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.
Zechariah 10:1 KJV
Israel was a country with limited access to water supply from rivers and other irrigation systems. If there was no rain, there was famine, making it less desirable. However, out of this land flowed the riches of the inheritance of God to all the earth; an inheritance fully expressed in the church, Galatians 3:16, 4:21-31. The Lord told Israel when moving from Egypt that this land was one that He specifically cared for and that it drank from the rain of heaven, Isaiah 27:3, Deuteronomy 11:11. This means the Israelites had to depend on God for rain and their sustenance. This land here was physical Israel and the Lord promised to water it.
In the new covenant, our land is the church that God cares for. This inspires a life of total dependence on God. The Lord, in watching over His land, sent rain when the people were weary to refresh and to confirm them as His inheritance, as Psalm 68:9 says. In physical Israel, this rain came because of the harvest and at different times in the year. The early rain came as showers to prepare the ground for planting and the latter rain came in torrents to yield the first fruits and the full harvest. The rain symbolizes several things in the new covenant: God’s word, Deuteronomy 32:2, the blessing of the Holy Spirit, Ezekiel 24:26 and judgement, luke 17:29. However, all these come to refresh His own, bring about spiritual maturity and confirm those who are His.
God in knowing our need for the rain, like anything else, requires that we ask. This asking is done in reverence, knowing that our only hope of journeying into the fulness of all that God has for us is His rain. When we ask for the rain, six things happen. First God makes bright clouds. These clouds are symbolic of human beings as seen in Hebrews 12:1, Matthew 26:64 and 1 Thessalonians 3:13. These are not waterless clouds like Jude 1:12 says, but a new crop of spiritual leadership needed to shepherd the people. The result is that these clouds will empty their showers (the moreh or early rain, which speaks of pure and true teachings of God’s word). They will have showers for both the babes and the mature, every one grass in the field. This will, in turn, produce a harvest of truth principles, which will be refreshing to a soul wearied by lies all around.
Once this truth is clearly understood, liars would be exposed and judged and then there will be an emergence of true praise and worship in the land. This will be a response to the Lord refreshing the thirsty heart with pure and clean words. The result is the formation of brand new ministries, the five-fold ministries in Ephesians 4:11-14, with an aim to bring the body of Christ to the fulness of the stature of Christ.
Each time God’s inheritance is weary in a place and they cry to Him, He responds with rain. However, there is a promise of a final rain, the latter rain which brings about a maturing of the first fruit company. These are overcomers who will be men in the estate of Christ with a goal to take over the kingdoms of this earth. They are men who have been conquered completely by God for the purpose of conquering the world. Their ministry will be accompanied by pure truth, much harvest for the kingdom of God and severe judgement for those who resist God. It is for this reason we cry and ask for the latter rain. The world will only see Jesus via the church! Once these men and women, fully mature in the character, life, power, and love of Jesus come on the scene, it will be evident that the kingdoms of this World have become the Kingdom of our God and His Christ.
Prayer for today: Lord Jesus, thank you for always watching over your church, which I am. Thank you for always sending the rain of Your word and Your Spirit to refresh me when I am weary. Lord there is so much famine of truth and wickedness in our world today. Men are so depraved of truth and even Your Word among your people have in some places, become bitter. Lord we need Your rain! We ask for your latter rain in this time that your church may be strengthened to carry out Your work in this land. Amen
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