Zechariah 10:1, commentary and pictures

Ask of the Lord in the time of the latter rain, and He will make bright clouds and give showers to every grass in the field, pouring out the Holy Spirit in grace, refreshing, spiritual power and abundant blessing in answer to prayer. The outpouring at Pentecost was the former rain when thousands were converted in a day, but the latter rain promised for the last days will be more abundant. It belongs to those living near the close of earth's harvest to ripen the church and fit a people for the coming of the Son of man, coming just before the end when Christ sets up His kingdom, and its full work is still future. It is given to add power, perfect overcoming believers for translation, and strengthen them for the work of saving the lost. It must be sought in faith by earnest prayer with each one asking for his own vessel to be filled, and it cannot replace the former rain, for only those who live by the light they have, confess and forsake sin, stand in unity without dissension, and are pure and active in service will recognize and receive it.

Promise of Latter Rain

The rain is the Holy Spirit's grace, refreshing, and spiritual power, and the bright clouds and showers are God's abundant spiritual blessing poured out in answer to asking in its season. The asking is to be in faith and earnest, faithful prayer, and those who ask in faith receive the promised blessing, with meekness, humility, and conscious dependence on God wrought for the perfecting rain. The blessing may come unexpectedly and bring deep change of heart in surrender of selfish purposes and obedience to God, and to call it mere excitement or deny it is unbelief that prevents receiving it.

The outpouring on the apostles at Pentecost was the former rain, when thousands were converted in a day, but the latter rain promised for the last days will be more abundant. It belongs to those living in the last days near the close of earth's harvest, to give the church added power and prepare it for the coming of the Son of man. It comes just before the four angels let go and Christ sets up His kingdom, coming on those that are pure as formerly, and its full genuine deep movings are still future.

Its purpose is to give added power, to ripen the church for Christ's coming, to fit for translation those who heed the truth and overcome, and to equip and strengthen believers for the work of saving the lost. When asked for in its season, the Lord answers by making bright clouds and giving showers to every one grass in the field, supplying broadly to every field what is needed for growth. God gives these showers to each person who receives Christ, is filled with His Spirit, and cooperates with God, and those who receive bear abundant fruit.

As latter rain the plan of redemption comes with more than present knowledge: increased light and knowledge beyond what is now possessed, comprehension of the deep things of God, themes worthy of more than passing notice, and still more wonderful representations of the gospel and discovery of important truths as the closing scenes of earth's history near. It is so given because the people are fast losing connection with God by trusting and glorifying man, with strength only proportionate to dependence. It is given to those searching God's Word with contrite hearts praying for wisdom for greater length and breadth and height of the knowledge only God can give, and those devoting their powers to study especially of the prophecies of the last days are rewarded.

Its coming is seen in wonderful works and manifestations of power, with a few drops already fallen in the healing of the sick. It is the wonderful work of God in converting souls, bringing one hundred twenty-five souls to conversion with twenty-five more waiting for baptism. Torrents of outward blessing resting on gathered believers serve as a symbol of truth and righteousness poured out, with the Lord's Spirit resting on the people and changing the meeting by the blessing received. Under this divine outpouring human authority and human methods may be swept aside, while the Holy Spirit speaks through living human agents with convincing power, its living water flowing through God's own channels, not because of polished speech or grammar.

Seeking the Promised Rain

The blessing must be asked for of the Lord in the time of the latter rain, in faith and in earnest, faithful prayer joined to preparation, each person asking for it to come into his own vessel. The asking is for an extraordinary measure of the Spirit's grace near the close of earth's harvest, more abundant than the former rain poured out in the days of the apostles when thousands were converted in a day, and God answers by sending spiritual refreshing and power abundantly to every field for growth and for the work of saving the lost. Earnest seeking in such prayer brings spiritual refreshment and works meekness, humility, and conscious dependence on God for the perfecting rain, and those who ask in faith receive the promised blessing of showers of grace.

The latter rain cannot replace the former rain, for the work begun in the heart must continue, and seekers must live by the light they have, confess and forsake sin, pray, consecrate themselves to God, and grow in Christian virtues. Without this preparation people may fail to recognize or receive the outpouring even when it comes around them, though it is given to ripen the church for Christ's coming. Effective asking requires putting away all dissension and differences, no longer striving for the highest place, coming into perfect unity of one accord and one heart and soul, and giving self to God weighted with the burden of souls while claiming the promised endowment of power. It requires also helping those weak in faith, standing firm in principle, and turning from vanity, perverse speech, bitterness and dissension, which prepares the way to receive the light of the angel who illuminates the earth with God's glory.

It comes only to those who are pure and active, not to the spiritually idle, for none receive it but those who do all they can to water others with eternal truth, and all can be overcomers by grace through the blood of Jesus with all heaven and the angels interested in the work. The church must already be using the power God has given, earnest, devoted and active in service, in order to receive power from on high and work more effectively for God. It is given to those searching God's Word with contrite hearts praying for wisdom for greater length and breadth and height of knowledge only God can give, and those devoting their powers to study of God's Word, especially the prophecies referring to the last days, will be rewarded with discovery of important truths and with more than present knowledge, comprehension of the deep things of God, and still more wonderful representations of the gospel as the closing scenes near.

The vessel must now, today, be kept clean, right side up, and prepared by cleansing the heart from all iniquity and defilement, coming to God with clean purpose as little children, emptying and thoroughly cleansing impurity, being made holy, and dying to self and crucifying self every day and every hour. Those who so seek are fitted up and given grace, see the salvation of God, have Jesus walk in their midst, receive the heavenly rain, share the light of the glorious angel united with the third angel, take part in the work and sound the proclamation of the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ with a certain sound, and labor together with Jesus Christ. This cleansing must be done now while there is work to do and use for every entrusted capability, before the destiny of souls is decided, so that when the earnest test comes the everlasting arms are around them and angels make a wall of fire about them and deliver them. Preparation must keep the mind fixed on the truth of the third angel's message without turning aside to vagaries, and those whose vessels are clean and whose hands are free when it comes receive light from on high and press right on.

The outpouring may come unexpectedly as showers given to the field, bringing deep change of heart in surrender of selfish purposes and obedience to God. Calling it mere excitement or dismissing it as fanaticism or delusion reflects unbelief, resists the Holy Spirit, and prevents receiving its blessing. Under it human authority and human methods may be swept aside while the Spirit speaks through living human agents with convincing power, its living water flowing through God's own channels not because of polished speech or grammar, and people must not exalt persons or treat startling experiences as proof of worth since unworthy persons may gain credence. The genuine work may still show fanatical persons pressing in with mistakes and lack of wisdom, with far greater evidences of fanaticism than the revival at Healdsburg, yet that presence is not by itself grounds to condemn the work or to judge it by finite human ideas, and to condemn a genuine work for that reason will lead to condemning the latter rain itself when it comes. The latter rain comes as the Spirit is poured out when churches become active in seeking the salvation of the perishing and when believers go forward in faith and cooperate with God as receivers of Christ, Spirit-filled lightbearers strengthened and supplied with what is needed for their work.