Early and Latter Rain
“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).
As a result of Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit the early church prospered and grew (Romans 1:8). The opening of the gospel was accompanied by powerful supernatural manifestations of the Spirit of God.
“And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.
There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one” (Acts 5:12-16). Not only were the sick healed, the dead were raised as well.
These extraordinary workings of God’s grace were foretold by the Hebrew prophets under the figure of the early and latter rains that fell upon the lands at seedtime and harvest.
What happened at Pentecost and the nurturing of the early church in its infancy, described above in Acts 5, was likened to the early, or former rain that caused the precious seeds to germinate and spring up.
The promise was that the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, would not only bring power He would abide with the church forever. “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever” (John 14:16).
From time to time, we see evidence of His mighty workings, giving assurance that He is still with us, but nothing on a grand scale as when the early rain fell upon the fledgling church.
But what about the latter rain, which is to ripen the grain to full maturity at the time of harvest?
To be continued.