If you have ever lived in Africa, you know what it’s like to wish, oh so much, that it would rain! We have long months of dusty-dry hot weather. And when finally the sky darkens with black clouds and you hear thunder begin to roll, and big drops begin to fall on your tin roof, it’s so wonderful. You feel almost like heaven has begun on earth!
In Bible lands the people would plant their seeds in time for the rainy season. Then when the “early rains” came, the little seeds would sprout and the young crop of grain would begin to grow nicely. But just before the grain began to form, the farmers needed another rainy spell for the grain to ripen as it should. They called that “the latter rain.”
If for some reason it didn’t come, the people would starve. That’s why the Bible says they would “pray for the latter rain.” The Holy Spirit wants to get God’s people ready to be translated when Jesus comes. And that can’t happen unless they do prepare! God uses rain to make it clear, to help us understand. The great real Latter Rain is God sending the Holy Spirit in a special way to give God’s people what they need. Sometimes there is sin buried deep in our hearts that we don’t know is there. And of course that must be put away. That final work of getting ready is called the “harvest.”
Jesus loves His church because “she” will become His bride. He wants the wedding to take place so He can come the second time and be with His people forever. The grain ripening for the “harvest” is the same as “His bride preparing herself” for “the wedding of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:7, 8).
For a long time people who love the Bible have been praying for that great Latter Rain to come. Just like we in Africa love to have the rain come after our long dry season, the church will love for that wonderful “rain” to come. It will be a message more than it will be miracles (you see, Satan can work miracles!). It will be a message that lifts Jesus up so all can see Him more clearly. It won’t scare people into keeping all of God’s commandments—that’s something called “legalism;” it will win people’s hearts. They will see what it cost Jesus to die for us and save us. It will be love, pure heavenly love that will change their hearts and cause them to want to keep all of God’s commandments.
And children and youth will love that most precious “latter rain” when it comes. It will be new life in the church. It will come because of the Lord’s much more abounding grace. It will be a Good News message that the world has been starving to understand. The Lord has for a long time wanted “us” to tell it more clearly.
Oh, those will be happy days! Those who had been listening to the Holy Spirit will be glad to hear the message. It will be like sunrise after a long night. The world will get to see the most precious light that will help many people be ready for the coming of Jesus. His coming will then be really soon!