p. 5 | Showers of Blessing by H. A. St. John

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Nov 11, 1908

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 35, No. 15.

"Showers of Blessing"

By H. A. St. John

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.' Zech. 10:1. 'There shall be showers of blessing.' Eze. 34:26. Dear reader, are you continually saying and praying, 'Lord, mercy-drops round me are falling, but for the showers I plead'? We are in the time of the latter rain, the general and wonderful refreshing from on high.

But that great refreshing will undoubtedly be preceded, in the experience of individuals and small companies of two or more, by rich and abundant showers of blessing. These showers will come to hungering and pleading souls, who are seeking for a preparation to receive the mighty outpouring further on. The latter rain will not fall upon a single soul that has not been previously fitted by cleansing the soul temple from all defilement. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters by zealous and thoro repentance, and while we are so doing, we will undoubtedly receive showers of blessing. These showers will be needful, as necessary divine helps, in making the fitness required to receive the latter rain.

I have stood upon the mountainside and witnessed showers of rain falling upon very circumscribed localities in the valley and on the mountains beyond, sometimes two or more showers visible at the same time, while the heavens were clear above my head. Then a shower would visit my locality, while all was sunshine beyond. Sometimes a shower would fall richly on one lone mountain rancher, then upon several. These were neither the former nor the latter rain, but the showers that preceded, and wherever they fell they constituted an attraction for the general downpour later on.

Now please notice briefly how the showers of blessing came to the early church in the time of the early rain, but preceding it, as a preparation for the pentecostal baptism. A few sad-hearted sisters went to the sepulcher of Jesus in the early morning to anoint His body. There they met two shining angels who told them that Jesus was risen, and they were entrusted with that message to carry to the sorrowing disciples. Did not these sisters have a shower of blessing? Then Mary Magdalene appeared at the sepulcher alone. Jesus revealed Himself to her, and gave her the same message. O, what a shower of blessing that was to that one weeping soul! Broken-hearted Peter received a like shower the same day. Two other disciples, sad-hearted and alone, were journeying late on the same day toward their home seven miles away. Jesus joined them, but they knew Him not. Then Jesus gave them a Bible-reading on the subject of the crucified Messiah, and a shower of blessing began to fall upon the two sad and lonely travelers, and their hearts began to burn within them. Reaching their home they constrained the supposed stranger to tarry and sup with them. He went in, and O, what a copious shower of blessing fell upon them! They were so elated that, altho it was night, they hastened back to Jerusalem to tell their joy to the mourning eleven. No sooner had they finished their story than all were refreshed together by a manifestation of their risen Lord. In like manner a second shower came to the disciples a few days later when Thomas was with them.

To several of their number again came a refreshing in the early morning after a night of fruitless toil. Shortly after there came a larger shower upon above five hundred at once, on the mountainside in Galilee. We mention but one more, and that was on the Mount of Olives when Jesus was taken up to heaven from their midst, leaving with them as His last words, the precious promise, 'Lo, I am with you alway, even to the end of the world.' The disciples returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising God. Perhaps we ought to have noted the occasion when Jesus breathed on them and said, 'Receive ye the Holy Ghost,' a shower of blessing surely.

Thus we see how the way was preparing in their experience for the ten days of heart searching and supplication, reaching up higher and higher, till the pentecostal baptism like a rushing, mighty wind, came upon all at once. The windows of heaven were opened, and from their glorified Lord came such a general outpouring of blessing that there was not room enough to receive it.

Such was the time preceding, after that the coming of the former rain. In like manner will be the showers in the time of the latter rain; and like Pentecost, will the great refreshing be, only, we are told, it will be 'far more abundant.'

We are in the time of the latter rain, and the showers are due now. Reader, are you preparing, praying, asking, and receiving showers of blessing now? If not, what assurance have you that you will be ready for the great and more abundant refreshing by and by?

In the showers antedating Pentecost, the recipients had their wavering faith established, and were filled with hope and courage and great joy in giving the inspiring message to all believers, 'He is risen, HE IS RISEN!' With what ecstatic joy did that sweet message resound from lip to lip. And the pentecostal outpouring did not change their message, but sent them to the whole world with the same message, with the added truth, 'He is risen, and has ascended to glory.'

The showers of blessing in this time will inspire every receiver with the message, 'He is coming in glory to gather unto Himself His own.' And the more abundant latter rain will only intensify and illuminate this inspiring truth, until the whole world shall be lightened with its glory, and the glory of all who believe and receive it.

'The Lord is coming! let this be The herald note of jubilee; When we meet, and when we part, The salutation from each heart.'