems, for many centuries. Now the Gospel of the Kingdom is being restored to the churches. That the Gospel of the Kingdom has been lost, or nearly so, can be observed by glancing at the Statement of Belief of any Christian denomination. One might see few or no references to the Kingdom of God.
We have changed the Gospel of the coming of the Kingdom of God to the gospel of going to Heaven. Is this true?
Second, the Gospel of the Kingdom is to be preached in all the world. We often hear people saying this door or that door is closing to the Gospel. As far as man is able to work, this may be true. But when God the Father authorizes the opening of the doors to every nation on earth, they shall open and no power can hinder!
Third, the Gospel will be preached for a witness. God wants to restore to His churches the concept of witnessing. When the Holy Spirit baptizes us we are given power to bear witness. While it is necessary souls be saved, saving souls and bearing witness are not quite the same thing. It can happen that a true witness has been borne and no souls have been saved.
The problem with emphasizing the saving of souls is that the preacher may tend to water down the Words of God, the demands of discipleship, in order to "win people for Christ." We have seen this done with undesirable results.
The true prophet of God is to give the whole counsel of God. Then the Holy Spirit does His work of convicting sinners and bringing them to the Master.
It seems in America there is a great deal of ministry but in numerous instances a true witness is not borne. The love of God has been overemphasized and the wrath of God has been given little attention or ignored altogether.
We are not saying we should teach continually about Hell, for that is not how we are to feed the Lord's sheep. However, we should be presenting both the goodness and the severity of God, the love of God and the wrath of God, and point out that the Christian who continues to live in the lusts of the flesh, who does not bring forth the fruit of Christ in his or her life, is in danger of being cut out of the Vine. There are many warnings in the New Testament directed toward the believer who neglects his salvation. And they are severe!
Fourth, the end shall come after the witness has been borne to God's satisfaction. This is not referring to the end of the world but the end of the Gospel witness. After the latter-rain revival, and before the Lord returns, there will occur the burning sun of tribulation. The Gospel witness will be driven from the cities of the earth. The two witnesses will be "killed," so to speak. The remnant of saints will be forced into hiding until the Lord returns in the clouds of glory.
During this time there will be no Gospel witness in the major cities of the earth. It will be impossible to pray. The darkness will prevent people from coming to Christ for salvation or being filled with the Spirit of God. The only place where one can be saved will be where the remnant are hidden away under the hand of God.
And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain. (Isaiah 4:5,6)
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. (Joel 2:32)
To be continued
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