This Is the Time of the Latter Rain; Have You Prepared the Way?
By I. A. Crane
The perils of the last days are upon us. The nations are angry, and the wrath of God will soon be poured out. The great Ruler of the universe is withdrawing his Spirit from the guilty inhabitants of earth who reject his message of mercy. They will be allowed to reap the fearful reward of wrongdoing. War, famine, and pestilence increase on every hand. But terrible as these already seem to be, the student of God’s Word knows well that this is only the beginning of what must come. For “destruction upon destruction is cried.” Urged on by demons, the armies of the maddened nations will overrun and spoil the whole land. Men will suffer in blood and agony, while women and children perish, homeless, famine-stricken, and in despair. Little do the inhabitants of earth realize now the fearful doom awaiting them. Can there be a Seventh-day Adventist whose heart is not filled with longing to see the last message go with the promised power, that God may bring to an end this awful struggle? In these days of war and trouble does not your soul long for the coming of the Prince of Peace? Yet how powerless are the people of God to do so great a work in so short a time! We stagger at the magnitude of the work which must be done. Shall we not all heartily repent of having allowed the years of peace to go by with so little accomplished? Now the whole world cries out in its last agony of despair for God’s last message to them. Shall they hear it? Its proclamation depends upon the church. Never, never, can we clear ourselves if we neglect to do our part now. My brethren, if you are not moved to action now in this hour of the world’s distress, nothing can atone for your sinful neglect. The church as well as the world is on trial,—the church to give the message, and the world to receive it. It is a life-and-death question with all. The crying need of the world is the loud cry of the message. No tame proclamation will meet the need of the hour. Nothing short of the loud cry will be heard above the din of war and the confusion of Babylon. Why has not the message gone with the power which was foretold and which the times demand? Are the people of God asleep? “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand.” How shameful it is to find strife and contention in our church at such a time as this! What a pity that whole churches should be stirred over paltry affairs of which the immediate parties themselves should be ashamed! Nothing can save the church and help the church to save the lost, but the latter rain, the refreshing from the presence of the Lord. Years ago we were told that the Spirit awaited our demand and reception. Later it was said, “Already many are receiving the Holy Spirit, and the way will no longer be blocked by listless indifference.” Can it be that I have blocked the way for the outpouring of the latter rain, and thus have hindered the progress of the work? Are we all guilty? The very thought of such sinful neglect ought to lead every one of us to most humble heart searching. This is evidently what is meant by Joel’s word, “Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly.” The whole church is called to fasting and mourning. The Holy Spirit is promised to all who ask. Luke 11: 9-13. But you may say, “I have asked time and again, but do not receive.” Have you felt under condemnation for sin? Has there come into your heart a longing to live a better life? If so, the Spirit did come, but you did not receive him. Remember, dear reader, that the Spirit comes to all who ask, but he abides only with those who prepare him room. He fills only those who give him full possession. When he condemned you for some sin, did you put away the thing that grieved him? When he created in you a soul hunger for righteousness, did you seek that gift that you might be fitly adorned for such a holy Guest? “Oh,” you say, “I am so sinful I never can overcome my faults! I have tried so often, only to fail.” But wait! You surely do not expect the Holy Spirit to abide in a place given up to sin and uncleanness, do you? And you surely know that your eternal destiny depends on your being cleansed. Then you must gain the victory over your sins. All depends on this. Can you afford to fail? Listen! The whole gospel story is bound up in the words, “He shall save his people from their sins.” If you are not saved, it must be one of three things that has hindered it: He is not able to save you, or he is not willing, or you are not willing. Which7of the three is it? Is not Christ, to whom is given all power in heaven and in earth, who cleansed the leper and saved the demoniac, able to save you from your sins? He is abundantly able. Think of his mighty works. Let your faith grasp his almighty power. Do you think he is not willing to save you? Remember the price he paid to redeem the lost. Think of the scoffs and jeers, the agony and death, he endured for you. Do you think now he will refuse what he was willing to purchase at so great a cost? Though your sins be as scarlet, he will yet receive you and wash you white as snow. Then verily he is both able and willing. All now depends on your submission to him. Do you want to be saved enough to sacrifice everything? If so, wait not a moment. Sever yourself from everything that hinders. Place and keep yourself fully under his control. He has promised, and he will save you fully from your sins. This prepares you for the fullness of the Spirit. The world needs to hear the story which you will then be able to tell. The loud cry of the message will be given by those who have in this way obtained the victory. When this living testimony is revived and borne to the world, without doubt the gospel work will be finished.