In our previous posting, Height, Depth, Breadth, we noted the consistent parallel throughout the Bible between God’s word that issues from heaven and the rains that fall from the natural heavens. We also noted God’s law of the early and latter rains for the Kingdom He established in the Promised Land for the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Deuteronomy 11:9-17). If the Israelites heard God’s word and responded obediently then they would receive the early and latter rains and so they would live. If they refused to hear and hearken to God’s word then the rains would be withheld and the very earth would not yield its bounty to them. This natural result to this unacceptable spiritual behavior is also consistent with the law of two witnesses. When anyone in the Kingdom God established was on trial for their life there had to be at least two witnesses. If the accused was convicted it would be the witnesses themselves that would begin to carry out the sentence of death against the accused. At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death. The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you (Deuteronomy 17:6-7).
In the law of the early and the latter rains we see heaven and earth called to witness against Israel’s refusal to comply with God’s word. Just as heaven and earth would serve as the Creator’s witnesses against an apostate nation, so the ‘hands’ of these two witnesses would be the first against the accused. And then the LORD’S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you (Deuteronomy 11:17). The heavens would send no rain and the land would not yield its fruit. The hands of the two appointed witnesses would be the first to execute judgment against the convicted for their faithlessness and noncompliance with Kingdom Law.
In our previous blog posting we noted the prophecy Amos about how the extended divine silence would be like a drought of the word of God, jumpstarting our examination of this scriptural theme (Amos 8:11-13). We noted that in order to establish the difference between an ‘early’ rain and a ‘latter’ rain there would need to be an absence of rain between these two periods… a drought. We also noted when the divine silence would end, at the glorious return of Jesus Christ to the earth (Isaiah 42:13-14). The height, breadth and depth of this theme can be expanded when we realize that this lesson of these spiritual and natural early and latter rains weaves all through the Bible in three distinct but harmoniously related sub-themes.
Just as the spoken word of God is repeatedly paralleled to both the rains from heaven and also the early and the latter rains, we see this same parallel made between two other categories of the word of God: 1) the word made flesh, which is Jesus Christ: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father (John 1:14) and 2) the word of God expressed in power (the Holy Spirit miraculous power outpourings on believers). The three dimensional symmetry maintains its perfect consistency in each of these two additional applications and also in the context of the drought-like prophecy of divine silence in Amos. Here is the proof.
The Word Made Flesh
The appearances of the word made flesh (Jesus Christ) are paralleled to rain and specifically the early and latter rains.
- He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth (see context for unmistakable application to the Messiah) Psalm 72:6.
- 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).
- 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 6:2)
The Word in Power
There will be two stages of Holy Spirit miraculous gift outpourings (like rain from heaven). When the Apostle Peter explains the miracle of uneducated Galileans being able to preach in all the languages of the Jewish multitudes at Jerusalem on the first day of the Feast of the First fruits (Pentecost) he quotes from the prophet Joel (Acts 2:16-21; Joel 2:28-32). If we look a little deeper at the context of Joel’s prophecy we will see verse 23: 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. There would be two distinctly separate outpourings of the Holy Spirit to empower the faithful to perform God-like miracles. This parallel between the Holy Spirit gifts and rain is further emphasized in the book of Hebrews. After the author warns the believers that if they abuse their miraculous gifts by using that credibility to teach lies about God they would be blaspheming the Holy Spirit and never be forgiven, we see the parallel between receiving this outpoured Holy Spirit power and the natural outpouring of rain.
- For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned (Hebrews 6:4-8).
Just as the outpouring spoken word of God is paralleled to the early and latter rains, so the coming of the word made flesh (Jesus Christ) is likened to the early and latter rains, so also the word of God expressed in power (Holy Spirit gifts) is also compared to the early and latter rains. These observations all fit perfectly within the prophecy of the drought of the word of God presented by Amos. This drought extends from the cutting off of the spoken word of God after the book or Revelation, the ascension to heaven by the word made flesh (Jesus) and the drying up of the Holy Spirit gifts after the death of the second generation of believers from the resurrection of Christ. That drought of the spoken word of God along with the absence of the word made flesh and the absence of Holy Spirit power will each end when Christ powerfully and gloriously returns to earth with his holy angels. That will constitute the latter rains when the spoken word of God will again pour from the heavens and the miraculous power of God will rain down on believers.