Latter Rain - discussion
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R
in the bible rain means two things that i am aware of...
it can be actual rain...as in genesis 7:12..."The rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights."
or it can symbolize spiritual teaching...as in deuteronomy 32:2..."Let my teaching drop as the rain, My speech distill as the dew, As the droplets on the fresh grass And as the showers on the herb."
the early and latter rain in joel 2:23 could be actual rain...in which case it would probably refer to God renewing his agricultural blessings on israel in the form of favorable weather... however there isn't any mention of joel's plague of locusts and israel's recovery from it anywhere in the historical books of kings and chronicles...so this interpretation while easily possible is not provable...
or if the early and latter rain are two spiritual teachings...then we could very naturally identify them with the work of moses and jesus...the teaching of the law and the ministry of the gospel... since peter quotes from joel 2:28 onwards in his sermon explaining pentecost...it would make sense that the 'latter rain' directly preceding the pentecost would be the ministry of jesus... and it is reasonable to identify the 'early rain' with the teaching of moses that he even describes as a rain in deuteronomy 32:2
in any case peter's handling of joel 2 makes it pretty much certain that the latter rain...whatever it refers to...happened -before- pentecost...and not long after pentecost in modern times...
it can be actual rain...as in genesis 7:12..."The rain fell upon the earth for forty days and forty nights."
or it can symbolize spiritual teaching...as in deuteronomy 32:2..."Let my teaching drop as the rain, My speech distill as the dew, As the droplets on the fresh grass And as the showers on the herb."
the early and latter rain in joel 2:23 could be actual rain...in which case it would probably refer to God renewing his agricultural blessings on israel in the form of favorable weather... however there isn't any mention of joel's plague of locusts and israel's recovery from it anywhere in the historical books of kings and chronicles...so this interpretation while easily possible is not provable...
or if the early and latter rain are two spiritual teachings...then we could very naturally identify them with the work of moses and jesus...the teaching of the law and the ministry of the gospel... since peter quotes from joel 2:28 onwards in his sermon explaining pentecost...it would make sense that the 'latter rain' directly preceding the pentecost would be the ministry of jesus... and it is reasonable to identify the 'early rain' with the teaching of moses that he even describes as a rain in deuteronomy 32:2
in any case peter's handling of joel 2 makes it pretty much certain that the latter rain...whatever it refers to...happened -before- pentecost...and not long after pentecost in modern times...
I would think Peter's handling of Joel in Acts 2 supports the idea that the former rain is Pentacost. God's Spirit poured out upon all flesh and folks exhibiting sign gifts. The things not seen are the signs in the heavens which we see in Rev when Christ returns. This ties nicely with Zech 12:10
For the cause of Christ
Roger
For the cause of Christ
Roger
Permit me to expound on this theme.
In the teachings of Yeshua, He teaches of the Sower, the Seed and the Field. For all who are familiar with this parable, and keeping it in mind, let us look to the rain, former and latter and what they have to do with this parable.
Before the season for planting, there are rains to fill the soil and ground water. The Sower (Yeshua) sows the Seed (the Word) in the Field (mankind, the world).
Because of the first waters the seed grows and flourishes preparing itself for the Harvest (end time and resurrection) to come. Now before the Harvest there are rains to increase the yield of grain, the latter rain.
So we have the living water from heaven nourising the early salvation, the planting, and we have the same just previous to the final Harvest. The former and the latter rains.
In the teachings of Yeshua, He teaches of the Sower, the Seed and the Field. For all who are familiar with this parable, and keeping it in mind, let us look to the rain, former and latter and what they have to do with this parable.
Before the season for planting, there are rains to fill the soil and ground water. The Sower (Yeshua) sows the Seed (the Word) in the Field (mankind, the world).
Because of the first waters the seed grows and flourishes preparing itself for the Harvest (end time and resurrection) to come. Now before the Harvest there are rains to increase the yield of grain, the latter rain.
So we have the living water from heaven nourising the early salvation, the planting, and we have the same just previous to the final Harvest. The former and the latter rains.