Church of God Knowledge Encyclopedia

Former Rain and Latter Rain

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The former rain and the latter rain are very important for the successful growing and harvesting of crops. Wheat and barley, the basic agricultural products in Israel, are sown in autumn and reaped in spring. The former rain (also called early rain or autumn rain; Hebrew: יוֹרֶה)[1] falls when the rainy season begins around October and November in the solar calendar. It wets the land that has dried up during the dry season. The latter rain (also called spring rain; Hebrew: מַלקוֹשׁ [Malkosh])[2] is the spring rain that falls around March and April when the rainy season is over. This rain makes the crops more fruitful during the harvest season. In the Bible, the former rain and the latter rain refer to the Holy Spirit, which is the blessing that God pours out.

Climate of Israel: The blue line indicates precipitation and the red line indicates temperature.

Natural Environment of Israel

The importance of the former rain and the latter rain can be seen in the natural environment of Israel. Since ancient times, water has been scarce in Israel. In biblical history, Abraham and other patriarchs faced conflict over wells or had to dig a new well whenever they moved their dwellings.[3]

  • Terrain and Farming
More than 60% of Israel is a desert. It is difficult to obtain groundwater because the soil is made of limestone, sandstone, etc. The fertile land is spread throughout the northern region where rainfall is abundant, but it accounts for only 20% of the country as of 2013, and it is only 29.87% as of 2020.[4]
They start cultivating barley and wheat in autumn and harvest in spring. In summer, they grow fruit trees such as olives, grapes, and pomegranates and harvest them in autumn. In the dry season, and in the land without enough rainfall, plants grow with moisture from the dew that forms at dawn.
Israel is characterized by a Mediterranean climate (Cs) because it is located between the Mediterranean Sea and the desert. However, some regions are characterized by a desert climate (BW) or a semi-arid climate (BS). The annual precipitation is only 500–750 mm, and there is a great regional variation. The annual climate is divided into dry season and rainy season. In summer, it rarely rains all over Israel. The dry season, when the temperature is high and it is dry, begins in May and lasts until September. The rainy season lasts from October or November until March or April the following year; the temperature is mild and it is humid.[5]

The Roles of the Former Rain and the Latter Rain

Since water is scarce in Israel, people’s lives are directly impacted by rain. In the past, in agricultural societies, rain influenced the result of farming of the year. The former rain and the latter rain, which were poured in due time, were the “timely rain” and a symbol of blessing.[6][7][8][9][10] On the contrary, lack of the former rain and the latter rain was like a curse.[11][12]

  • Former Rain: It falls in early autumn when the dry season ends and the rainy season begins. Since grains are sown at this time, early rains are essential to soften the ground and create conditions for stable grain growth.[13]
  • Latter Rain: It falls around March and April when the rainy season ends. It falls just before the crops are harvested, and it is also called the “spring rain” or the “rain of blessing.” The latter rain influences the increase in agricultural production. This is because it is difficult for grains to grow well if nutrients are not properly supplied during the harvest season. Therefore, the timely latter rain is God’s blessing itself.[7][14][15][16]

Biblical Meaning of the Former Rain and the Latter Rain

In the Bible, Israel’s grain farming is compared to God’s gospel work. Jesus likened the process of preaching the truth and reaping spiritual fruit to “sowing good seeds in a field and harvesting them.”[17] The special rain that falls during the farming season—the former rain and the latter rain—stands for the Holy Spirit poured out from God. Just as the former rain and latter rain are essential for Israel’s crop farming, the Holy Spirit of the former rain and the latter rain are crucial for the gospel work to be completed. Around the eighth century B.C., the prophet Joel prophesied that in the future, God would pour out the former rain and the latter rain.

Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given you the autumn rains . . . both autumn and spring rains, as before.

Joel 2:23

Holy Spirit of the Former Rain

The prophecy about the former rain was fulfilled by the Holy Spirit given to the disciples on the day of Pentecost, who gathered in Jerusalem for ten days after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, 2,000 years ago when the seed of the gospel was being sown. The number of disciples increased by as many as 3,000 in a day after the descent of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit of the former rain became a catalyst for the spread of the gospel of the early Church throughout the world.

When the day of Pentecost came, . . . All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. . . . about three thousand were added to their number that day. . . . And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 2:1–47

Holy Spirit of the Latter Rain

The prophecy of the book of Joel was partially fulfilled by the Holy Spirit of the former rain that came on the day of Pentecost in the Apostolic Age, and it is to be entirely fulfilled by the Holy Spirit of the latter rain that comes in the last days, the time of the spiritual harvest.

Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. . . . “Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given you the autumn rains . . . both autumn and spring rains, as before. And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. . . .” . . . The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said . . .

Joel 2:1–31


God said that the sun would be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. “The great and dreadful day of the LORD” in the book of Joel refers to the end of the world. As signs for His second coming and for the end of the age, Jesus told His disciples that “the sun would be darkened, and the moon would not give its light.”[18] Apostle John, too, wrote that the sun would turn black and that the whole moon would turn blood red before God’s work of putting the seal begins.[19][20] The work of the Holy Spirit of the latter rain appears at the end of the age, which is likened to the spiritual harvest season.

Just as crops ripen with the latter rain and are brought into the barn, God’s chosen people, who are likened to the wheat, are gathered and the gospel work of the kingdom is completed through the work of the Holy Spirit of the latter rain.[21][22]

How to Receive the Holy Spirit of the Latter Rain

  • We Must Keep the Feasts of God
The bodies of the saints are the “temple of the Holy Spirit” where the Holy Spirit dwells.[23][24] The Holy Spirit of God cannot dwell in a place defiled by idols or a detestable place. Since a man cannot be a pure temple of the Holy Spirit to receive the Holy Spirit through his righteousness,[25] we must keep the Passover of the new covenant to be purified by the blood of Christ. Therefore, Jesus taught that the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit, would come upon those who eat His flesh and drink His blood.[26] God also said that He would not send the rain (Holy Spirit) on those who do not keep the Feast of Tabernacles.[27][28] When the saints cleanse themselves, who are the temple of God, by keeping the feasts of God, God gives them the Holy Spirit of the latter rain.
  • We Must Know God
To press on to know God is the prerequisite to receive the Holy Spirit of the latter rain.[16] On the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus Christ stood in the temple and shouted, “Come and receive the water of life,” by which He meant, “Come and receive the Holy Spirit.”[29] In order to go to Christ and receive the Holy Spirit, we must press on to know Christ.[30]
  • We Must Seek to Receive the Holy Spirit
The prophet Zechariah taught that we should ask God to grant the spring rain, the latter rain.[31] Jesus promised to give living water, the Holy Spirit, to those who ask for it.[30][29]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Strong's #3138 - יוֹרֶה". Study Light.
  2. ↑ "Strong's #4456 - מַלְקוֹשׁ". Study Light.
  3. ↑ "Genesis 26:15–22".
  4. ↑ Israel: Percent agricultural land, The Global Economy
  5. ↑ The Climate of Israel, Observation, Research and Application, Yair Goldreich, Springer US, 2012
  6. ↑ Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, pg. 456, B&H Publishing Group, November 2015
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Deuteronomy 11:14".
  8. ↑ "James 5:7".
  9. ↑ "Psalms 84:5–6".
  10. ↑ "Proverbs 16:15".
  11. ↑ "Amos 4:7–8".
  12. ↑ "Jeremiah 3:2–3".
  13. ↑ Rain, Eastons Bible Dictionary, Bible Study Tools
  14. ↑ "Job 29:23".
  15. ↑ "Jeremiah 5:24".
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Hosea 6:3".
  17. ↑ "Matthew 13:24–30, 37–39".
  18. ↑ "Matthew 24:3, 29–31".
  19. ↑ "Revelation 6:12–13".
  20. ↑ "Revelation 7:1–3".
  21. ↑ "Matthew 13:36–43".
  22. ↑ "Matthew 24:30–31".
  23. ↑ "1 Corinthians 3:16–17".
  24. ↑ "1 Corinthians 6:19".
  25. ↑ "Romans 3:9–10".
  26. ↑ "John 6:56".
  27. ↑ "Zechariah 13:1".
  28. ↑ "Zechariah 14:16–19".
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 "John 7:37–39".
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 "John 3:10".
  31. ↑ "Zechariah 10:1".
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