Edson Meireles — Portugal

n the beginning of creation there was no rain. "For the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground" (Genesis 2:5, 6). When, because of man’s sin, God sent the flood, its waters brought not merely destruction, but also purification. (See 1 Peter 3:20, 21.)

When the Israelites were established in the Promised Land, and the people began to cultivate the ground and plant their crops, God promised, "I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit" (Leviticus 26:4). This promise was fulfilled and lasted for many centuries. Those who were counting on the results of their farming were never disappointed in their efforts. They sowed the seed and waited for the rain to fall in its season, the first rain and the last rain. These two rains were known as the former rain and the latter rain. "Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month" (Joel 2:23).

"In the East the former rain falls at the sowingtime. It is necessary in order that the seed may germinate. Under the influence of the fertilizing showers, the tender shoot springs up. The latter rain, falling near the close of the season, ripens the grain, and prepares it for the sickle." 1

The spiritual symbolism of rain

"Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth" (Hosea 6:3).

"The Lord employs these operations of nature to represent the work of the Holy Spirit. As the dew and the rain are given first to cause the seed to germinate, and then to ripen the harvest, so the Holy Spirit is given to carry forward, from one stage to another, the process of spiritual growth. The ripening of the grain represents the completion of the work of God’s grace in the soul. By the power of the Holy Spirit the moral image of God is to be perfected in the character. We are to be wholly transformed into the likeness of Christ." 2

No other element of nature could represent better the work of the Holy Spirit in human hearts than rain. After a long time of drought the earth becomes completely parched, vegetation withers, the leaves turn sallow and dry, the air becomes dense. Sadness and gloom take possession of those who live in the field, and many give up tilling the soil. Under such circumstances no seed is able to sprout, grow and produce fruit, no matter how good the seed may be. The fields lose their natural beauty, and nature itself is stifled. But when the desired rain comes, the environment which was previously unproductive, becomes green, beautiful, exuberant, and full of life.

So it is with the man that is sunken in sin and ignorance about spiritual things, and who does not know the love of God. He has not yet been touched by the saving grace of Jesus, and has not yet experienced the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. He is like a barren land, lifeless. The coarse heart is insensible to the manifestation of the goodness and love of God. But when he begins to receive the first drops of heavenly dew, the Holy Spirit penetrates into his rigid heart, even if initially it is only on the surface. The work of softening begins, and as the soul yields to the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit, the transformation becomes evident. Like the rain that changes little by little the hardened clods into beautiful soil, so with the man who receives the manifestation of the Holy Spirit into his hardened heart, making him soft, meek, pleasant, glad and happy. His countenance shows a new brightness, and the new experience in his life brings peace into his heart. The marks of wickedness and sin slowly diminish, and a new appearance is seen in his semblance. The power of the Spirit of God transforms the dry into moist, the barrenness into fertile fountains of good fruits. There is a total change of the carnal nature into the spiritual nature, and spiritual fruit springs forth from the soul. See Galatians 5:17–24.

The first spiritual rain

The Lord promised to pour out power upon His children through His Spirit in the appropriate time, for a special work, as revealed in Joel 2:28–32.

The Jewish nation could have been blessed with this wonderful promise, but because they rejected Jesus Christ, they rejected also the power of the Holy Spirit which would have come upon them. Thus God turned to another class, at first made up of only a few men and women. These were faithful and sincere souls, ready to submit themselves wholly to God’s will. They were humble, unlearned persons, without any social or political prestige, and needed extra power to carry out the Great Commission. See Matthew 28:20.

How would Christ’s promise, "I am with you always," be fulfilled? Jesus had promised, "I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" (John 16:7, 8).

After Christ’s ascension, the disciples were cheered with the promise of the coming Comforter. (See Acts 1:8.) But they did not spend their waiting time in indolence. They humbled their hearts, thoroughly confessed their sins, and made reconciliation among themselves. They met together to recollect the instructions of their Master to pray, praise, and glorify God. See Acts 2:1–8.

Those who were seeking earnestly the necessary preparation received a confirmation of divine acceptance. The Holy Spirit descended upon them in a powerful way without measure, and they were fitted for the great work of preaching the gospel.

The immediate results of the early rain

The results of this wonderful manifestation of God’s power were seen immediately. Thousands accepted the message and were confirmed in the faith. See Acts 6:7; 11:21.

So the apostolic church, without money, without chapels, without the support of the state or society, without great personalities among them or doctors according to human science, established solely upon the foundation of the apostolic faith, became a mighty stronghold. The foundation of Christianity was established forever by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The promise is for the time of the end

When in 1844 God again gathered together His people by the threefold angel’s message, it was His design to manifest His power once again by pouring out the Holy Spirit upon them. This would enable them to give the final warning to mankind, and prepare them for the finishing of the gospel work and for the end of the world, in fulfillment of Acts 2:14–20. The Spirit of Prophecy tells us:

"If all who had labored unitedly in the work in 1844, had received the third angel's message and proclaimed it in the power of the Holy Spirit, the Lord would have wrought mightily with their efforts. A flood of light would have been shed upon the world. Years ago the inhabitants of the earth would have been warned, the closing work completed, and Christ would have come for the redemption of His people." 3

Forty-four years later, in 1888, at the General Conference held in Minneapolis, God again wished to pour out His Holy Spirit upon those who were assembled. "The Lord in His great mercy sent a most precious message to His people through Elders Waggoner and Jones. This message was to bring more prominently before the world the uplifted Saviour, the sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. It presented justification through faith in the Surety; it invited the people to receive the righteousness of Christ, which is made manifest in obedience to all the commandments of God. Many had lost sight of Jesus. They needed to have their eyes directed to His divine person, His merits, and His changeless love for the human family. All power is given into His hands, that He may dispense rich gifts unto men, imparting the priceless gift of His own righteousness to the helpless human agent. This is the message that God commanded to be given to the world. It is the third angel’s message, which is to be proclaimed with a loud voice, and attended with the outpouring of His Spirit in a large measure." 4

Although the great majority did not understand and accept the message, the few who accepted it received power to begin a reformatory movement in the church. When later the crisis mentioned in Testimonies to Ministers, p. 514 arrived, putting the church to a test, these two classes were defined by their actions not only before the church but also before the authorities in the world. While a large class chose to support the error of committing "treachery to the kingdom of Christ" 5, a minority remained firm on the platform of the truth, without wavering, choosing to obey God rather than man. The task of enlightening the world can only be carried out effectively by such who love the "commandments of God" and have the "faith of Jesus" (Revelation 14:12). Those who are to be represented by that other angel of Revelation 18 will be clothed with the power of the Holy Spirit in its fullness under the latter rain.

What is needed for us to receive the latter rain?

Current events indicate more than ever before that we are in the final moments of the history of our evil, corrupt, sick, old world. God is eager to deliver His chosen ones from the oppression of the arch-deceiver who is so furious, knowing that now his time is shorter than ever. But the Lord waits anxiously for His people to be ready for the latter rain. What shall we do then? What was it that enabled the early disciples to receive the early rain? When Jesus appeared to them in the upper room after His resurrection, He knew their great need and granted them a great portion of power. "He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost" (John 20:22). It was with this portion of the Holy Spirit that the disciples were able to realize their real condition and each of them endeavored to make a preparation, helping one another in this work. They prayed together, fasted, confessed their sins and humbled their hearts, until they reached the unity of the faith and sanctification which enabled them to receive the desired power.

As individuals and as a church we should pray daily for the power of that divine breath so that we may overcome our pride, our defects of character, our selfishness and misunderstandings. We should humble our hearts before God and among our own selves. It is necessary to confess our mistakes, to fast and pray, and consecrate our lives to the Lord. The conditions to receive the latter rain is the same: "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord" (Acts 3:19). "Many have in a great measure failed to receive the former rain. They have not obtained all the benefits that God has thus provided for them. They expect that the lack will be supplied by the latter rain." 6

"But unless the members of God’s church today have a living connection with the Source of all spiritual growth, they will not be ready for the time of reaping. Unless they keep their lamps trimmed and burning, they will fail of receiving added grace in times of special need." 7

"It is God who began the work, and he will finish his work, making man complete in Jesus Christ. But there must be no neglect of the grace represented by the former rain. Only those who are living up to the light they have, will receive greater light. Unless we are daily advancing in the exemplification of the active Christian virtues, we shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain." 8

"Near the close of earth’s harvest, a special bestowal of spiritual grace is promised to prepare the church for the coming of the Son of man. This outpouring of the Spirit is likened to the falling of the latter rain; and it is for this added power that Christians are to send their petitions to the Lord of the harvest ‘in the time of the latter rain.’ In response, ‘the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain.’ ‘He will cause to come down . . . the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain,’ Zechariah 10:1; Joel 2:23." 9

The body of believers are in the stage of the church militant. It is the church which is still "enfeebled and defective." It is made of a heterogeneous membership, people of different characters, possessing different levels of spirituality. After the shaking has thoroughly accomplished its work, the church will receive the spiritual showers of the latter rain. The Holy Spirit will be given to all those who remain and are ready, the church will become triumphant, and the following prophecy will be fulfilled:

"A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time" (Isaiah 60:22).

"Servants of God, with their faces lighted up and shining with holy consecration, will hasten from place to place to proclaim the message from heaven. By thousands of voices, all over the earth, the warning will be given. Miracles will be wrought, the sick will be healed, and signs and wonders will follow the believers. Satan also works, with lying wonders, even bringing down fire from heaven in the sight of men. Revelation 13:13. Thus the inhabitants of the earth will be brought to take their stand." 10

A dangerous counterfeit work

There are two aspects in the texts mentioned above which must be examined: The first one is that the remnant which will receive the latter rain will be made up of thousands, not of millions. Therefore we have an urgent work to undertake in these last days of probationary time to include those who profess true faith, but who are bound to a large class made up of millions of members—"a place whence the divine presence and glory have departed!" 11 long ago.

The second aspect is that Satan will also be active at that time, working signs and miracles so as, if possible, to deceive the very elect. Through the false pentecostalism which he has developed in various fallen churches he will do such a stupendous work that many will be deceived. These signs will be a test for Seventh-day Adventists. The servant of the Lord says:

"We need not be deceived. Wonderful scenes, with which Satan will be closely connected, will soon take place. God’s Word declares that Satan will work miracles. He will make people sick, and then will suddenly remove from them his satanic power. They will then be regarded as healed. These works of apparent healing will bring Seventh-day Adventists to the test. Many who have had great light will fail to walk in the light, because they have not become one with Christ." 12

The lukewarm and indifferent condition prevailing among many will prepare the way for the deceptive work of the evil one. May the Lord help us that none of those who belong to God’s remnant people may be deceived. We should pray for a daily baptism of the former rain, so that we may be ready to receive more abundantly the powerfully blessed showers of the latter rain, the last rain poured out upon God’s remnant church. "The gift of His Holy Spirit, rich, full, and abundant, is to be to His church as an encompassing wall of fire, which the powers of hell shall not prevail against." 13

"All we have to do is to keep the vessel clean and right side up and prepared for the reception of the heavenly rain, and keep praying, ‘Let the latter rain come into my vessel.’ " 14

References:

1 The Review and Herald, March 2, 1897
2 Ibid.
3 The Great Controversy, p. 457.
4 Testimonies to Ministers, pp. 91, 92.
5 Ibid., p. 17.
6 Ibid., p. 507.
7 The Acts of the Apostles, p. 55.
8 The Review and Herald, March 2, 1897.
9 The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 54, 55.
10 The Great Controversy, p. 612.
11 Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, p. 250.
12 Selected Messages, bk. 2, p. 53.
13 In Heavenly Places, p. 282.
14 The Upward Look, 283.