The Former and the Latter Rain by W. W. Prescott

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 22, 1906

The Former and the Latter Rain

By W. W. Prescott

W. W. PRESCOTT

(Reading for Wednesday, December 19)

Of special and present interest to the people of God at this time are the following promises, spoken through the prophet Joel: “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in Jehovah your God; for he giveth you the former rain in just measure, and he causeth to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain, in the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the canker-worm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, my great army which I have sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and shall praise the name of Jehovah your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you; and my people shall never be put to shame. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am Jehovah your God, and there is none else; and my people shall never be put to shame. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of Jehovah shall be delivered; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those that escape, as Jehovah hath said, and among the remnant those whom Jehovah doth call.”

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the former rain and the latter rain, and the results of these gracious visitations from the presence of the Lord, are foretold in this remarkable prophecy. The promise to make up for the previous losses caused by destructive insects, and the abundant harvest described, are the concrete forms in which the assurance is given that every opposing influence will be held in check, and that rich spiritual harvests will be reaped as the result of the special outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

This prophecy, so far as it relates to the former rain, was fulfilled in the experience of Pentecost and the work of the apostles. This history is worthy of being studied again. Concerning Pentecost we read: “And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. . . . And they [those “from every nation under heaven”] were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying one to another, What meaneth this? But others mocking said, They are filled with new wine. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spake forth unto them, saying, Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and give ear unto my words. For these are not drunken, as ye suppose; seeing it is but the third hour of the day; but this is that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel.”

After quoting the prophecy to which he referred, the apostle Peter then showed from the Scriptures, in a simple and straightforward manner, that the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth was in direct fulfilment of the prophetic word. “The arguments of the apostles alone, although clear and convincing, would not have removed the prejudice of the Jews which had withstood so much evidence. But the Holy Ghost sent those arguments home with divine power to their hearts. They were as sharp arrows of the Almighty, convicting them of their terrible guilt in rejecting and crucifying the Lord of glory.” “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brethren, what shall we do? And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. . . . They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls.” Thus under the plentiful shower of the divine Spirit did the seed take root, and spring up speedily.

The multiplication of witnesses under the ministry of the apostles who were filled with the Holy Spirit continued after Pentecost. After the healing of the lame man, “whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful,” Peter again preached to the people, and as the result of his testimony concerning Jesus, “many of them that heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.” The number of converts to the faith was soon described as “the multitude of them that believed,” and the record states that “with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.” A little later we learn that “the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.” Thus the work continued until after the martyrdom of Stephen and the conversion of Saul. The disciples, according to the promise of Jesus in foretelling the descent of the Holy Spirit upon them, became witnesses to the truth not only in Jerusalem, but

‘in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.’”

Such were the glorious results which attended the giving of the former rain. Simple arguments in the mouths of “unlettered men, and obscure,” carried conviction to the hearts of those who had been filled with prejudice. Without the facilities of modern times, a few men, taken mostly from the common people, but filled with the Holy Spirit, carried the message of the risen Saviour to all the world in one generation, so that the apostle Paul could write to the Colossians concerning “the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven.” In its influence upon the growth of the kingdom of God in the earth it was doubtless the most remarkable period from Adam to Christ. Those days were the days of heaven upon earth, days of power and light and blessing for the church.

Nearly nineteen hundred years have passed since the giving of the former rain, introduced by the experience on the day of Pentecost. The great apostasy, the Dark Ages, and the Reformation of the sixteenth century have filled the pages of history. The great second advent movement, as foreshadowed in prophecy, has attracted the attention of the world in this last generation. In the finishing of this work the three angels of the fourteenth chapter of Revelation are joined by “another angel coming down out of heaven, having great authority.” “The work of this angel comes in at the right time to join in the last great work of the third angel’s message, as it swells to a loud cry.” At this time the latter rain will be given.

‘The angel who unites in the proclamation of the third angel’s message is to lighten the whole earth with his glory. A work of world-wide extent and unwonted power is here foretold. The advent movement of 1840-44 was a glorious manifestation of the power of God; the first angel’s message was carried to every missionary station in the world, and in some countries there was the greatest religious interest which has been witnessed in any land since the Reformation of the sixteenth century; but these are to be far exceeded by the mighty movement under the last warning of the third angel.

‘The work will be similar to that of the day of Pentecost. As the ‘former rain’ was given, in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the opening of the gospel, to cause the upspringing of the precious seed; so the ‘latter rain’ will be given at its close, for the ripening of the harvest. ‘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.’ . . . The great work of the gospel is not to close with less manifestation of the power of God than marked its opening. The prophecies which were fulfilled in the outpouring of the former rain at the opening of the gospel, are again to be fulfilled in the latter rain at its close. Here are ‘the times of refreshing’ to which the apostle Peter looked forward when he said, ‘Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out [in the investigative judgment], when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus.’

‘Servants of God, with their faces lighted up and shining with holy consecration, will hasten from place to place to proclaim the message from heaven. By thousands of voices, all over the earth, the warning will be given. Miracles will be wrought, the sick will be healed, and signs and wonders will follow the believers. Satan also works with lying wonders, even bringing down fire from heaven in the sight of men. Thus the inhabitants of the earth will be brought to take their stand.

WORKERS AT THE NIMES (FRANCE) CAMP-MEETING

‘The message will be carried not so much by argument as by the deep conviction of the Spirit of God. The arguments have been presented. The seed has been sown, and now it will spring up and bear fruit. The publications distributed by missionary workers have exerted their influence, yet many whose minds were impressed have been prevented from fully comprehending the truth or from yielding obedience. Now the rays of light penetrate everywhere, the truth is seen in its clearness, and the honest children of God sever the bands which have held them. Family connections, church relations, are powerless to stay them now. Truth is more precious than all besides. Notwithstanding the agencies combined against the truth, a large number take their stand upon the Lord’s side.’—‘Great Controversy,’ pages 610-612.

For years we have been in the time of the loud cry of this message. This means that for years we have been in the time of the latter rain. We ought, therefore, to call to mind this word of the Lord: ‘Ask ye of Jehovah rain in the time of the latter rain, even of Jehovah that maketh lightnings; and he will give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.’ Already there are indications of the fulfilment of this promise, and a work of preparation has been done which will open the way for its complete fulfilment. With repentance and humble confession let each one seek the Lord while he may be found, that the latter rain may be poured out, and the great work cut short in righteousness.